Copiah-Lincoln and East Mississippi Set To Face Off in MACCC Title Game
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
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7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
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0 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 27 |
Team Stats
East Mississippi Community College
Copiah-Lincoln Community College
| Game Statistics | Copiah-Lincoln Community College | East Mississippi Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 150 | 246 |
| Rushing Yards | 188 | 125 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of Poss. | 36:19 | 23:41 |
SCOOBA, Miss. (WATCH | LISTEN | LIVE STATS) -- When the No. 6 East Mississippi Lions and the No. 4 Copiah-Lincoln Wolves meet in the 2023 Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) Football Championship on Saturday, November 18 at Sullivan-Windham Stadium in Scooba, there will be more on the line than the championship trophy. With Co-Lin sitting at No. 4 and East Mississippi sitting at No. 6 in the latest NJCAA Division I Football Rankings, it's likely the winner will earn a national playoff berth, with the loser potentially dropping out of the Top-4 altogether.
In the championship, the Lions would be looking to avenge a narrow 23-20 non-conference loss to the Wolves to open the 2023 campaign. The two teams last met in the MACCC Championship in 2014, with East Mississippi emerging the victors, 51-15.
Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
East Mississippi
The stakes couldn't be higher for the Lions, who are looking to repeat as MACCC champions. The Lions are 8-2 (6-0 MACCC North), and could be facing a similar postseason scenario as they did in 2022, when they defeated Northwest Mississippi in the conference championship, but were edged out of the final NJCAA rankings after dropping 3 games that season. Despite a rocky start to the season and losses to Co-Lin and Mississippi Gulf Coast, the Lions are in capable hands with sophomore signal caller Ty Keyes under center. The Taylorsville, Miss. native leads the conference in nearly every passing category, with a 64.5% completion percentage and 2,709 passing yards in 27 touchdowns. Winger Cam Wright, a sophomore from Batesville, Miss., has been a major weapon for Keyes, with 44 receptions and 756 receiving yards. Wright averages 75.6 yards per game, and has put up 8 touchdowns for the Lions. East Mississippi managed to stay undefeated in the MACCC North, earning home field advantage throughout the MACCC postseason and defeating perennial rival Mississippi Gulf Coast, 33-21 in the semifinals to advance to the championship game.
Head Coach Buddy Stephens is in his 16th year at the helm of the East Mississippi program.
The Lions are vying for their 9th MACCC Championship under Stephens.
Copiah-Lincoln
It's been a fairy tale season for the Wolves, who improved to 9-1 (5-1 MACCC South) after going 5-4 (3-3 MACCC South) in 2022. The Wolves are currently holding down the No. 4 spot in the NJCAA Division I Football Rankings, and a championship win will all but make them a NJCAA playoff certainty. Running back Johnnie Daniels will need to have a big game if the Wolves hope to take down a dominant Lions team. Daniels, who hails from Crystal Springs, has been a breakout star for Co-Lin, rushing for more than 1,000 yards this season, with an average of 106.1 yards per game. Disrupter Billy Pullen, who leads the league in sacks, will also need to make East Mississippi's Keyes uncomfortable in the pocket. That hasn't been a problem this year for the quick, powerful lineman, a Kaufman, Texas native, has put up 12.5 sacks and 52 tackles this year, as well as four forced fumbles and an interception.
Co-Lin dropped a single game during the 2023 season, a 42-32 loss to Jones that was also the team's sole conference blemish. The Wolves routed 2022 MACCC football championship runners-up Northwest Mississippi, 48-14, in the 2023 semifinals to punch their ticket to Scooba.
Head Coach Glenn Davis is in his 20th season at Copiah-Lincoln.
About the MACCC
The Mississippi Association of s Conference (MACCC) is one of the premier conferences in the country and ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of alumni on professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer and tennis.
Women's competition is offered in the sports of basketball, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.
Follow the MACCC
For complete coverage of the Mississippi Association of s Conference, please follow the MACCC on social media at @MACCCAthletics (Threads), @MACCCAthletics (Facebook), and @MACCCAthletics (Instagram) or visit the official website, www.MACCCAthletics.com.