CLINTON, Miss. --- Mississippi College athletic director Mike Jones, along with head coach John Bland, are pleased to release the 2017 football schedule, it was announced on Monday (June 19).

The slate features four home games and six road games following Morthland College, an original 2017 home opponent, canceling the September 2nd season opener after eliminating their athletic department on May 18th.

"We were put a little behind the eight-ball with Morthland dropping athletics so late in the game," said head coach John Bland, who is entering his 4th season at the helm. "It was good to find an in-region game against Clark Atlanta to get things started. They will come to Clinton to open the 2018 schedule."

The Choctaws will now open 2017 with three straight road games, starting with a Thursday (Aug. 31) night contest at Clark Atlanta. MC will then travel to Bolivar, Mo. to face Southwest Baptist (Sept. 9) before starting Gulf South Conference play at West Alabama (Sept. 16).

The home opener is scheduled for September 23rd when Florida Tech comes to Robinson-Hale Stadium. MC will then host rival Delta State (Sept. 30) for the second of back-to-back games in Clinton.

The Choctaws will play their next two games on the road, traveling to West Florida (Oct. 7) and Valdosta State (Oct. 14) for GSC contests.

"This is the toughest Division II conference in the country, year after year," Bland said. "Each and every week presents a great challenge that our guys are excited to meet."

The 2017 "Homecoming" game is scheduled for October 21st when West Georgia comes to Clinton. Following an off week, MC will wrap up the home slate with a "Senior Day" game against Shorter (Nov. 4).

The season finale will also be the final game for powerhouse North Alabama in Division II, who has begun transition to NCAA Division I-FCS. MC will travel to Florence, Ala. to face the Lions on November 11th.

The Choctaws went 3-7 in 2016, including their first Gulf South Conference win since 1995 with a 32-0 victory over Shorter on November 5th.
 

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Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC is recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and will be competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.

The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.

For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contact David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or nichols@mc.edu.