No. 14 MGCCC refocuses after 1st loss

PERKINSTON — No. 14 Mississippi Gulf Coast faces an athletic test against Copiah-Lincoln this Thursday as the Bulldogs try to bounce back from their first loss of the season.

"I come back to the fact that I think we're a good football team," Gulf Coast coach Jack Wright said. "We told our guys after Week 1 that one win doesn't make a season. It's the same message after one loss. One loss doesn't make a season. It's all about us getting better. We've got another big challenge."

Gulf Coast (3-1, 0-1 MACJC South) and Co-Lin (2-2, 1-0) kick off at 7 p.m. at A.L. May Memorial Stadium in Perkinston. The game will be streamed at https://livestream.com/MGCCCBulldogs/events/8386318 or fans can listen at SuperTalk Mississippi 103.1 FM.

The Wolves led 14-7 over No. 3 Northwest last week before falling 23-14.

"They're very athletic on both sides of the ball," Wright said. "They have a lot of long, lean, strong athletes that can run. They have some dangerous weapons on offense, in their receiver corps especially."

Jalen Browder leads the Co-Lin receivers with 14 catches in three games, and DeMatre Collins has 192 yards receiving in four games. Antoine Robinson has four touchdowns, and Malik Heath and Kundarrius Taylor have three each.

Wright said his team has rebounded well from last week's disappointing 16-13 loss at No. 9 Jones, with good practices to start off the week of preparation.

The Gulf Coast defense had some big numbers while holding the Bobcats under 300 total yards. Jones was just 3-of-15 on third downs.

Jacobi Hearn (So., Clinton/Clinton) piled up 14 total tackles, including three of Gulf Coast's six sacks.

"Jacobi had a great game," Wright said. "He's been really good rushing the passer all year. He's kind of in a position that in certain situations we let him play off the ball where he can chase the ball carrier, and then there's a lot of situations where we line him up at the line of scrimmage and let him pursue the quarterback. He's a dynamic player, a guy we're proud to have. He's a team leader."

Game #3

WHO: Copiah-Lincoln (2-2, 1-0 MACJC South) at No. 14 MGCCC (3-1, 0-1)

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m.

WHERE: A.L. May Memorial Stadium, Perkinston

ONLINE: Watch https://livestream.com/MGCCCBulldogs/events/8386318

LISTEN: SuperTalk Mississippi 103.1 FM 

The Series

Series record: MGCCC leads 52-30-2

First Meeting: 1928

Last Meeting: Sept. 14, 2017, MGCCC 21, Copiah-Lincoln 14

Notes: Gulf Coast has won the last two meetings between the teams and 12 of the last 16 … MGCCC's longest win streak in the series is nine games (1966-1974) … Co-Lin won the first five games in the series (1928-1941), its longest streak … Gulf Coast has registered nine shutouts against Co-Lin (last in 1977) … Co-Lin has four (last in 1945)

For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.