Delta State–Mississippi College football rivalry

Delta State–Mississippi College Rivalry
Heritage Bell Classic
Delta State Statesmen
Mississippi College Choctaws
SportFootball
First meetingOctober 26, 1935
Mississippi College, 33–0
Latest meetingNovember 16, 2024
Delta State, 20–14
TrophyHeritage Bell
Statistics
Meetings total44
All-time seriesDelta State leads, 26–16–2
Largest victoryDelta State, 41–0 (1955)
Longest win streakDelta State, 7 (1994–2018)
Current win streakDelta State, 4 (2021–present)
Delta State
Mississippi College
Locations in Mississippi

The Delta State–Mississippi College football rivalry, commonly known as the Heritage Bell Classic, was a college football rivalry game between a public university and a private Christian college in the U.S. state of Mississippi, the Delta State University Statesmen and the Mississippi College Choctaws. The current winner is Delta State, who won 20–14 on November 16, 2024. Delta State leads the all-time series, 26–16–2.[1][2]

History

Background: 1935–1994

The Delta State Statesmen were co-founding members of the Gulf South Conference in 1970. Mississippi College joined the conference in 1972 and played 23 straight games with the Statesmen before the Choctaws left the conference in 1996 which halted the series. The Choctaws left the conference and NCAA Division II to compete at the NCAA Division III level until 2014, when they rejoined the conference and continued the series with Delta State.[3][4]

The annual battle between Delta State and Mississippi College was one of the most anticipated contests in the Magnolia State from 1973 to 1995.[1]

Game results

Delta State victoriesMississippi College victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 October 26, 1935 Clinton Mississippi College 33–0
2 October 31, 1936 Clinton Mississippi College 20–0
3 October 18, 1941 Clinton Mississippi College 17–6
4 1947 Clinton Mississippi College 19–0
5 October 9, 1948 Cleveland Delta State 7–6
6 October 30, 1954 Clinton Delta State 25–0
7 October 29, 1955 Cleveland Delta State 41–0
8 September 22, 1956 Clinton Delta State 25–0
9 September 21, 1957 Cleveland Delta State 19–7
10 October 18, 1969 Jackson Delta State 33–7
11 October 17, 1970 Jackson Tie30–30
12 September 29, 1973 Cleveland Delta State 17–16
13 September 21, 1974 Clinton Delta State 13–3
14 October 11, 1975 Cleveland Delta State 24–0
15 October 9, 1976 Clinton Delta State 7–3
16 October 8, 1977 Cleveland Delta State 24–13
17 October 7, 1978 Clinton Mississippi College 27–0
18 October 6, 1979 Cleveland Mississippi College 27–19
19 October 11, 1980 Clinton Mississippi College 10–7
20 November 7, 1981 Cleveland Mississippi College 38–21
21 November 6, 1982 Clinton Mississippi College 27–6
22 November 19, 1983 Cleveland Delta State 31–21
23 November 17, 1984 Clinton Delta State 30–21
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
24 November 23, 1985 Cleveland Tie14–14
25 November 22, 1986 Clinton Delta State 21–10
26 November 21, 1987 Cleveland Mississippi College 13–7
27 November 12, 1988 Clinton Mississippi College 7–3
28 November 11, 1989 Cleveland Delta State 17–7
29 November 10, 1990 Clinton Mississippi College 35–17
30 November 16, 1991 Cleveland Mississippi College 27–10
31 November 14, 1992 Clinton Mississippi College 34–23
32 November 13, 1993 Cleveland Mississippi College 13–7
33 November 12, 1994 Clinton Delta State 14–0
34 November 11, 1995 Cleveland Delta State 14–0
35 November 15, 2014 Cleveland Delta State 27–3
36 November 14, 2015 Clinton Delta State 37–29
37 September 29, 2016 Cleveland Delta State 61–31
38 September 30, 2017 Clinton Delta State 30–17
39 November 10, 2018 Cleveland Delta State 28–21
40 November 16, 2019 Clinton Mississippi College 37–13
41 November 6, 2021 Cleveland Delta State 24–21
42 October 29, 2022 Clinton Delta State 52–38
43 November 11, 2023 Cleveland Delta State 41–3
44 November 16, 2024 Clinton Delta State 20–14
Series: Delta State leads 26–16–2

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "BATTLE FOR THE BELL: Statesmen to Host MC on Thursday". Delta State University. September 27, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  2. ^ "Football Preview: MC vs. Delta State". Mississippi College. September 28, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  3. ^ "Matt Wilson named new commissioner of Gulf South Conference". AL.com. March 27, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  4. ^ "Mississippi College Releases 2014 Football Schedule, First GSC Games Since 1995". Mississippi College. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
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