In nine years, the Mississippi Bowl has gone from an idea, to a reality, to one of the NJCAA’s premier post-season events. Here’s a look at past Mississippi Bowls:
MISSISSIPPI BOWL X, DEC. 3, 2017
No. 1 East Mississippi defeated No. 2 Arizona Western 31-28 at A.L. May Memorial Stadium in Perkinston. Lindsey Scott Jr. was named Offensive MVP for EMCC.
MISSISSIPPI BOWL IX, DEC. 4, 2016
No. 3 East Mississippi defeated No. 13 Kilgore 27-17 at A.L. May Memorial Stadium in Perkinston. The Lions broke a 14-14 tie to win their fourth Mississippi Bowl.
MISSISSIPPI BOWL VIII, DEC. 6, 2015 (NJCAA national championship game)
No. 1 Northwest Mississippi Community College steamrolled No. 2 Rochester to win 66-13 and win the NJCAA Championship. The Rangers rolled up 680 yards of total offense on the way to their third national title.
MISSISSIPPI BOWL VII, DEC. 7, 2014 (NJCAA national championship game)
No. 1 East Mississippi Community College put up more than 500 yards total offense and forced five turnovers by No. 2 Iowa Western to win 34-17 and take home the NJCAA Championship for the second straight year.
MISSISSIPPI BOWL VI, DEC. 7, 2013 (NJCAA national championship game)
On a foggy, drizzly day in Biloxi, #2 East Mississippi Community College overcame 21 penalties and a game effort by Georgia Military to win Mississippi Bowl VI 52-32 and claim the 2013 NJCAA Championship.
MISSISSIPPI BOWL V, DEC. 2, 2012
Heading into Mississippi Bowl V, Garden City’s Tyler Peterson was only one out of three in field goals in 2012. However, the Broncbuster freshman made his fifth attempt of the season his best as he connected on a 32-yard field goal with four seconds left to lift Garden City (KS) past No. 7 ranked Co-Lin 31-29 in the Fifth Annual event.
MISSISSIPPI BOWL IV, DEC. 4, 2011
In a clash between two of the NJCAA’S top 10 teams, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College used it’s patented running game to stampede past Blinn 46-17 to win the Mississippi Bowl for the third time in the last four seasons. The No. 9 Bulldogs (10-2) scored 39 unanswered points against the No. 5 Buccaneers (9-2) to turn a close game midway through the second quarter into a blowout.
MISSISSIPPI BOWL III, DEC. 5, 2010
They say “Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.” Despite the fact that the 2010 Mississippi Bowl featured 115 points and more than a thousand yards of offense, two big defensive plays down the stretch helped No. 7 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College outlast No. 3 Grand Rapids Community College 62-53 before 3,100 fans at Biloxi Indian Stadium. The win by the Bulldogs (10-2) is the second in three years at the Mississippi Bowl.
MISSISSIPPI BOWL II, DEC. 6, 2009
For all the hype about No. 6 East Mississippi Community College’s high-powered passing attack, it was the Lion defense that stole the show at the second annual Mississippi Bowl. Two late interceptions by Izauea Lanier and T.J. Ballou stopped potential rallies by No. 5 Arizona Western as East Mississippi held off the Matadors 27-24 to up their record to 11-1.
MISSISSIPPI BOWL I, DEC. 7, 2008
In this dogfight, one group of Bulldogs barked, while the other pack of Bulldogs had plenty of bite. No. 7 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College played like a title contender in a 41-7 pasting of No. 3 Georgia Military College at the first-ever Mississippi Bowl in front of an estimated crowd of 5,000.
