Mississippi College Choctaws football

The Mississippi College Choctaws football team represents Mississippi College. The school's teams are known as the Choctaws. Its major rivals are Millsaps College in nearby Jackson and Delta State in Cleveland, Mississippi in the Delta. After a more than 40-year hiatus, MC and Millsaps teams began meeting on the football field again in 2000. The rivalry is dubbed the Backyard Brawl.

Mississippi College Choctaws football
2023 Mississippi College Choctaws football team
First season1907
Head coachJohn Bland
10th season, 23–59 (.280)
StadiumRobinson-Hale Stadium
LocationClinton, Mississippi
NCAA divisionDivision II
ConferenceGulf South Conference
Past conferencesSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Conference titles5
ColorsBlue and gold[1]
   
WebsiteGoChoctaws

History
"Goat" Hale.

The first year of the team was in 1907.[2][3] The 1921 team was led by Hall of Famer Edwin "Goat" Hale.[4]

The team won the Division II National Championship in 1989, however, Mississippi College's football tournament participation, along with its NCAA Division II national football championship, were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions for recruiting violations.

Facilities

Robinson-Hale Stadium, a 8,500-capacity stadium located in Clinton, Mississippi, is home to the Mississippi College Choctaws football team.[5][6]

The stadium was built in 1985 and named after two significant contributors to the program, Stanley L. Robinson, who coached the team from 1920 to 1923 and again from 1928 to 1953, and Edwin Hale, who played for the Choctaws between 1915 and 1921 and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[7][8][9] The first game at the stadium was played October 12, 1985. The Choctaws defeated Jacksonville State, 50–3.[10][11]

Prior to the 2005 season, the stadium saw major renovations that included the installation of a state-of-the art synthetic playing surface. A running track, the James E. Parkman Track, was added in 2006.[12] In 2011, the entrance got renovated with a new "Circle of Champions" entrance.[13] The turf at the stadium was upgraded in 2015.[14][15]

Playoffs

NCAA Division II

The Choctaws have four appearances in the NCAA Division II football playoffs, with a combined record of 4-4. This total does not include a vacated national championship in 1989, which included one additional appearance and a 4-0 record.

Year Round Opponent Result
1979 First Round
Semifinals		 North Dakota
Delaware		 W, 35–15
L, 10–60
1988 First Round Texas A&I L, 15–39
1989 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship		 Texas A&I
St. Cloud State
Indiana (PA)
Jacksonville State		 W, 34–19
W, 55–24
W, 26–4
W, 3–0
1990 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		 Wofford
Jacksonville State
Indiana (PA)		 W, 70–19
W, 14–7
L, 8–27
1991 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Wofford
Jacksonville State		 W, 28–15
L, 7–35

NCAA Division III

The Choctaws made one appearances in the NCAA Division III football playoffs, with a combined record of 1-1.

Year Round Opponent Result
2009First Round
Second Round		Huntingdon
Wesley		W, 56–35
L, 9–43

Program achievements
Gulf South Conference Champions 1979, 1988, 1990
American Southwest Conference Champions 1997, 2009
NCAA Division II Team Playoff Participants 1979, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
NCAA Division II Regional Championships 1989, 1990
NCAA Division II National Championships 1989
NCAA Division III Team Playoff Participants 2009

References
  1. "Colors & Fonts - Identity Manual". Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  2. "Choctaws Football Record Book" (PDF). 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  3. "The Official Site of Mississippi College Choctaws - History of Mississippi College Athletics". Gochoctaws.com. 1963-11-23. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  4. "Edwin Hale". College Football Hall of Fame. Footballfoundation.org. 1983-03-25. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  5. "Six home games highlight Mississippi College 2015 football schedule". WLBT. January 27, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  6. "Mississippi College releases 2017 football schedule". WLBT. June 19, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  7. Lightsey, Dick (August 15, 1985). "Budget deficit may have caused Bellard's enthusiasm". Sun Herald. Biloxi, Mississippi. p. D1. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  8. "Stanley L. "Robbie" Robinson". Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  9. "E.W. Hale". Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  10. "2013 Mississippi College Football Media Guide" (PDF). September 2019. p. 8. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  11. Baker, Lee (August 25, 1985). "Choctaws need depth, QB to show off in new stadium". The Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. p. 15I. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  12. "James E. Parkman Track". Mississippi College Athletics. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  13. "Fans Cheer Robinson-Hale Stadium Renovation Plans". Mississippi College. May 25, 2011. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  14. "Turf project underway at Robinson-Hale Stadium". WLBT. July 20, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  15. "MC stadium getting new turf" (PDF). The Clinton Courier. August 18, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
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