CLINTON, MISS. -- It has been 656 days since the Choctaws last put the ball down on the turf in a regular fall football season, a day in which the Choctaws claimed title to the Heritage Bell Trophy after a 37-13 victory over Delta State University on November 16, 2019 at Robinson-Hale Stadium.
Tonight, on September 2, 2021, the Choctaws lineup against SIAC foe, Albany State, to kickoff the 2021 football season beginning at 6 p.m. CST in Clinton, Miss.
GAME DETAILS
Date: Thursday, September 2, 2021
Time: 6:00 p.m. CST
Location: Clinton, Miss.
Stadium: Robinson-Hale Stadium
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Series Record: MC 1-0
Last Meeting: September 14, 2019 (MC 24 | ASU 17)
MC Record: 0-0 (0-0 GSC)
ASU Record: 0-0 (0-0 SIAC)
2021 SCHEDULE
The Choctaws are set for a 10-game 2021 campaign. The Choctaws are slated for six home games at
Robinson-Hale Stadium with four games set on the road.
MC gets a week two bye week following tonight's season opener before hosting back to back home games versus Fort Lauderdale (Sept. 18) and West Alabama (Sept. 25) at home. The Choctaws first road trip will be on the road at North Greenville on October 2. Kickoff for the contest is set for 2 p.m. in Tigerville, S.C.
The following week, MC returns back home for action against West Georgia beginning at 2 p.m. The Choctaws remaining home contests include back to back weeks versus Valdosta State (Oct. 23) and homecoming on Oct. 30 versus West Florida. Mississippi College's final away games for 2021 include on the road at Shorter (Oct. 16), at Delta State (Nov. 6) and at West Alabama (Nov. 13) to close out the regular season schedule.
LAST TIME OUT (SPRING): TARLETON STATE 39, MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 14
The Mississippi College football team played their lone countable game of the 2021 spring season, falling to Division I-FCS Tarleton State, 39-14, on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
The Choctaws have a scrimmage at Southern Arkansas on March 13th and in Clinton on March 19th against Arkansas Tech. The 2021 fall season is currently slated to begin on September 2nd when Albany State comes to Robinson-Hale Stadium.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Texas grabbed early momentum with a 7-play, 80-yard drive that saw Steven Duncan find J.F. Thomas for a 15-yard touchdown to go ahead 7-0 just over two minutes in.
- The Choctaws then gave TSU 14 points on the next two drives with fumbles returned for scores, one of 60 yards and one of 48 yards, to make the score 21-0 halfway through the first 15 minutes.
- After the Texans tacked on a field goal, the Choctaws forced a turnover of their own as TSU fumbled a punt, setting MC up at the opponent 27-yard line.
- After a pair of runs from
Cole Fagan to set the Choctaws up inside the 20-yard line,
Sam Wilder ran in from 11 yards out to cut the score to 26-6 after the Texas blocked the extra point and returned it for two points.
- The Texans would close the half with another field goal, but the MC defense came up big on the final drive as
Josh Miller forced a fumble that
Nick Grady recovered and the score was 29-6 at the break.
- The Choctaws got the ball to open the second half and used up 12:56, going 75 yards on 19 plays that finished with a three-yard touchdown run from
Marcus Williams to cut the score to 29-15 after a two-point rush from
DeAnte' Smith-Moore.
- The Texans added a field goal and another touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the game its final score.
KEY STATS
- The Choctaws rushed for 225 yards on 59 carries and held the Texans to just 116 rushing yards in the contest.
- Fagan rushed for a team-high 78 yards on 15 carries, while Jalen Henderson had 16 carries for 57 yards.
- Williams rushed for 36 yards on four carries with the touchdown, while Smith-Moore had 25 rushing yards on nine attempts.
- Defensively, Miller led the Choctaws with nine tackles and a forced fumble, while
Jaylan Woods tallied seven tackles.
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Jordan Mims tallied a pair of tackles with a team-high two pass breakups.
- Duncan led the TSU offense, going 18-of-28 for 259 yards and a touchdown, while Thomas caught four passes for 77 yards and the score.
- Ryheem Skinner carried the ball 24 times for 106 yards and a touchdown.
- Ronnell Wilson led the defense with 22 tackles to go along with 5.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.
REWIND TO NOVEMBER 16, 2019: MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 37 | DELTA STATE 13
For the first time since 1993, the Mississippi College football team became the owner of the Heritage Bell Trophy after a 37-13 victory over Delta State University on November 16, 2019 at Robinson-Hale Stadium.
It was the last time the Choctaws touched the turf in a regular fall football season. The victory for the Choctaws (5-5, 4-4 GSC) secured their first undefeated season at home since 1988, going 5-0 in game at Robinson-Hale.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Prior to the game, the Choctaws recognized 23 football seniors playing in their final home games at Robinson-Hale Stadium.
- The Choctaws wasted no time getting on the board as they took their opening drive 64 yards in nine plays and senior Detric Hawthorn rushed in from one yard out to give MC a 6-0 lead.
- The teams would trade field goals and the Choctaws would hold a 9-6 lead late in the second quarter.
- MC would break the game open in the final 35 seconds of the half as Hawthorn found senior Moregan Sharp for a 13-yard score to push the advantage out to 16-6.
- On the next offensive play, senior Turner Rotenberry picked off a pass and ran it back 33 yards for a score and the Choctaws took a 23-6 lead into the half.
- The Choctaw defense stepped up on the first drive of the second half, stopping the Statesmen on downs and giving the ball to the offense at around midfield.
- MC then went 55 yards on 11 plays and Hawthorn rushed in from two yards out to extend the MC lead to 30-6 with 5:01 to go in the third quarter.
- The Choctaws forced another turnover on downs on DSU's next possession, but a fumble gave the ball to the Statesmen at their own 45-yard line.
- After a long completion by DSU, senior Derric Hawthorn forced a fumble and returned it back 97 yards for his third defensive touchdown of the season, and the Choctaws went ahead 37-6 late in the third quarter.
- The Statesmen would score a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to cut the score to 37-13, but it was the final score of the game as the Choctaws grabbed the enormous victory.
KEY STATS
- The Choctaws rushed for 232 yards on 51 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per carry with two touchdowns.
- Detric Hawthorn led the team with 75 rushing yards and two scores, while senior Jordan Wright rushed for 74 yards.
- Senior Ja'Mori Mark added 37 rushing yards, while senior Drew Croegaert had 33 rushing yards.
- Hawthorn completed 3-of-6 passes for 28 yards and the score to Sharp, who had two catches for 23 yards.
- Derric Hawthorn led MC with 14 tackles, including 12 solo stops with the 2.0 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and the fumble recovery.
- Senior Branden Pete had a career-high eight tackles, while senior Justin Jackson and Turner Rotenberry had seven tackles.
- Breck Ruddick completed 25-of-32 passes for 159 yards and the interception, also rushing for 24 yards and a score.
- Kelon Wilson led DSU with 52 rushing yards on 14 carries.
- The MC defense held the Statesmen to 312 yards on 68 plays, forcing two turnovers with two turnovers on downs.
- The Choctaws held the ball for 31:54 and went 5-of-11 on third downs.
