No. 7 Bulldogs face archrival PRCC

PERKINSTON – There shouldn't be too much more that can fire a team up than to play the team that just beat the top team in the country.

No. 7 Mississippi Gulf Coast has that and the fact that the Bulldogs face their archrivals, Pearl River, at A.L. May Memorial Stadium on Thursday at 7 p.m.

"They're a good football team that's playing with some confidence now having beaten the No. 1 team in the country," Gulf Coast coach Chad Huff said. "And also, it's the Pearl River-Gulf Coast football game."

Gulf Coast (5-1, 4-0 MACJC South) stands atop the division, and although the Wildcats picked up their first division win last week, Gulf Coast coaches knew PRCC (2-4, 1-3) was a good team before it beat Copiah-Lincoln 17-9.

"They're a talented football team that's lost some real close football games," Huff said. "I knew the whole time they were very talented on defense. They're probably the biggest, most athletic defensive line we've played."

Defensive lineman Maquedius Bain transferred from LSU and running mate Blake McClain transferred from South Carolina. Both are Florida high school products.

The Wildcats limited Co-Lin to just three field goals last week.

Huff is used to facing that tough defense, having lined up on opposite sidelines with Pearl River coach Williams Jones quite a few times over the years.

"We've had many a battle, from when we first started here and he was defensive coordinator to him being defensive coordinator at East Mississippi to now him being the head coach back at Pearl River," Huff said. "We've had a lot of games against each other and he's always done a tremendous job."

He will be counting on an ever-improving offense to face that stout defense. Gulf Coast quarterback A.J. Elderly completed an eye-popping 24-of-28 passes in a 37-10 win at Southwest last week, with even his four incompletions hitting receivers' hands.

"He's the commander of the ship, and he's got to make sure he operates it the way it needs to be operated," Huff said. "It also takes a full effort by everybody to be complete. It's a testament to everybody, including him, getting a little bit better."

Huff said Erdely benefits from each repetition he sees in practice, learning the offense better and getting more comfortable.

This will be the 93^rd meeting between the schools, with Pearl River holding a 53-38-1 advantage. Gulf Coast has won the last nine meetings, however.

This will be Huff's 12 game in the rivalry, and he knows a thing or two about those things.

"I've been a part of the Navy-Army game. I've been a part of some rivalries. It's a big game. The schools are 30 miles apart.

"It's a pride thing. It's made for quite a few remarkable games by both teams."

GAME #7

No. 7 MGCCC (5-1, 4-0 MACJC South) vs. Pearl River (2-4, 1-3 MACJC South)

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m.

WHERE: A.L. May Memorial Stadium, Perkinston

ONLINE: Watch at mgcccbulldogs.com/BulldogLIVE

RADIO: SuperTalk 103.1 FM

THE SERIES 

·     Pearl River Leads Series 53-38-1

·     First Meeting: 1926

·     Last Meeting (2014):  MGCCC 7, PRCC 0