Late Drama, Early Statements: What We Learned in Week 2 and What’s Next in the MACCC

Week 2 of the MACCC season pushed the story forward. Contenders began to separate. Ranked powers looked the part. And one game delivered a finish that nobody will forget.

Poplarville turned into chaos. Pearl River built a 41-16 lead early in the fourth quarter. It felt over. Itawamba refused to quit.

A 95-yard kickoff return by Marcellus Jackson cracked the door open. Mykel Allen kicked it down. The sophomore back churned for 107 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries, leading a comeback that flipped the score. With just over two minutes left, Itawamba had stunned the crowd, storming ahead 42-41.

Then came the dagger. Pearl River quarterback Reese Mooney hit Kedrick Triplett for an 88-yard touchdown with 46 seconds on the clock. The Wildcats escaped, 48-42.

Mooney finished with 252 passing yards. Triplett was the star, hauling in four catches for 163 yards and two scores. Pearl River showed poise under fire. But their defense showed cracks that could cost them later. For Itawamba, the loss hurt, but the fight proved they have the tools to scare anyone in this league.

The heavyweights left little doubt.

No. 3 Northwest Mississippi powered past East Central 29-10.

The ground game was unstoppable as Julius Pope ran for 137 yards and a touchdown while quarterback Aidan Glover added 110 yards and two more scores. The Rangers rolled up 319 rushing yards and controlled every snap.

No. 7 Copiah-Lincoln smothered Holmes 30-13.

The Wolves’ defense set the tone with two safeties, three sacks, and a pair of turnovers. On offense, Martavious Boswell delivered a career night with 153 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including an 87-yard sprint that sealed it.

No. 9 Mississippi Gulf Coast exploded in a 58-7 win over Mississippi Delta.

Landon Varnes needed only nine throws to post 252 yards and three touchdowns while adding another on the ground. Gulf Coast piled up 600 total yards while holding Delta to just 65. That’s the definition of dominance.

East Mississippi reminded everyone it can still grind. The Lions slipped past Hinds 7-6 in a defensive slugfest. Hinds actually outgained EMCC 416-281, but a missed PAT in the first quarter was the difference.

Jones College flexed in a 51-20 win over Coahoma. Ky’Yon Harris and Kobey Craft combined for 156 rushing yards and three scores, while TK Keyes added 122 receiving yards including a touchdown grab. The Bobcats built a 37-0 halftime lead and coasted.

Northeast Mississippi handled Southwest 35-21. Quarterback Jeremiah Harrell tossed three touchdown passes, Qua Middlebrooks added 73 yards and two scores on the ground, and Ryan McCall sealed it with a 69-yard pick-six.

Five teams stayed perfect at 2-0: Northwest, Copiah-Lincoln, Gulf Coast, Jones, and Northeast. East Mississippi, Hinds, Pearl River, and Southwest sit at 1-1. Holmes, Itawamba, Delta, and Coahoma are still searching for their first win.

The early pattern is clear. Control the line of scrimmage, and you win. Northwest’s 319 rushing yards, Co-Lin holding Holmes to 25, and Gulf Coast suffocating Delta tell the story.

MACCC Week 3 Preview

The Week 3 schedule is headlined by a clash of North Division heavyweights. Third-ranked Northwest Mississippi, a national powerhouse known for its overpowering rushing attack, travels to face a resilient East Mississippi team that just demonstrated its defensive fortitude in a low-scoring victory. The outcome of this contest is poised to be a direct test of conflicting philosophies.

The battle of the undefeated will take place when sixth-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast visits Jones College. This interdivisional showdown pits two of the MACCC’s most explosive and dominant offenses against each other. Both teams are coming off convincing victories that saw them put up huge offensive numbers, and they both enter Week 3 with an unblemished 2-0 record. The game will likely be a high-scoring affair and a showcase of offensive firepower.

Northeast Mississippi hosts Mississippi Delta. Northeast comes in with an undefeated 2-0 record, looking to continue its strong offensive start to the season. Mississippi Delta is still searching for its first victory after a pair of lopsided losses. This game could be a pivotal opportunity for Delta to show signs of life and begin to turn their season around.

Holmes meets Coahoma in a battle of 0-2 teams searching for their first win. Both squads have shown flashes but need consistency to turn the corner. This matchup has often gone down to the wire, and this one could do the same.

Pearl River travels to Southwest Mississippi. Following its dramatic win, Pearl River will look to keep momentum against a Southwest team coming off its first loss of the season.

No. 7 Copiah-Lincoln visits Hinds. The Wolves are 2-0 and carry momentum into Raymond, where Hinds will play its home opener after a narrow loss to East Mississippi. The Eagles will be desperate to respond, while Co-Lin looks to stay unbeaten.

Itawamba travels to East Central. Both teams are 0-2 and seeking their first victory. Itawamba showed fight in Week 2, nearly erasing a 25-point deficit behind Mykel Allen’s 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns. East Central is looking to bounce back after falling to Northwest. Brady Hammonds threw for 204 yards and one touchdown. Eelijah Singleton had nine catches for 104 yards and a score for the Warriors.