The dream matchup is now set.
When the first National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) computer rankings were released for the first time Tuesday, the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) held the top two spots.
It may not stay that way for long.
No. 1 East Mississippi Community College (5-0) faces No. 2 Northwest Mississippi Community College (5-0) in a showdown for the early MACJC North Division lead.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Bobby Franklin Field in Senatobia.
EMCC was top-ranked in the first five polls of the regular season. Those polls were 100 percent human voter.
The remainder of the rankings for this season will include a balance of human vote and computer formula.
In the initial computer rankings, Northwest moved from No. 3 to No. 2.
The teams meet for the first time since splitting a pair of meetings last season. Northwest won 61-38 in the regular season, while EMCC won 67-66 in double overtime in the MACJC state championship.
Now it’s a third straight meeting in Senatobia in a stretch of less than 52 weeks.
In other EMCC news Tuesday, Josh Miller has been named the MACJC’s Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts during the top-ranked Lions’ 24-21 road victory over 20th-ranked East Central Community College last Thursday in Decatur.
Miller, a sophomore defensive back, returned a blocked punt for a 34-yard touchdown in addition to blocking a potential go-ahead point-after-touchdown attempt late in the game against ECCC. Miller was also credited with seven total tackles combined between his free safety and special teams play.
With 3:51 left to play after East Central tied the game at 21-21 with a touchdown, Miller blocked the ensuing PAT attempt to provide the momentum heading into the Lions’ late-game drive that resulted in Josh Smith’s game-winning field goal with four seconds left. Earlier in the game, the West Marion High School product helped give EMCC a 14-6 lead when he scooped and scored from 34 yards out following Adrian Miller’s blocked punt.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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