ROME, Ga. --- The Mississippi College football team tallied their first Gulf South Conference victory since 1995 in a 32-0 win over Shorter University on Saturday afternoon at Historic Barron Stadium.

The MC defense pitched its first shutout since a 33-0 victory over LaGrange on October 14, 2006. It was also the first GSC win for an MC team since September 21, 1995, a 30-7 victory over West Alabama.

"What a day for Choctaw football," said head coach John Bland. "We have seen this coming for a while, but we haven't been able to get over that last hurdle. Today was that day, and I'm so proud of these guys. The defense was awesome all day long."

The Choctaws allowed just 182 yards of offense to the Hawks, giving up just 77 rushing yards on 31 carries. Shorter averaged just 3.2 yards per play and MC racked up 5.5 tackles for loss in the contest with 3.0 sacks.

Freshman R.J. Arnold led MC with seven tackles, while junior Kris Reliford had six tackles with 1.5 for loss and a sack. Sophomore Kaleb Coleman picked off a pass and returned it for 42 yards on Shorter's lone threatening drive in the first half.

Senior Marcel Newson provided all the points MC would need on the opening kickoff as he scampered 93 yards for a touchdown. Newson accounted for three touchdowns in the game, catching a 39-yard pass in the back of the end zone and rushing in from 30 yards out from the quarterback position.

Senior Sharone Wright carried the ball 14 times for 42 yards and two touchdowns, while passing for 118 yards and a score. Sophomore Alizee Chubbs rushed for a team-high 51 yards on 10 carries.

Junior Matthew Turcotte averaged 62.7 yards per punt in the game with a long of 69 yards. He landed two inside the 20-yard line and all three punts went over 50 yards.

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
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