No. 4 EMCC Lions fall 61-14 to reigning champion Iowa Western in NJCAA Championship Game

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – East Mississippi Community College's streak of 14 consecutive wins in championship contests dating back to 2009 came to a halt during Wednesday night's 61-14 loss to reigning national champion Iowa Western Community College in the 2023 NJCAA Division I Football Championship Game played at historic War Memorial Stadium.

Having entered the title tilt sporting an eight-game winning streak on the season, the EMCC Lions fell for the first time during the Buddy Stephens coaching era (since 2008) when playing for either a national or conference championship. Prior to Wednesday's setback to the IWCC Reivers, Stephens' East Mississippi teams were 5-0 in previous NJCAA championship game appearances in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018, including a 34-17 win over Iowa Western in 2014. The reigning two-time Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) champions improved to 9-0 in conference championship contests this season.

While making their first national championship appearance since claiming their fifth NJCAA title during an eight-year span in 2018, the EMCC Lions were also denied in their bid of attempting to match six-time NJCAA champions Butler [KS] and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M for the most all-time football team championships in NJCAA history.

The domination that the second-ranked IWCC Reivers displayed in their successful defense of last year's national championship was emphasized in the game's final statistics. While outgaining East Mississippi, 553-317, in total offense, including 335-56 in net yards rushing, Iowa Western handed the Lions their biggest defeat of the Stephens era with the 47-point margin. The Reivers' heralded defensive unit also limited EMCC to its lowest single-game scoring output since Mississippi Gulf Coast claimed a 31-7 conference playoff win over the Lions en route to winning the 2019 NJCAA championship.

In other contrasting statistical numbers coming out of Wednesday's rematch of the 2014 NJCAA championship game, fourth-ranked East Mississippi punted eight times in 13 offensive possessions during the contest while No. 2 Iowa Western conversely scored touchdowns on nine of their 13 offensive possessions. In addition, IWCC's command was also showcased in the game's first down totals and third down efficiency numbers. Along with prevailing, 29-18 in first downs, the Reivers also converted 8-of-12 (67%) third downs while limiting EMCC to just 4-of-17 (24%) on third down attempts.

Statistically for the 2023 MACCC champion EMCC Lions, Southern Miss bounceback quarterback Ty Keyes completed 24-of-45 passes for 261 yards and one touchdown through the air. The Region 23 MVP, however, was sacked four times by a lauded Iowa Western defensive unit that added to its NJCAA-leading total. Other than freshman receiver Jaylon York's 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that gave the Lions their lone lead (7-6) of the game with five minutes left in the first quarter, EMCC's primary offensive bright spot in the contest was Raymon Blackmon's 42-yard catch and run for a score late in the third quarter.

Through the air for East Mississippi, Marcus Harris had a team-high six receptions for 48 yards. Cam Wright, a University of Memphis bounceback, followed with five catches for a team-best 77 receiving yards for the Lions. Blackmon finished with four grabs for 76 total yards and the one touchdown reception.

For the 12-1 Iowa Western Reivers, quarterback Hunter Watson was named the 2023 NJCAA Division I Football Championship Game's Most Valuable Player after throwing for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-26 passing along with rushing for 108 yards and two scores on 14 attempts. Jonathan Humpal also ran for 108 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 16 carries for the winners.

Highlighted by collecting their ninth conference championship and 11^th division title under Stephens' guidance, the EMCC Lions finished the 2023 season with a 10-3 overall record to mark their eighth season since 2008 with double-digit wins. Their eight-game winning streak heading into the national championship game included consecutive playoff wins over No. 6 Mississippi Gulf Coast (33-21) and No. 4 Copiah-Lincoln (27-20) to successfully defend their MACCC championship. Those victories over top-10 conference foes that avenged September losses to the Bulldogs and Wolves were followed by a 27-23 road victory over then-No. 1 and previously unbeaten Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College in the NJCAA playoff semifinal.