Raymond, Miss. - The Northeast Mississippi Community College football team begins the road portion of its schedule at a facility that it has not visited in seven years.
The Tigers are set to tangle with their second consecutive nationally ranked opponent in Hinds Community College on Thursday, September 3. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Joe Renfroe Stadium.
Those that cannot attend the matchup can watch it live on NEMCCTV, which is the broadcast home of all nine Northeast intercollegiate athletic programs. Join Jeremy Kennedy and Bryan Fenley at 6 p.m. for the pregame show by visiting www.nemcctv.com on any computer, smartphone or tablet.
Fans can also keep up with all the action using live in-game updates on Twitter by searching and following @NEMCCTigers. Interact during the contest by using the hashtag #TigerPower.
The Tigers clashed with ninth-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in what turned into a highly contested battle to open their campaign and now meet the Eagles, who appear at No. 20 in the first National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) poll of the regular season.
Northeast's Greg Davis was thrilled by the effort of his team against the Bulldogs. The first-year head coach of the Tigers is seeking the same this week versus another foe from the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) South Division.
"They played extremely hard and gave it everything they had," he said. "I was really pleased with the attitude of the kids. We preach daily that it's an up-and-down roller coaster out there. You've got to be ready for the next play and that's what they did."
Kendrick Doss was impressive during his inaugural appearance behind center for Northeast. The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) transfer completed 55-percent of his passing attempts for 262 yards with three total touchdowns, including two through the air.
Joe Horn, Jr., picked up where he left off as a freshman during the Tigers' tilt with Mississippi Gulf Coast. The preseason NJCAA All-Region 23 selection by Mississippi Gridiron magazine and reigning MACJC All-State performer leads the entire country with 39.7 yards per reception.
Donta Armstrong reintroduced himself to the competition and is tied Jaylon Fair for a team-high five catches. The Bruce native was the top returning receiver in the conference this year with 538 yards as a freshman in 2014.
Tiberias Lampkin was not bad at all during his debut for Northeast at tailback. The West Oktibbeha High School product setup multiple scoring opportunities with game-highs of 17 rushes and 74 yards versus Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Several newcomers guided the Tigers on the defensive side of the pigskin. Tupelo's Demarcus Rogers paced the unit from the linebacker position with a team-best 10 tackles.
Freshmen Nicky Martin and Anthony Rush contributed five stops apiece as well. Woodrow Prince of West Point had the most takedowns of any sophomore at six, including five solos.
Northeast (0-1) recorded an outstanding 10 tackles for loss in its lid lifter. Linemen Colton Meadows and Justin Williams accounted for 1.5 stops in the backfield to head that endeavor.
Jacob Meeks exhibited his powerful leg for the Tigers against the Bulldogs. The Kossuth High School alumnus is first among all athletes in the NJCAA with an average of 47 yards each punt.
Hinds used a two-quarterback system in its win over Holmes Community College. TR Page and Jaquez Parks combined for over 225 yards and four touchdowns between passing and running and are both considered dual threat players.
Tyus Raine excelled at running back for the Eagles by toting the ball 12 times for 69 yards against the Bulldogs. Fellow sophomore Javon Wims reached the end zone twice at wideout and had six total grabs for 107 yards.
Jemarcus James managed the Hinds (1-0) defense with a game-best nine tackles. The Eagles forced three turnovers in their initial matchup of the campaign, including two fumble recoveries by Marcus Loud and Baron Poole.
"We know that they're going to have a lot of talent out there on the field," said Davis. "But we're up for the challenge. We're excited to go down there and see what happens."
Northeast and the Eagles have faced each other in Raymond just twice since the turn of the century. Hinds claimed both contests on the field by tight scores of 14-10 in 2006 and 23-12 two years later, but the Tigers officially won the latter of the two games after the hosts forfeited for using an ineligible player.
The Eagles are ahead in the all-time series 26-7-1. They ruined Northeast's home opener last September by capturing a 31-12 decision inside Tiger Stadium.