The rivalry is back.
When Buddy Stephens took over the East Mississippi Community College football program eight seasons ago, one opponent quickly rose above any other.
EMCC began a set of intense battles with Northwest Mississippi Community College.
“Each year, it was a special game,” Stephens said. “Even though it was one football game, it meant the world. You knew the winner was going have a chance to reach their goals.”
Typically, both schools were ranked and the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges North Division title hung in the balance.
Things then changed drastically as Northwest went through four coaches over three seasons. In the past two series meetings, EMCC has beaten Northwest by a combined score of 128-7.
Things are now back to normal and Thursday night in Scooba a mammoth showdown is set with both the North Division title and a possible national championship berth riding on the outcome.
No. 8 EMCC (6-1, 4-0 division) plays host to No. 4 Northwest (7-0, 4-0) with the winner clinching the North Division title and home-field advantage throughout the MACJC playoffs.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Sullivan-Windham Field.
“Everybody is excited about playing Northwest,” EMCC freshman running back Jacquez Horsley said. “You never look ahead because anybody can beat you on any given night. However, you knew we would eventually play and it would be a big game. It is really the biggest rivalry game for us, even though the last couple of years were easy. We really don’t think anything will be easy this year.”
Stephens has won six of seven meetings against Northwest since taking over at EMCC.
From 2008 to 2012, the teams met five times with four wins by EMCC. All five games were decided by eight points or less.
Northwest followed with a coaching change prior to the 2013 season. The Rangers won one game that season. EMCC won 79-7 in Senatobia. In a weird scheduling quirk, the teams played there again last year, with EMCC winning 49-0.
While Northwest only won four games, it was easy to tell Jack Wright had the Rangers pointed back in the right direction. Northwest finished second in the division and returned to the playoffs, falling to Copiah-Lincoln Community College in the first round.
This season, Northwest has been rolling. The Rangers sent notice early with a victory over Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. While remaining undefeated and climbing the national rankings, the Rangers have survived a pair of division scares, holding off Itawamba Community College, 31-24 and scoring late to edge Holmes Community College, 42-40. In comparison, EMCC owns a 48-24 win over Itawamba and last time out beat Holmes 44-28.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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