MACON, Ga. (AP) Freshmen Rashad Raymond and Hunter Rice each ran for more than 100 yards to help VMI rout Mercer 45-7 in a key Southern Conference matchup on Saturday.

The win puts VMI (5-2, 3-1) in a three-way tie with Mercer (4-2, 3-1) and East Tennessee State (6-1, 3-1) atop the conference standings.

Raymond had a career-high 163 yards on 20 carries that included an 80-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Rice added three TD runs from short yardage and finished with a career-best 112 yards on 17 carries.

Seth Morgan had a 13-yard touchdown run for the Keydets. Alex Oliver returned an interception 39 yards into the end zone on Mercer's first play from scrimmage.

Mercer's Carter Peevy tossed a 71-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Dirrim with about three minutes left in the game.

---

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25.

Sign up for the AP's college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.