Two-time reigning state champion EMCC Lions to host No. 16 Co-Lin to kick off MACJC playoffs

SCOOBA – With a half-dozen MACJC state football championships to their credit during an ongoing nine-year span, the top-ranked and reigning national champion Lions of East Mississippi Community College (9-0) will begin their quest for a third straight state title Saturday afternoon on the Scooba campus by playing host to the 16^th-ranked Wolves of Copiah-Lincoln Community College (6-3).  Kickoff for the state semifinal battle is set for 2 p.m. at EMCC's Sullivan-Windham Field. 

Saturday's other MACJC state semifinal matchup features fifth-ranked and MACJC North Division runner-up Northwest Mississippi (8-1) traveling to Ellisville to take on No. 6 and MACJC South Division champion Jones College (8-1).  The two winners from Saturday's state semifinals will play for the 2018 MACJC State/NJCAA Region 23 football championship the following Saturday (Nov. 10) at a site to be determined by the results of the state semifinals.

Having most recently completed their fourth unbeaten regular season and eighth undefeated MACJC North Division regular-season slate during the Stephens era with last week's 26-7 road win over Northeast Mississippi, the EMCC Lions own a 12-3 composite state playoff record over the past decade.  Along with claiming state titles over MACJC North Division foe Northwest Mississippi each of the past two years (67-66 in 2OT last year and 38-30 at Scooba in 2016), East Mississippi also won back-to-back MACJC football championships in 2013 and 2014 as well as previously in 2011 and 2009.  The Lions are bidding to become the first MACJC school to collect as many as three straight state football titles since Pearl River earned four consecutive MACJC championships (2003-06).  Stephens served as the Wildcats' offensive line coach during PRCC's hot streak before being hired as EMCC's head football coach in December 2017.

Winners of 83 of their last 88 games over the last eight seasons, including a current streak of 14 consecutive wins dating back to last year, the Lions have been ranked as the NJCAA's No. 1 football team since last year's MACJC state playoffs.  This year's squad is bidding to become Stephens' first EMCC team to remain atop the NJCAA football rankings for an entire season, including preseason and postseason.

Statistically as a well-balanced team on both sides of the ball, the Lions presently rank fourth nationally in scoring offense (45.1 ppg), seventh in total offense (431.6 ypg), 11^th in passing yards (248.3 ypg) and 21^st in rushing yards (183.2 ypg).  They are also tied for fourth in the NJCAA with 28 rushing touchdowns on the year.  Defensively, EMCC's vaunted stopper squad rates second in the nation giving up an average of only 11.6 points per contest on the year with only three opponents reaching the 20-point mark.  While limiting three teams to negative rushing yardage in a game this season, five foes to less than 100 passing yards and four opponents under the century mark for total offense yards, the Lions are currently rated fourth nationally in total defense (203.1 ypg), second in passing defense (110.0 ypg) and 11^th in rushing defense (93.1 ypg).    

Individually, Notre Dame transfer running back Deon McIntosh enters the postseason ranked second among the NJCAA's statistical leaders with 15 rushing touchdowns and 90 points scored this season.  Needing 136 rushing yards to top the 1,000-yard mark for the year, McIntosh is also ranked 15^th nationally with an average of 96.0 rushing yards per outing.  Through the air for the Lions, Michigan State transfer quarterback Messiah deWeaver rates third nationally in pass completion percentage (67.7%), while sophomore receiver Dontario Drummond is tied for eighth with eight touchdown receptions.  Additionally, freshman kicker/punter Josh Smith stands fifth among NJCAA placekickers with 62 points scored on the season.    

With an 11-year overall coaching record of 107-13 (.892) as the NJCAA's seventh-winningest active head football coach, EMCC's Stephens owns a 4-3 career mark versus Copiah-Lincoln (2-1 in Scooba & 2-2 in Wesson).  He has dropped more decisions to Co-Lin than against any other team.  The most recent gridiron meeting between the two teams (Sept. 3, 2015 in Wesson) resulted in a 31-24 overtime home win for the No. 4 Wolves and snapped top-ranked EMCC's 25-game winning streak.  However, the MACJC office later ruled the game as a forfeit because of Co-Lin's use of an ineligible player, though the forfeit ruling only applied on the conference level and not on the national level, according to the NJCAA office.

The year prior, the Lions easily swept Copiah-Lincoln with a 46-10 home victory during the regular season followed by a 54-15 road triumph over the Wolves to claim the 2014 MACJC state championship.  Perhaps the most notable game played between EMCC and Co-Lin came during the 2012 MACJC state semifinals held in Scooba when the No. 15 Wolves scored during the game's closing seconds on a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Joe Craig Jr. to earn a 47-46 road win over the 10^th-ranked Lions en route to winning the state championship.  The last-second setback six years ago still stands as East Mississippi's lone home loss in 43 games contested at the current site of Sullivan-Windham Field.  EMCC has since prevailed in 32 consecutive home games dating back to the 2013 campaign.    

Guided by 15^th-year head football coach Glenn Davis, the Co-Lin Wolves are 6-3 overall on the year and 5-1 in MACJC South Division play with their only division defeat coming at Jones, 28-23, on Oct. 20.  Including single-digit setbacks to MACJC North Division opponents Holmes (29-28 on Aug. 30) and Northwest Mississippi (23-14 on Sept. 20), Copiah-Lincoln's three losses on the year have been by a collective total of only 15 points.  Individually, Co-Lin quarterback Hayden Davis leads the MACJC with 16 touchdown passes, while receiver Kundarrius Taylor is tied with EMCC's Drummond with a league-leading eight scoring grabs.  Running backs Rico Owens and Deion Dampier top the Wolves with 663 and 486 rushing yards, respectively, along with combining for 17 scores via the ground.                         

Saturday's MACJC state semifinal contest pitting the EMCC Lions against the Co-Lin Wolves will be broadcast live by WFCA-FM (107.9), out of French Camp, with Jason Crowder and Jonathan Holmes slated to provide the play-by-play and color commentary, respectively, while Glen Beard is set to handle sideline reporting duties.  The broadcast will also be carried live by EMCC's campus radio station, WGTC-FM (92.7), originating from the Golden Triangle campus in Mayhew.

In addition, Saturday's live video-streamed football broadcast will be available in HD at www.EMCCAthletics.com/live.  Alternate audio streams of the radio broadcasts are also available at www.wfca.fm.  Fans are also encouraged to follow EMCC Athletics through the college's athletics website, www.EMCCAthletics.com, and on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@EMCCAthletics) via the school's social media hub at www.EMCCAthletics.com/Social-Media-Hub.