For the first time since 2008, conference champions on both the Division II and Division III levels hail from the Magnolia State in the same season.
In the annual Heritage Bell Classic, Delta State defeated Mississippi College to win at least a share of the Gulf South Conference championship. The Statesmen are now back-to-back conference champions for the first time since 2010 and 2011.
Starting Saturday’s game slow, the typically high-powered Delta State offense picked up steam in the second quarter to take a 20-3 lead over the Choctaws into halftime. After the break, Delta State didn’t let up and went on to win 41-3 over their in-state rival.
Star quarterback Patrick Shegog led the way with 289 total yards and three touchdowns on 22 of 33 passing. Todd Lee Battle had seven receptions for 83 yards and a score while K.J. Smith put together 119 rushing yards along with a touchdown. Highlighting the box score for Mississippi College was running back Marcus Williams with 55 yards.
Belhaven, on the Division III side, took down Brevard 46-19 to break a tie at the top of the USA South and win the Blazers’ first conference title since 2006 and its first since moving from the American Southwest Conference in 2022.
After forcing two turnovers early in the game, Belhaven took an immediate 9-0 lead over the Tornados. A video game touchdown run by Devin Daniels gave the Blazers a 15-0 lead, one that Brevard responded to with a touchdown of its own.
Following the Brevard score, a perfectly placed kickoff to the left side of the field took a wild bounce as the returner couldn’t hold on to the ball with the Tornados recovering in the end zone for another touchdown to make the score 15-13 after a failed two-point conversion.
With momentum momentarily being sucked from the Belhaven Bowl in Jackson, the Blazer offense responded with two touchdowns on the next three drives to take a 29-13 lead into halftime. After the half, Belhaven mostly relied on the running game to eat at the clock and build its lead as Brevard was held to minimal production on the offensive side.
Topping the stat sheet for Belhaven was running back Kolbe Blunt. Blunt, who broke the school’s career rushing record just last week, went for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Quarterback Tim Johnson finished with 256 total yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Wyatt Beck led the defense with nine tackles while Icarius Hodgin pulled in his first interception of the season.
Belhaven’s win over Brevard also broke the school’s record for most regular season wins with nine, a record that was set just last year when the team won eight games in year four under head coach Blaine McCorkle.
Going to the playoffs
With Saturday’s wins, both Delta State and Belhaven secured spots in the Division II and Division III playoffs, respectively.
While Delta State was projected to make the playoffs for the second straight season no matter what happened against Mississippi College, the win over the Choctaws should only help the Statesmen’s seeding.
Delta State is expected to be one of three teams from the GSC to land in this year’s bracket, joined by Valdosta State and West Florida. Of the three, Cory Guinn of D2Football.com thinks the Statesmen have the best chance of making a deep run.
“If you want me to pick a team in the Gulf South, I think Delta State does have the best chances,” Guinn said on a recent episode of From D2 to D3. “It’s one of those things where I have no problem choosing Delta State as the team out of the Gulf South just for a number of reasons.”
Belhaven will be appearing in the Division III playoffs for the first time, a feat that was highly unlikely without the win over Brevard. The make-or-break game gave the Blazers the lone automatic bid from the USA South.
Both Belhaven and Delta State will find out their round one opponents on Sunday, Nov. 12 when brackets are announced for Division III at 4 p.m. CT and for Division II at 5 p.m. CT.
