Choctaws Fall to ETBU on Homecoming, 34-24
CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College football team rushed for over 200 yards for the second straight week, but their comeback fell short in a 34-24 Homecoming loss to East Texas Baptist on Saturday afternoon at Robinson-Hale Stadium.
The Choctaws (2-6, 1-4 ASC) were led on the ground by freshman Otis Smith with 16 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown. Freshmen quarterback Stacey Dillard and running back Denzel Dabon had 50 and 48 yards on the ground, respectively.
The Tigers (3-5, 2-3 ASC) also rushed the ball well, tallying 314 yards on 45 carries and two scores. Khadafi Davis led the way with 105 yards on 10 carries.
MC dominated time of possession in the first half, holding the ball for over 22 minutes. However, MC settled for attempting three Chris Campbell field goals, making tries from 41 and 32 yards.
After Campbell's first score game MC a 3-0 advantage, ETBU took the lead when Alex Cloudy returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Seth Hubbard pushed the lead to 14-3 with a 28-yard pass to Alfonso Buford.
Campbell made the second of his three field goals on the day in the final seconds of the half, cutting the lead to 14-6 at the break.
In the second half, the Tigers opened with possession and committed two quick penalties to force a 1st-and-17 at their own 6-yard line. Hubbard quickly changed the field, finding Roy Butler for a 94-yard score to push the advantage to 21-6. Outside of the scoring pass, the MC defense held Hubbard to just 59 yards through the air.
After Chris Campbell made his third field goal of the day, John Gable ran in from eight yards out to extend the lead to 28-9. Gable rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries.
The MC offense was able to get into the end zone at the end of third quarter as Otis Smith scored from a yard out. The scoring run capped a 16-play, 68-yard drive.
East Texas would then come back and push the lead to 34-16 when Gable scored the second of his rushing touchdowns, a 17-yard gallop with 5:52 remaining in the game.
Sophomore quarterback Beaux Gipson would attempt to mount a comeback, throwing a three-yard touchdown pass to junior Les Lemons with 3:16 to play. The ensuing onside kick would be recovered by the Tigers, and they would run the clock out for the win.
Gipson threw for 180 yards and a score, also rushing for 39 yards on 15 carries. Lemons caught six passes for 88 yards and the score.
Defensively, junior Austin Gray led the Choctaws with nine tackles, while junior Keith Villafranco had seven tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack.
Collin Bieschke and Dylan Bethea led the Tigers with 10 tackles apiece.
The Choctaws will close out their home schedule next Saturday when they host Louisiana College at Robinson-Hale Stadium. It will be Senior Day for MC.
