A pair of Winston County products had strong games on the defensive side of the ball for Mississippi Valley State in the Delta Devils 23-20 overtime road loss to Lamar University on Saturday night.
Former Noxapater and East Central standout Keonte Daniels recorded 10 tackles, second most on the team, while also recovering a fumble and returning it 18 yards. Daniels also had a fumble recovery in MVSU’s season opening 26-20 loss to Tennessee State on Aug. 31.
Former LHS Wildcat Isaiah Latham had four tackles, forced a fumble, and broke up two passes for MVSU in the game with Lamar.
— Austin Bishop
FRAZIER HAULS IN SIX CATCHES IN EMCC WIN
Former Louisville High School standout Pervis Frazier caught six passes for 56 yards, including a 33-yarder, for East Mississippi Community College as the defending NJCAA National Champions bounced back from a season-opening to take a 49-15 home win over Pearl River on Thursday night. It is the second straight week Frazier has been the Lions’ leading receiver.
Washington State University transfer Conner Neville connected on 24-of-42 passes for 358 yards and four touchdowns. This week the Lions open MACJC North Division play by hosting Itawamba Community College Thursday at 7 p.m.
— Austin Bishop
ONLY FOUR JUCO TEAMS REMAIN UNDEFEATED
Just two weeks into the season 10 of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges football teams have at least one loss, with four of those being winless. That leaves four teams — Northwest, Copiah-Lincoln, Gulf Coast and Hinds — at 2-0.
While week one features a pair of major upsets — Hinds beating top-ranked East Mississippi and Coahoma stunning Jones — there weren’t any stunners this week. EMCC bounced back to beat Pearl River 49-15, Co-Lin nipped Northeast 14-7, East Central beat Itawamba 34-14, Gulf Coast rolled over Coahoma 36-6, Hinds edged Miss. Delta 19-17, Jones beat Holmes 23-7, and Northwest defeated Southwest 29-10.
North and South Division play begins this week, with the lone cross-division game being Gulf Coast at Holmes. South Division play has Co-Lin visiting Pearl River, East Central traveling to Southeast and Jones hosting Hinds. In the North, EMCC entertains Itawamba, Northwest hosts Miss. Delta and Northeast travel to Coahoma. All games are on Thursday night.
— Austin Bishop
TENNESSEE’S 11 A.M. GAME BIGGER THAT IT LOOKS
If at first glance, Saturday’s 11 a.m. contest between Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee seems like a laugher for the Vols, that glance must have taken place in July. The last week of August and the first week fo September have been a disaster for the Volunteers who have lost back-to-back home games to Georgia State and BYU.
The game between the Vols is set to be shown on the SEC Network and may have a few more viewers than normal just because SEC fans are interested in the future of UT head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
Other 11 a.m. SEC games this Saturday have Mississippi State hosting Kansas State on ESPN and Georgia entertaining Arkansas State on ESPN2.
The 2:30 p.m. CBS game has South Carolina hosting Alabama, while at 3 p.m. the SEC Network has two games — Southeastern Louisiana at Ole Miss and Colorado State at Arkansas. The rest of the SEC TV schedule for this Saturday is as follows: Kent State at Auburn, ESPN2, 6 p.m.; Florida at Kentucky, ESPN, 6 p.m.; Lamar University at Texas A&M, ESPN, 6 p.m; Northwestern (La.) State at LSU, SEC Network, 6:30 p.m.; and Southeast Missouri State at Missouri, SEC Network, 6:30 p.m.
— Austin Bishop
SABAN SAYS SCHEDULING IS AN ISSUE
After watching his Crimson Tide crush visiting New Mexico State 62-10 on Saturday, Alabama head football coach Nick Saban says he has no problem at all playing a tougher schedule.
“We try to schedule the best teams that we can schedule,” Saban said. “We can only play the people who are willing to play us. I have said my opinion about playing 12 Power 5 schools, that’s what I’d rather do."
The Tide has non-conference home games remaining against the University of Southern Mississippi on Sept. 21 and Western Carolina on Nov. 23. Alabama opened the season with a 42-3 win over Duke in Atlanta on Aug. 31.
Last season’s non-conference games for Alabama were against Louisville in Orlando and home contests against Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, and The Citadel.
— Austin Bishop
