CLINTON, Miss. (Nov. 9, 2024) – Mississippi College rode a pounding rushing game and a bruising defensive effort to a 35-7 win over visiting Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon at Robinson-Hale Stadium.

NSU (2-8), facing a Gulf South Conference opponent for the first time since 2009, posted a season-low 169 yards of offense as Mississippi College (2-7) recorded eight tackles for loss and forced three turnovers, each of which turned into a touchdown for the Choctaws.

Quarterback Dereun Dortch threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Deuce Roberson in the first quarter but that proved to be NSU's only score in the RiverHawks' first football game ever in the state of Mississippi. It was the second-lowest-scoring game of the season for the RiverHawks.

Dortch completed 9 of 17 passes for 115 yards and added 14 yards rushing on 13 carries. Ramon McKinney Jr. carried 11 times for 47 yards and had two catches for 36 yards, while Cameron Woods had three catches for 50 yards.

The Choctaws did not throw a pass, using a wildcat-based offense. Only three offensive players touched the football – Marcus Williams (28 carries, 189 yards, two touchdowns), Preston Godfrey (26 carries, 131 yards, one touchdown) and Lamonte James (five carries, 20 yards, one touchdown) – until late in the fourth quarter.

Mississippi College finished with 404 yards of offense and held possession for 38:03, compared to 21:57 for the RiverHawks.

After a missed field goal by Mississippi College on its first possession, NSU took the lead with a 10-play, 78-yard scoring drive, capped by Dortch's pass to Roberson with 2:15 left in the first quarter.

The game turned on an officiating call in the second quarter. What had initially been ruled as an incomplete pass by Dortch was changed to a lateral recovered by the Choctaws at the NSU 42 after a challenge by Mississippi College. Godfrey eventually scored on a 1-yard run with 6:57 left in the quarter. The Choctaws missed a second field-goal try on the final play of the half, leaving the score tied at 7-7.

A roughing-the-punter penalty and a subsequent personal foul on Mississippi College gave the RiverHawks a third-quarter scoring opportunity, but Troy Nguyen missed a 39-yard field-goal try.

Williams subsequently reeled off a 50-yard touchdown run and Mississippi College never looked back. The Choctaws intercepted a Dortch pass at the NSU 39, leading to a 1-yard touchdown run by Williams late in the third quarter. A failed fourth-down conversion attempt by NSU then gave the Choctaws possession at the NSU 29 and James soon scored on an 8-yard run with 9:45 left in the game.

A 43-yard pass from Dortch to Woods put the RiverHawks on the Mississippi College 29, but Dortch fumbled and MarQuez Grace returned it for a touchdown for the Choctaws with 8:06 left.

Three RiverHawks recorded 10 tackles – Jordan Richburg, Hagen Foreman and Junior Heimuli, while Juwan Dancy had eight stops.

Mississippi College will make a return trip to face NSU in Tahlequah, Okla., next November.

NSU will close its 2024 season at home next Saturday against Washburn (Kan.). Kickoff on Gable Field at Doc Wadley Stadium is set for 1 p.m.