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Mississippi College opens their 105th year of football when they host Point University on Saturday, September 3rd at Robinson-Hale Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
It marks the first game for MC as a full Division II program since 1996 as the state’s oldest university finished the three-year transition process from Division III into the Gulf South Conference.
The Choctaws are 50-50-4 all-time in season-opening games, including a 61-6 victory over Texas College to being the 2015 campaign.
Head coach John Bland enters his third season at the helm after eight successful years at Cumberlands (KY) that saw his team advance to the NAIA national championship game in 2013.
The Choctaws are coming off a 2-8 season that saw them open with victories over Texas College (61-6) and Belhaven (42-21) sandwiched around a 34-17 loss to nationally-ranked North Alabama. After going through the grueling Gulf South Conference schedule, MC dropped their final seven games of 2015.
The reason for optimism around the program is due to the ability for MC to win conference, regional and national championships since becoming full members in July. Coaches and players are also eligible to win conference, regional and national awards as the season progresses.
The Choctaws bring back 17 starters from last year’s team, including C Spire Conerly Trophy finalistMarcel Newson, who caught 40 passes for 656 yards and eight touchdowns in 2015, also pacing the squad with nine total touchdowns.
MC also brings back all five starters from the offensive line, led by three-year starters Ronny Smith andJamaal White. Seniors Daivon Milan and Sean Rogers will join junior college transfer and January-signee Brandon Windham on the front line.
The defense welcomes back the top two tacklers in sophomore linebacker R.J. Arnold and Mike Hall. Arnold led MC with 50 tackles, including 33 solo stops. Hall posted 49 tackles with 5.0 for loss and two forced fumbles.
The newcomers expected to impact the team right away include junior college transfers Steven Bradley,Jahmaad Harrell and Kris Reliford. Bradley and Reliford were named to the GSC Top Newcomers List, while Harrell joined the team in January and went through spring practice.
Two freshman were also named to the GSC Top Newcomers List in wide receiver Nathan Faciane(Lacombe, La.) and Jamarcus Morrissette (Douglasville, Ga.).
This will be the first-ever meeting between MC and Point, an NAIA school out of West Point, Ga. MC will face four schools from the “Peach State” this season, hosting Point and Valdosta State (Oct. 15) and traveling to West Georgia (Oct. 22) and Shorter (Nov. 5).
The Skyhawks reached the NAIA playoffs, going 8-3 in the regular season before falling to #2 Baker in the opening round of the tournament.
First-year head coach Julius Dixon and Point (0-1) opened their season last Saturday, falling 55-2 to NAIA #11 Reinhardt on the road. The Skyhawks turned the ball over four times in the first half, falling behind 41-2 at the break.
Dual-threat quarterback Rashad Louie led the Skyhawks with 39 rushing yards, but was unable to finish the game. Isaiah Ross had a team-high 13 tackles, including 11 solo stop.
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
