ELLISVILLE, Miss. - The Northeast Mississippi Community College football team faces its quickest turnaround of the entire campaign ahead of its non-division finale.
The Tigers journey some 250 miles southward to tangle with Jones College on Thursday, October 10. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Sim Cooley Field.
Northeast returns to Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division play for the remainder of the regular season beginning next Thursday, October 17 against Northwest Mississippi Community College.
Those that cannot attend the matchup can watch it live and in high definition on NEMCCTV. Tune in starting at 6:30 p.m. for the pregame show by visiting www.nemcctv.com on any computer, smartphone or tablet.
Amazon Fire and Roku television subscribers can also view the Tigers' pigskin contests all year by searching for "Northeast Mississippi Community College" on each respective app.
This game will also air on WADI and WXWX The Bee, which are sister stations of Northeast's primary radio affiliate in WOWL Fun 91. An audio simulcast featuring Carter Smith, the Voice of the Tigers, can be heard on frequencies 95.3 FM from Corinth and 96.3 FM from Marietta.
Search and follow @NEMCCTigers on Twitter for live in-game updates and interact throughout the event by using the hashtag #TigerPower across all social media platforms.
Northeast (3-3) looks to bounce back quickly after dropping a heartbreaking contest at Mississippi Delta Community College last Saturday, October 5. The Tigers have split their two previous outings against MACJC South Division opponents this year.
The Bobcats, who are ranked No. 12 in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) poll, are coming off a weekend tilt themselves after defeating Pearl River Community College by a score of 49-6.
This is Northeast's first road trip to Ellisville in seven seasons. The Tigers captured a 30-21 win over Jones on September 8, 2012 after racking up just under 500 yards of total offense.
"We've got to go out and play with passion because (Jones) is a tough, physical team," said Northeast head coach Greg Davis. "They've got to go out and compete. We can't give anything up on special teams.
"We've got to get positive yards on every play. You can't get in a slump or in a hole. We've just got to mentally and physically be ready for four quarters. It'll be a huge test for our defense."
The Bobcats have averaged nearly 500 yards over their last two contests. The running back tandem of Kalyn Grandberry and Ladamian Webb, who have combined for 924 yards and 11 touchdowns, pace Jones offensively.
Jones (4-2) also features an experienced offensive line, including sophomores Christian Barnes, Logan Canerdy, Jordan Chapman and Alexis Galle, that has conceded only six sacks all year.
The Tigers counter with a defense that is inside the top 10 of the NJCAA with only 213 yards allowed on average. Northeast ranks tenth nationally by giving up only 15 points per game as well.
Northeast has racked up 22 sacks as a unit. Cedric Hillsman of Fort Valley, Ga., tops the Tigers with four sacks while Isaiah Hunt from Ackerman and Macon's Terry Joiner have three quarterback takedowns apiece.
Hillsman and Joiner each have nine tackles for loss to lead Northeast. Joiner has a team-high 53 total stops while fellow linebacker and Saltillo High School graduate Jamarcus Smith is right behind him with 52 takedowns.
Northeast is coming off a season-best 388-yard effort versus the Trojans. Quarterback Jack Mangel from Athens, Ga., accounted for a majority of that production with a career-high 304 passing yards on just 18 completions.
Lake Cormorant High School alumnus Xavier Malone is tied for seventh in the country with 20.8 yards per catch. Montel Gladney from Northwest Rankin High School has a team-best 24 receptions.
Five of the Tigers' six outings so far this year ended up as tight one possession games, including three-in-a-row since a nine-point triumph at Coahoma Community College. All six contests have been decided by less than 10 points.