CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College football team fell in their 2018 home finale at Robinson-Hale Stadium, losing to West Alabama by a score of 24-3.

Prior to the game, the Choctaws recognized 13 senior football players, five cheerleaders and other support staff in the "Senior Day" festivities.

The Choctaws dropped to 3-6 on the season with a 1-5 Gulf South Conference mark, while the Tigers improved to 7-3 with a 4-3 league record.
 

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HOW IT HAPPENED

- The Choctaws opened the scoring after a scoreless first quarter as Drake McCarter nailed his 7th field goal of the season, drilling a 25-yarder to make the score 3-0 with 13:33 to go in the second quarter.
- The points capped off a 13-play, 71-yard drive that took 7:50 of game action. That followed a 19-play, 73-yard drive by the Tigers that took nearly nine minutes and ended with a missed field goal.
- UWA took their next possession and grabbed the lead for good as Christian Saulsberry caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Harry Satterwhite to make the score 7-3 with 10:58 to go in the first half.
- The score would go into the break at 10-3 after Jordan Bennett hit a 37-yard field goal on the Tigers' next possession, following a deflected ball interception.
- In the second half, UWA extended the lead to 17-3 when Satterwhite found Qua Boyd for a 15-yard touchdown, sending the game to the fourth quarter with a two-touchdown advantage for the Tigers.
- The Choctaws would get deep into UWA twice in the fourth quarter but a pair of turnovers on downs halted progress and the Tigers would go on to get the 24-3 victory.
 

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KEY STATS

- The Choctaw defense allowed a season-low 294 yards in the contest, only giving up 168 passing yards to a team that averages 250 through the air peer game.
- However, MC was held to a season-low 185 rushing yards and 257 total yards with three turnovers.
- After going 3-of-3 in the red zone against #3 West Georgia last week, the Choctaws were just 1-of-3 for three points against the Tigers.
- Detric Hawthorn carried the ball 19 times for 83 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry.
- He also led the team with 27 receiving yards, catching a pass from wide receiver Cole Rotenberry in the first half.
- Derric Hawthorn led the team with nine tackles, including seven solo stops.
- Fred Walls had 2.0 tackles for loss for the second straight week, while Colton Magee tallied four tackles with a sack.
- Satterwhite passed for 168 yards and two scores, while Tyler Rogers rushed for 82 yards on nine carries and a touchdown.
 

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NEXT UP

- The Choctaws will close out the 2018 season next Saturday when they travel to Cleveland to face Delta State University. Kickoff at McCool Stadium is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
 

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Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC 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 2018-19 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.