It’s more than 1,700 miles from Scooba to Yuma, Ariz.
But the East Mississippi Community College football team would make that trip today if it could.
On Tuesday, No. 2 EMCC accepted a bid to the El Toro Bowl presented by Time Warner Cable and will face No. 1 Arizona Western College at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Yuma, Ariz.
The matchup will be a winner-take-all battle for the top spot in the final NJCAA Top 20 and a national championship. EMCC has never won a national championship in football.
“This why you play the game, to play for championships,” EMCC sophomore wide receiver Lacoltan Bester said. “We would play the bowl game on the moon if we had to. It has been a great run, but we have one more game to get.”
EMCC (11-0) matched a school-record for victories in a season Saturday with a 42-17 win against No. 9 Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. in the MACJC state championship game. Bester caught three touchdown passes as the Lions rallied from a 17-14 deficit in the fourth quarter to win their second state championship in the past three seasons.
“We showed the heart of a champion,” said Bester, who Tuesday gave a verbal commitment to the University of Kentucky. “Even though we have not faced a lot of adversity, there is never a doubt we are going to make the next play. Winning championships is fun. We have one more to get.”
Arizona Western (11-0) set a school record for victories in a season this year winning a third straight Western States Football League championship. The Matadors will be the host for the bowl game, which had been suspended and brought back 18 months ago.
Arizona Western won its lone national championship in 1972. That Matador squad is the school’s last to win a bowl game. A 2009 appearance in the Mississippi Bowl was AWC’s first postseason game in 11 years. EMCC won that game 27-24.
AWC lost to Blinn College 31-27 in the CHAMPS HOT Bowl in Copperas Cove, Texas, last season.
“Arizona Western has a tremendous reputation,” EMCC coach Buddy Stephens said. “We had a great game with them two years ago. We will have a little time to recover from the state championship and then it’s back to work. We have one more game we need to win.”
The game will be a contrast of styles. The Matadors boast the nation’s top rusher. Damien Williams has run for 1,786 yards and 24 touchdowns. EMCC attacks mainly through the air. Quarterback Bo Wallace is the nation’s top passer with 4,118 yards and 46 touchdowns.
By winning the state championship, EMCC earned an automatic invitation to return to the Mississippi Bowl. The Lions bypassed that game to play for the national title. The Mississippi Bowl will feature Mississippi state runner-up and bowl host MGCCC (9-2) against No. 5 Blinn College (9-1) on Dec. 4 in Biloxi.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.