Booneville, Miss. - A group of 25 young men are set to step onto the playing surface of Tiger Stadium for the final time of their outstanding careers at Northeast Mississippi Community College.
The Tigers welcome Holmes Community College for their annual sophomore night on Thursday, October 20. A 6:30 p.m. kickoff is scheduled for the last home game of the regular season.
Northeast's upperclassmen will be recognized on the field before the matchup gets underway. Fans are encouraged to wear black items of apparel as well to support the Tigers.
"They are really irreplaceable and that's the honest truth," said Tigers head coach Greg Davis. "When I tell you that we have a football team that is a family and really works for each other, they truly are. What they've done is just unbelievable."
Those that cannot attend the contest can watch it live and in high definition on NEMCCTV. Tune in starting at 6 p.m. for the pregame show by visiting www.nemcctv.com on any computer, tablet or smartphone.
The Northeast Broadcasting Network also includes Booneville based radio station WBIP. An audio simulcast featuring Jody Presley and Carter Smith, the Voices of the Tigers, can be heard on 99.7 FM and AM 1400 on your digital dial.
Search and follow @NEMCCTigers on Twitter for live in-game updates and interact during the matchup by using the hashtag #TigerPower across all social media platforms.
The Tigers enter the contest at No. 7 in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) poll while the Bulldogs are receiving votes after being ranked No. 15 just one week ago.
Two teams with separate offensive identities will go head-to-head. Northeast features somewhat of a balanced attack with averages of 226.4 passing and 163 rushing yards per game.
Mason Cunningham of Shelbyville, Tenn., directs the Tigers from behind center. He is eighth countrywide in completions with 136 and has 10 touchdowns through the air and an additional six on the ground.
Water Valley's L.J. Hawkins has become the top wide receiver in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) with 51 receptions and 671 yards plus two scores.
Shannon High School graduate Cameron Montgomery is a dual-threat option for Northeast (6-1, 3-1). He has five touchdowns between receiving and rushing with 381 all-purpose yards.
Dorian Banks from Sevierville, Tenn., is the leading rusher for the Tigers with 344 yards on 84 carries while Oxford's Kenzie Phillips follows slightly behind with 320 yards and three scores.
Holmes (4-3, 2-2) is the only squad in the Magnolia State that utilizes the triple option. Fourteen different Bulldogs have garnered at least one carry while seven have at least 100 rushing yards.
"That's an offense that you don't see all the time so you don't prepare for it on a daily basis," Davis said. "You've got to play disciplined, tackle, run, hit and you've gotta have great eyes to read the keys."
Dejerric Bryant manages the system at quarterback. He has a team-high six running touchdowns, but is just as solid at throwing the pigskin with 1,127 yards on just 51 completions and 10 scores.
Matt Fuller takes charge of the running backs with team-bests of 70 carries and 530 yards. Treviante McDaniel, Antavius Moody and Fuller each have five touchdowns for Holmes.
The Bulldogs post 34.1 points per game while Northeast concedes just 21 points each outing. Brenden Williams of Birmingham, Ala., looks to head the defensive effort for the Tigers with 68 tackles, which is the second most in the MACJC.
Tupelo's Demarcus Rogers trails closely with 61 stops while DeSoto Central High School alumnus Peyton McMahon has 30 takedowns to round out a starting trio of linebackers that each place in the top five for Northeast in tackles.
Blake McClain from Jacksonville, Fla., guides the Tigers with eight tackles for loss and four sacks while Shannon's Keawvis Cummings has successfully defended eight passes, including one interception.
Jamar Smith has a team-best 64 stops for Holmes while Vada King has 11 tackles for loss and four sacks. The Bulldogs have forced nine turnovers compared to 18 for Northeast.
Holmes is ahead in the all-time series by a 29-21-1 margin. The Bulldogs have captured two straight victories against the Tigers, but the two programs have split their last 10 meetings.