BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Quarterback JP Pickles ran for three touchdowns and Mercer won with relative ease over Samford 31-21 on Saturday.

Pickles threw for 108 yards on 16-of-22 passing and ran the ball 17 times for 86 yards for Mercer (6-2, 3-1 Southern), which entered ranked 18th in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll.

Devon Caldwell ran for 134 yards on 13 carries for Mercer.

In the first quarter, Pickles had scoring runs of 6 and 22 yards sandwiched between Jyarius Carter's 32-yard pick-6 of Gabarri Johnson for a 21-0 lead.

Samford (1-6, 1-3) got on the board when Johnson threw a 12-yard touchdown to Preston Bird with 5:22 left in the first. The two-point conversion reduced the Bulldogs' deficit to 21-8.

Ken Cherry ran for 108 yards on 13 carries for Samford.

Saturday’s matchup was 33rd meeting all-time between the Bears and Samford in a series that dates all the way back to 1907.

The series is now tied at 16-16-1.

Mercer is off next week before hosting The Citadel on Oct. 31.

Samford heads to Furman on Saturday.

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