CLINTON, Miss. --- Heading into their first year as a full member of NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference since 1995, the Mississippi College football program has released the 2016 schedule, highlighted by six home games and eight GSC contests.

"The GSC championship is now on the line for us, so that makes the 2016 season exciting," said head coach John Bland. "While we came out and played hard every day, this gives us more incentive to perform at a high level. Not only can we play for our first GSC title since 1990, but our guys have the opportunity to win national and conference awards."

The Choctaws have won three GSC football championships in their history, lifting the trophy in 1979, 1988 and 1990. MC moved to Division III and the Texas-based American Southwest Conference in the 1996-97 season and won conference championships in 1997 and 2009.

The 2016 season opens at home against Point University at 2:00 p.m. on September 3rd. The Choctaws and the Skyhawks have never met, and MC has gone 50-50-4 all-time in season openers since the program began in 1907.

The conference schedule opens on September 9th when MC makes their longest trip of the season, going to Melbourne, Fla. to face Florida Tech at 6:00 p.m. (CT).

The first conference home game of the season is on September 17th when MC hosts West Alabama at 7:00 p.m. at Robinson-Hale Stadium. The contest will be featured as a "White-Out" game as the Choctaws will be in full white uniforms and fans are asked to participate.

The final non-conference game of the season will be on September 24th when MC hosts Cumberland (TN) for the first time in school history, playing the Phoenix at 7:00 p.m. in the second straight game in Clinton.

The Choctaws will have a quick turnaround the next week as they travel to Cleveland to face rival Delta State on a Thursday (Sep. 29) night at 6:00 p.m.

MC's next two games are at home, hosting first-year program West Florida on October 8th at 2:00 p.m., followed by "Homecoming" on October 15th against Valdosta State at 3:00 p.m. in Clinton.

The Choctaws' next two games will be in Georgia, traveling to West Georgia on October 22nd (1:00 pm CT), followed by an off week, and then traveling to Shorter to face the Hawks on November 5th (12:30 pm CT).

The season finale will be in Clinton as the Choctaws host North Alabama on November 12th at 2:00 p.m.

Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC is currently in transition to Division II and the Gulf South Conference, optimistically looking toward July when they will find out about clearing the final hurdle of transition and being full members for 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.