Mercer Unveils Plans for Nationally Televised FCS Kickoff, Free Concert Series

From Mercer University - Mercer University and Mercer Athletics, in partnership with Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller, a Double Bear Mercer graduate, officially launched the countdown to the 2026 football season Thursday, unveiling plans for the nationally televised Aug. 29 FCS Kickoff matchup against East Texas A&M and introducing a free concert series designed to make Bears football weekends bigger, louder and more exciting than ever before.

During a press conference held on the Macon campus, Mercer University President Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D., newly appointed Director of Athletics Brian Gerrity, Head Football Coach Joel Taylor, and Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester M. Miller highlighted the significance of the Aug. 29 season opener, which will place Mercer on the national stage before an ESPN audience at Mercer's Five Star Stadium on Anderson Field.

The event also served as the official launch of Mercer Athletics' enhanced game-day entertainment experience - the Mercer Football Ford Concert Series - which is free and open to the public. The series will bring live music, family-friendly activities and a festival atmosphere to Mercer home football Saturdays throughout the season, beginning with a pregame performance before the FCS Kickoff.

"The FCS Kickoff will provide an extraordinary opportunity to showcase the pride, energy and sense of belonging that define the Mercer experience to a national audience," said Elkins. "At Mercer, we do not chase championships; we build a championship culture. Grounded in excellence, leadership and service, that culture inspires our scholar-athletes - and every student - to pursue their highest aspirations, serve others and lead with purpose."

The Aug. 29 matchup marks the first time in a decade that the FCS Kickoff has been played outside Montgomery, Alabama, and places Mercer at the center of one of the premier opening-weekend showcases in FCS football.

Hosting the FCS Kickoff at Five Star Stadium is a milestone moment for Mercer Athletics," said Gerrity. "National exposure on ESPN, a nationally ranked football program and an enhanced game-day experience create a tremendous opportunity to showcase our University and engage fans in new ways. We want every football Saturday to be an event that brings our campus and community together."

In addition to previewing the matchup with East Texas A&M, athletics officials shared details about plans to elevate the fan experience throughout the season, which includes the Mercer Football Ford Concert Series and Aug. 15 Fan Day, during which Mercer will hold an autograph session with the football team and a free sports clinic afterward. The free concert series, to be held during Mercer home games, is designed to transform football weekends into destination events for students, alumni, families and visitors from across Middle Georgia and beyond.

"We're excited to make our free concert series a defining part of the Mercer football experience," Gerrity said. "Whether you're coming for football, music or both, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. We believe these events will create an electric atmosphere and make game days more memorable than ever."

For Taylor, the excitement of the season extends even further.

"Our scholar-athletes have worked extremely hard for this opportunity," Taylor said. "Opening the season at home against a quality opponent in front of our fans and a national ESPN audience is the kind of challenge you embrace. We look forward to creating a great atmosphere on Anderson Field in Five Star Stadium and representing Mercer the right way."

The nationally televised contest between Mercer and East Texas A&M is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff on ESPN.

Miller noted that the event's impact will extend well beyond the stadium.

"Mercer football is so much more than just a game for us … it's a community-wide celebration that offers something for everyone, from the game to concerts to family-friendly events," said Miller. "It's a great day when we get to come together like this, but it's even greater when we get to showcase what's best about our community to the country."

Mercer will make its third FCS Kickoff appearance in four seasons and its sixth nationally televised appearance in the last three years. The Bears defeated North Alabama, 17-7, in the 2023 FCS Kickoff, while their 2025 matchup against UC Davis was declared a no-contest following an extended weather delay.

East Texas A&M becomes just the second Texas-based program to participate in the event and the first since Stephen F. Austin appeared in 2022.

As anticipation builds toward Aug. 29, university and athletics leaders emphasized that the FCS Kickoff represents more than the opening game of the season. It marks the beginning of an enhanced football and entertainment experience designed to showcase Mercer and Macon on a national stage.

"Aug. 29 is about much more than opening a football season," Gerrity said. "It's an opportunity to celebrate our University, strengthen community connections, elevate the fan experience and introduce people across the country to everything that makes Mercer special."

EDITOR'S NOTE: Livestreamed video from Thursday's press conference can be viewed at mercer.edu/livestream. Additional information regarding the FCS Kickoff, season tickets, concert series and the 2026 Mercer football season is available at MercerBears.com.