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J Smith, Washington
Jordan Allison
16
Mississippi College MC 4-6 , 3-4
38
Winner West Ala. UWA 5-5 , 3-4
Mississippi College MC
4-6 , 3-4
16
Final
38
West Ala. UWA
5-5 , 3-4
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MC Mississippi College 0 6 0 10 16
UWA West Ala. 10 7 14 7 38

Game Recap: #22 Football |

Tigers Run Past Choctaws, 38-16

LIVINGSTON, Ala. – West Alabama took advantage of four Mississippi College turnovers and outrushed the league's top running team on the way to a 38-16 Gulf South Conference football victory over the Choctaws through a persistent rain Saturday on Terry Bunn Field at Tiger Stadium.
 
The Tigers turned three Choctaw fumbles into points and outrushed the GSC's rushing leader, 303 to 235. West Alabama compiled 363 total yards, while Mississippi College had 300.
 
"When you were a kid you always wanted to go outside and play in the rain and we got to do that today and have some fun," West Alabama head coach Brett Gilliland said. "I am so proud for these 14 seniors that have done so much for our program.
 
"Our plan was to run the football and our offensive line gutted it out and rose to the challenge," Gilliland said. "There was a lot that went into this week of preparation. Obviously this year hasn't gone like we wanted. We could have folded, but we didn't."
 
Bry Webb led the West Alabama rushing attack with 114 yards on 18 carries. UWA quarterback Tucker Melton ran for a pair of scores and passed for another, compiling 54 yards on the ground. He completed 4-of-10 passes for 57 yards and a score.
 
"The offensive line got great movement up front. They had a great day getting push and creating lanes," Webb said. "It makes it easy for all of our running backs to do well. Nobody is selfish in our running backs room. We all pull for each other."
 
West Alabama improved to 5-5 overall, 3-4 in league play on Senior Day. Mississippi College is 4-6 and 3-4.
 
West Alabama opened the scoring on a 23-yard touchdown run by Melton, finishing off a two-play, 27-yard drive that was set up by Darmario Nichols recovery of a fumbled punt return by Tra'Jen Anderson-Watts. Gabe Dunkle's PAT was good and UWA led 7-0 with 2:36 left in the first period.
 
"We were patient and took advantage of what they gave us," Melton said. "That is probably the first time in my career that I have run for two touchdowns and if that's what it takes I certainly don't mind."
 
Another lost fumble by the Choctaws, this one recovered by Trevon Stanford at the MC 29, led to a Dunkle 25-yard field goal to stretch the Tiger lead to 10-0 with 28 seconds on the first quarter clock.
 
Cole Fagan put the Choctaws on the scoreboard, capping a 14-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard scoring plunge with 6:34 left in the second quarter. Fagan finished with 72 yards on 11 carries.
 
Demetrius Battle dove in from the Mississippi College 1-yard line for his 24th career TD to stretch West Alabama's lead to 17-6 with 2:46 left in the half. Battle finished with 56 yards on 13 trips and heads into his final game as a Tiger in the UWA career top 10 for yards rushing and rushing touchdowns.
 
Antonio Brown stretched the Tiger lead to 24-6 on a 7-yard touchdown run at the 8:07 mark in the third period. Brown's run capped a 5-play, 30-yard drive. He finished with 74 yards on 13 carries.
 
"As an offensive line we had a goal to outrush a triple option team," offensive tackle Jalen Gardner said. "We didn't want the weather to be a factor and we knew that to run the ball we had to be physical. After a few drives we knew this was something we could do."
 
Shamar Lewis forced a Choctaw fumble and TJ Newell recovered it at the MC 24 to set up Melton's second touchdown, this on a 1-yard plunge. Dunkle's PAT made it 31-6 with 2:40 to play in the third quarter.
 
MC quarterback Jon Henry White scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 11:56 to play and Ben Pledger's PAT cut West Alabama's lead to 31-13. The scrum for a score capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive. Pledger added a 31-yard field goal with 2:42 to play to cut the UWA lead to the final margin.
 
White, who came into the game as the leading rusher in the GSC at 122 yards per game, finished with 48 yards on 15 carries. He completed 5-of-8 passes for 30 yards with one interception. Veontai Williams and Sam Wilder led MC receivers with two catches each, for 17 and eight yards, respectively.
 
West Alabama answered White's score by going 69 yards on seven plays, with the drive being paid off by a 27-yard scoring pass from Melton to Owen Harper. Dunkle converted and the Tigers led 38-13 with 8:05 left in the game.
 
Jamarcus Smith led UWA defenders with eight total tackles, including two for loss and a sack. Shamar Lewis chipped in seven stops and Stanford six more. Artavious Washington recorded his first interception as a Tiger.
 
"Coach (Steve) Sisa worked me in the "Mike" position this week and it worked out," Smith said. "We practice hard every day and today we just played ball while being disciplined, played with our eyes and read our keys."
 
"I was in the right place at the right time, but that comes from preparing the right way all week," Washington said about his pick. "This was a great job by Coach Sisa (defensive coordinator). The keys to winning is getting good fits and plays come to us when we are in the right spot."
 
Jacob Jones and Ridge Futral had eight tackles each for Mississippi College.
 
West Alabama closes it season with a second trip in the last month to 6th-ranked Delta State Saturday. Mississippi College ends its season by hosting No. 9 West Florida the same day. Both games kick off at 2 p.m.
 
 
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