Ole Miss Week 1 Opponent Preview: Mercer Bears Defensive Players to Watch

Our 2023 college football preview begins continues this week with the Rebels' week one matchup.

OXFORD, Miss. --The Ole Miss Rebels begin their 2023 campaign with a non-conference matchup at home versus the Mercer Bears in Week 1 of the college football season. Similarly to Ole Miss, Mercer was in the midst of a quarterback competition after senior signal caller Fred Payton declared for the 2023 NFL Draft in December.

According to their official team website, Mercer is entering the fall with four quarterbacks on its roster including redshirt freshman Daniel Schoch, freshman Drew Moore, and redshirt sophomores Carter Peevy and Hess Horne. Peevy took the role at quarterback for the Bears in their Week 0 win over North Alabama. 

The last time Ole Miss and Mercer met was in 1911, and the Rebels crushed the Bears on the road 34-0. The two programs have not met since. The Rebels and Bears will kick off at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. 

Here is a look at the defensive talent Mercer will bring to Oxford.

Defensive Players to Watch

Tackles: Linebacker Isaac Dowling (Junior)

2022 stats: 100 tackles, nine TFLs, one sack, two interceptions, three passes defended, one forced fumble

Week 0 stats: 1 tackle and a half sack

Dowling is undersized for a linebacker at 5-10, 225-pounds, but he plays a whole lot bigger on the gridiron. The Snellville, Ga., native led the Bears in tackles (100) last fall and was named a Team Captain for the second consecutive season. The junior also recorded a career-high 17 tackles against the Citadel Bulldogs in 2022 and was voted onto the First Team All-Conference.

Interceptions: Safety Juwan Johnson (Sophomore), cornerback TJ Moore (Junior), cornerback Cam Sims (RS Junior), safety Lance Wise (Senior), linebacker Isaac Dowling (Junior)

2022 stats: Each player led Mercer with two interceptions

Among the handful of returning defensive backs who snatched two interceptions last fall is Mercer linebacker Isaac Dowling. On top of leading the Bears' defense in tackles, Dowling also finished the year tied for first in interceptions. Safety Lance Wise returns for his senior campaign after leading all Mercer defensive backs in tackles with 56. The Marietta, Ga., native, is also a two-time Team Captain for the Bears.

Sacks: Christian Hansen (Sophomore)

Week 0 stats: 1 sack

Mercer had trouble getting to the quarterback last fall, as defensive lineman Carson Griffin led the team in sacks with just 4.5. Senior defensive lineman Soloman Zubairu finished second on the team with three quarterback takedowns. Both veterans return to Mercer's defensive line rotation in 2023. 

In Week 0, Mercer recorded a combined two sacks from Hansen (one), Dowling (0.5), and Caden Camese (0.5).