Different Bulldogs team makes Senatobia trip

Mississippi Gulf Coast made a long, disappointing trek to Senatobia in the second week of the season.

The Bulldogs are hoping their growth as a team makes this game against Northwest a championship affair.

No. 6 Gulf Coast (8-2) plays the top-ranked Rangers (9-1) for the MACJC title Saturday at 2 p.m.

"You look at the tape from eight weeks ago, I think we're a totally different team on both sides of the football," Gulf Coast coach Chad Huff said. "I think we've eliminated a lot of the mental mistakes we were making early on. We were playing a lot of young kids early, and those kids now have nine college football games under their belts."

The game can be watched at http://mgcccbulldogs.com/BulldogLIVE and can be heard on WPMO-AM 1580, WVGG AM 1440 and WRBE-FM 106.9. That audio will also be streamed at http://wpmoradio.com.

The Bulldogs are 6-7-1 in state championship games. Gulf Coast is looking for its 16^th state championship.

"That was one of our goals at the beginning," Gulf Coast quarterback A.J. Erdely said. "It flew by, but now that we're here we'll be ready for it."

Northwest has nine state titles.

The teams met once before in a state championship game, with both walking away with a share of the 1982 title after a 7-7 tie. That Northwest team handed the Bulldogs their only blemishes on a 10-1-1 season, having beaten them 3-2 during the regular season.

Gulf Coast leads the all-time series 22-18-2, having won nine of the last 11 meetings.

Northwest won the first meeting this year 26-10, holding the Bulldogs to 182 total yards. Gulf Coast has averaged 432.5 yards over its last six games.

Huff pointed to improved play by Erdely (64 percent completion percentage, 12 TD, 3 INT), aided by a revamped offensive line after Brandon Hill moved to guard from nose tackle after the loss to the Rangers.

Northwest is led by the 1-2 combo of quarterback Gardner Minshew (60 percent completions, 21 TD, 3 IN) and Justin Crawford (1,395 yards rushing, 18 TD overall).

"They've got the leading running back in the state," said Huff, who reached the state championship game in his second season as a head coach after seven as offensive coordinator. "We're going to have to do a really good job of getting a lot of hats to the football and get him to the ground. He's a physical back that's garnering a lot of attention up there."

Gulf Coast last played in the state championship game in 2012, meaning there aren't any players around from that squad. Player after player following the semifinal win over Itawamba talked about how they'd never had a chance to play for a title in high school, either.

"This is going to be my first time playing past the first round of the playoff, so I want to execute every chance I get," said wide receiver Jonathan Nance, who had five catches for 109 yards last week. "I know we need to as a team so we can win a championship."

GAME #11

No. 6 MGCCC (8-2, 5-1 MACJC South) vs. No. 1 Northwest (9-1, 5-1 MACJC North)

WHAT: MACJC Championship

WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 7, 2 p.m.

WHERE: Bobby Franklin Field, Senatobia.

ONLINE: Watch at mgcccbulldogs.com/BulldogLIVE or listen at http://wpmoradio.com

LISTEN: WPMO-AM 1580 and WRBE-FM 106.9

THE SERIES 

• Gulf Coast leads 22-18-2
• First Meeting: 1946
• Last Meeting (Sept. 3):  Northwest 26, MGCCC 10
• MGCCC has won nine of last 11 meetings

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES

• MGCCC has won 15 state championships: 1927, 1936, 1942, 1948, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1974, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 2007, 2008, 2010
• Northwest has won eight state championships: 1960, 1965, 1982, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1999
• Gulf Coast is 6-7-1 in state championship games

Nov. 20, 1971: Gulf Coast 26, Mississippi Delta 14

Nov. 22, 1974: Gulf Coast 10, Itawamba 6

Nov. 21, 1975: Itawamba 21, Gulf Coast 12

Nov. 24, 1979: Jones County 12, Gulf Coast 0

Nov. 21, 1980: Gulf Coast 18, Jones County 14

Nov. 20, 1982: Gulf Coast 7, Northwest Mississippi 7

Nov. 19, 1983: Jones County 17, Gulf Coast 12

Nov. 19, 2005: Pearl River 25, Gulf Coast 19

Nov. 10, 2007: Gulf Coast 20, Jones County 17

Nov. 8, 2008: Gulf Coast 52, Pearl River 7

Nov. 7, 2009: East Mississippi 75, Gulf Coast 71

Nov. 13, 2010: Gulf Coast 31, Copiah-Lincoln 17

Nov. 12, 2011: East Mississippi 42, Gulf Coast 17

Nov. 10, 2012: Copiah-Lincoln 41, Gulf Coast 37