Third-ranked EMCC Lions to meet No. 13 Kilgore College in Mississippi Bowl IX, Dec. 4, in Perkinston

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The MACJC state champion and third-ranked East Mississippi Community College Lions (10-1) will take on the 13^th-ranked Rangers of Kilgore College (6-4) in next month's Mississippi Bowl to be played on Sunday, Dec. 4 in Perkinston.  Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at newly renovated A.L. May Memorial Stadium on the campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

The upcoming EMCC-Kilgore gridiron meeting will mark the Lions' fourth appearance in the Mississippi Bowl since the MGCCC-hosted bowl game began in 2008.  Most recently, East Mississippi claimed back-to-back NJCAA championships at the 2013 and 2014 events played previously at Biloxi High School.  The Lions beat top-ranked Georgia Military, 52-32, in 2013 and followed the next year with a 34-17 victory over No. 2 Iowa Western.  In 2009, EMCC earned a 27-24 win over Arizona Western in Mississippi Bowl II.

With a nine-year head coaching record of 86-12 (.878), including three NJCAA national championships (2011, 2013 & 2014), five MACJC/Region 23 titles (2009, 2011, 2013, 2014 & 2016) and eight MACJC North Division regular-season crowns (2008-09 & 2011-16), EMCC's Buddy Stephens is 4-0 in postseason bowl competition.  Along with owning a 3-0 career mark in the Mississippi Bowl, the 2011 Lions captured the school's first national title by posting a 55-47 triumph over No. 1 Arizona Western in the El Toro Bowl played in Yuma, Arizona.

Currently riding a 10-game winning streak since dropping a season-opening 27-25 decision at Jones County back on Sept. 1, the 10-1 EMCC Lions most recently knocked off reigning national champion Northwest Mississippi, 38-30, this past Saturday in the MACJC/Region 23 championship game played in Scooba.  The previous Saturday (Nov. 5), East Mississippi earned a hard-fought 27-24 home win over Mississippi Gulf Coast in the state semifinals.                               

Guided by 10^th-year head coach J.J. Eckert, the Kilgore Rangers are 6-4 on the year after dropping a 48-41 overtime decision to fourth-ranked Trinity Valley in the championship game of the Southwest Junior College Football Conference played in Athens, Texas.

Additional information on this year's Mississippi Bowl IX matchup between EMCC and Kilgore can be found online at MississippiBowl.com.  Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students.  A limited number of chairback tickets in the main grandstand are available for $20.