In last year’s bid to upset then No. 5-ranked Jones County the Southwest Mississippi Community College Bears about pulled it off.
On third-and-6 with two minutes left, the Jones County Wildcats intercepted a pass and returned for the winning touchdown, preventing SMCC from running out the clock.
A year later, SMCC takes a two-game win streak to Ellisville for another South Division matchup on Saturday at 2 p.m. — the second straight year playing Jones County on the road.
“One thing we try to preach and they’ll beg to differ,” Southwest head coach Charles Anthony said. “But we really should have won the game last year.”
The Bears (2-3, 2-2) were freshman-heavy last season and the majority of them now know what it’s like to play Jones County on the road.
They also have won two games in a row and have settled into a groove thanks to some returns from injury and consistency on offense.
“It’s definitely a morale boost,” Anthony said. “It helps the confidence factor.
“We haven’t been turning the ball over.”
That will be one of the top priorities on Saturday. Like last year, Jones County has been able to capitalize on the opportunities they get.
“One thing they’ve been able to do for the three years with coach Eddie Pierce is to find a way to win,” Anthony said.
This season they’ve been going about it a little differently.
“They look to be throwing it more,” Anthony said. “They still use same formations, but last year they beat you with the run and this year they are throwing more.”
That may play into the hands of the experienced Southwest secondary and this week’s Defensive Player of the Week Roteddrick Cotton.
He intercepted two passes against Hinds and returned the first one 94 yards for a touchdown.
“The return was definitely a huge, huge, huge play in the game,” Anthony said.
It put Southwest up 14-0 in the first quarter and let the Bears play with a little less worry.
“Cotton is one of the most talented cornerbacks I’ve coached,” Anthony said. “He has tremendous cover ability and when he gets his hands on the ball he’s explosive and that’s why we have him returning punts and kickoffs.”
On defense, Anthony said teams have started to go after him more since he hadn’t intercepted any balls since the season opener.
“Sometimes we’ll put him on the best receiver,” Anthony said. “But i feel like we have two good corners and it seems like the last two weeks they’ve tried to throw at him.”
If that continues against Jones, the Bears should have another shot to win.
