No. 4 Bulldogs host archrivals this week

PERKINSTON — No. 4 Mississippi Gulf Coast is gearing up for its biggest rival, and this year’s matchup has massive meaning in the standings.

Archrival Pearl River visits A.L. May Memorial Stadium on Thursday, and the two teams are tied atop the MACCC South standings. It will be White Out Night at Perk, and fans are encouraged to wear white for the 102^nd meeting between the teams.

“There’s been so many games where it had such heavy division implications,” Gulf Coast coach Jack Wright said. “This is no different. It’s a rivalry game, and there’s a lot of connections between Gulf Coast and Pearl River, whether it’s players, families, co-workers. It’s a big division game, a win at home, and we need to play well at home, execute and pull out the win.”

Kickoff on Military and First Responders Night is set for 7 p.m. All active duty, veterans and retirees, as well as first responders, will be admitted for free. Buy your tickets ahead of time to save money. It costs $10 for adults or $7 for youth online, or $15 and $10 at the gate. Tickets are available at http://mgcccbulldogs.com/tickets, and the game will be streamed at https://mgcccbulldogs.com/watch.

Pearl River (3-1, 2-0 South) started the season by beating No. 7 Northwest Mississippi in Senatobia, winning 24-23. After a loss at Itawamba, the Wildcats beat Southwest Mississippi 27-17. Last week, they won a 23-20 thriller with a last-minute field goal at East Central.

PRCC ranks ninth in the country in pass defense (134.8 yards per game).

“They’re a stifling defense,” Wright said. “They don’t give up a lot of yards, and it’s very tough to be consistent on them. They’re very good up front and great in man-to-man coverage. They make it tough on you to find something to hang your hat on.”

The Bulldogs (4-0, 2-0) are coming off a 55-36 win at Southwest Mississippi, their third road game in the first four. They’ll enjoy getting back to the friendly confines at Perk. 

Wright continues to stress the need for more consistency. The Bulldogs can make a lot of plays but need to eliminate mistakes that could be more costly in this game and beyond.

The Regulators rotate a slew of players at all positions, but a player carrying a familiar last name is among those making big contributions. Defensive lineman Chris Burton (So., Bogue Chitto/Parklane Academy) is the last in a line of Burtons who will have played at Gulf Coast.

This is Wright’s seventh season in charge, and it’s his sixth with one of the Burton brothers around. Hayden, an offensive lineman, started the stretch by playing on the 2018 and 2019 teams. He was a starter on the Bulldogs’ national championship team. Scott, also a defensive lineman, played in 2021 and 2022, finishing his sophomore season with 51 tackles and 10.5 sacks.

“Chris plays a lot of snaps, and he plays hard,” Wright said. “He gives relentless effort, and I’m proud that family has trusted us with three of their sons. They’ve all been productive players here, and they play with a little bit of an edge. I know their family is really proud of what they’ve come over and been able to accomplish. Just like his brothers, he’s made himself a really, really good player by his sophomore year.” 

Game #5

WHO: MGCCC (4-0, 2-0 MACCC South) vs. Pearl River (3-1, 2-0 MACCC South)

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m.

WHERE: A.L. May Memorial Stadium, Perkinston

WATCH: https://mgcccbulldogs.com/watch

LISTEN: SuperTalk 103.1 FM

The Series

Series record: Pearl River leads 56-44-1

First Meeting: 1926

Last Meeting: Oct. 5, 2023, Gulf Coast 52, Pearl River 21

Notes: Gulf Coast has won five of the last six, and 11 of the last 13 meetings dating back to 2011, and 15 of the last 18 back to 2007 … Gulf Coast is averaging 28.5 points in the last 13 games, Pearl River 13.5 … Gulf Coast has seven shutouts in its 41 victories, the last of which came in 2014 … Pearl River has 19 shutouts, the last of which came in 2003 … Gulf Coast won six straight between 2011 and 2016 … Pearl River’s longest win streak is 17 between 1953 and 1965 … The biggest Gulf Coast win in series history was a 52-7 win in 2008, while the biggest Pearl River win came in 1961 (60-6) … This is the only MACCC opponent Gulf Coast has a losing record against … Wright (5-1) has the second-best record among Gulf Coast coaches against Pearl River (Louis D. Megehee, 2-0).

For more information on MGCCC’s 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.