Former East Mississippi Lions set to participate in postseason college football bowl game activity
As this year's college football bowl schedule prepares to kick off this weekend, the three-time NJCAA Champion Lions of East Mississippi Community College look to be represented in 12 different postseason contests by 16 former EMCC football standouts.
SCOOBA – As this year's college football bowl schedule prepares to kick off this weekend, the three-time NJCAA Champion Lions of East Mississippi Community College look to be represented in 12 different postseason contests by 16 former EMCC football standouts.
On bowl season's opening day, East Mississippi figures to have four former players available for action during a trio of Saturday (Dec. 20) contests. To begin the 39-game bowl slate over the next three weeks, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, featuring former EMCC wide receivers C.J. Bates (Louisville) and Antoinne Adkins (Meridian), will take on Nevada in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (10 a.m. CT, ESPN). Former EMCC defensive lineman Martavius Foster (Starkville) will accompany Colorado State against 22nd-ranked Utah in Saturday's Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl (2:30 p.m. CT, ABC). Capping off Saturday's five-game bowl slate, former NJCAA All-American defensive lineman Jimmie Gipson III (Olive Branch HS) will help lead the South Alabama Jaguars versus Bowling Green in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. (8:15 p.m. CT, ESPN).
A pair of EMCC head coach Buddy Stephens' former Lion offensive linemen from Conference USA schools and another representing the Southeastern Conference will also participate in this year's postseason bowl experience. Maurice Bennett (Madison Central HS) of Western Kentucky will go against Central Michigan in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl in Nassau on Wednesday, Dec. 24 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN), while David Mahaffey (Brandon) from Louisiana Tech will take on Illinois in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl on Friday, Dec. 26 (noon CT, ESPN). In addition, former NJCAA All-American Avery Gennesy (Southaven) will accompany the Texas A&M Aggies to Memphis, Tenn., for a Dec. 29 contest versus West Virginia in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl (1 p.m. CT, ESPN).
Next Saturday (Dec. 27), East Mississippi will be represented in two more postseason bowl matchups. Beginning the five-game bowl slate on that day will be the Cincinnati Bearcats, featuring running back Rod Moore (Bastrop, La.), battling Virginia Tech in the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Md. (noon CT, ESPN). Concluding the day's bowl game activity, defensive back Byerson Cockrell (Columbus) and the Nebraska Cornhuskers will be pitted against the 24th-ranked USC Trojans in the National University Holiday Bowl to take place in San Diego, Calif. (7 p.m. CT, ESPN).
As this year's football bowl game docket approaches the end of the calendar year, a trio of former EMCC standouts will suit up for the ninth-ranked Ole Miss Rebels on New Year's Eve day against No. 6 TCU in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Ga. (11:30 a.m., ESPN). Along with 2011 NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year Bo Wallace (Pulaski, Tenn.), who holds multiple school career records at Ole Miss, the Rebels also feature former NJCAA All-American linebacker Christian Russell (Fayetteville, N.C.) and Heritage Academy product Brandon Bell (Columbus).
The lone matchup of this year's postseason bowl schedule featuring former East Mississippi players going head-to-head on the gridiron will be in the AllState Sugar Bowl/College Football Playoff Semifinal, Jan. 1 in New Orleans, La. (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN). Representing the Alabama Crimson Tide, the top-seeded team in this year's four-team College Football Playoff, will be defensive line standouts Jarran Reed (Goldsboro, N.C.) and D.J. Pettway (Pensacola, Fla.). They will be going up against the fourth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, featuring former EMCC wide receiver Corey Smith (Akron, Ohio). At least one former EMCC Lion will be participating in the CFB Championship Game on Jan. 12 in Arlington, Texas (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN), as the Alabama/Ohio State winner will meet the winner of the other College Football Playoff Semifinal between No. 2 Oregon and third-ranked Florida State in the title game.
Another of the 10 former EMCC football players that represented SEC squads this college football season, defensive lineman Darious Cummings (Oak Hill, Fla.) of the Florida Gators will participate in the Birmingham Bowl in Alabama on Jan. 3 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) against East Carolina.
Additionally this season, former EMCC linebacker C.J. Shepherd (Shaw) was a member of Delta State's 9-2 squad that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.