MACON, Ga. (AP) — Gary Wilkins returned an interception for a touchdown and Jon Croft Hollingsworth kicked four field goals, including a 50-yarder, as unbeaten Furman rallied past Mercer 25-20 in a Southern Conference opener on Saturday night.

Furman (2-0, 1-0), the reigning SoCon champion, twice had to rally past Mercer (1-1, 0-1). Hollingsworth kicked a 22-yard field goal late in the third quarter to give the Paladins the lead for keeps at 16-14. He extended it to 19-14 with a 50-yarder, tied for seventh-longest in school history, late in the fourth. Wilkins, the SoCon defensive player of the week, sealed matters when he picked off John Russ and returned it 19 yards for a TD and a 25-14 lead with 3:43 to play.

Russ hit JT Palmer on the next drive, but a two-point conversion failed, and Mercer didn’t recover the onside kick.

There were four lead changes in the first three quarters.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.