VIDEO: After a 70-year absence, Mercer football is on its way back

Once upon a time, Mercer football was a force to be reckoned with in the South. In fact, it was Mercer who faced Georgia in the South's inaugural college football game in January of 1892. Georgia Tech also played its first-ever football game against Mercer, a 12-6 loss to the Bears in November of that same year. Mercer also produced College Football Hall of Famers Wally Butts and Bernie Moore.

With World War II on the horizon, Mercer, like many schools, stopped playing football in 1941. Unlike the others, Mercer never picked the pigskin back up.

That changed on Nov. 10, 2010, when the Mercer Board of Trustees unanimously approved the return of football for the fall of 2013. 

Fast forward two years, and the Bears have a coaching staff, a field, a support staff, uniforms, and a team. Though their first game isn't until August 31, these guys are working like the national championship game is three days away.