George Roberts’ Delta State Men’s Football teammates defense kept ringing the bell, forcing four Mississippi College turnovers, leading to 17 points, in a 30-17 victory in the 38th annual Heritage Bell Classic at Robinson-Hale Stadium.
Delta State earned their sixth straight win over Mississippi College, rolled up 280 yards rushing, including 124 by Breck Ruddick and 106 by Chris Robinson.
After forcing Roberts and his offensive teammates to a three-and-out, Mississippi College turned a short field into a 3-0 lead with 7:25 to play in the first quarter on Greg Nickles' 32-yard field goal.
On their third drive of the game, Delta State finally scratched the scoreboard, as Vince Sciorrotta nailed a 27-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3 with 12:32 to go in the first half.
After a Mississippi College timeout slowed down Delta State’s second drive of the second quarter, Sciorrotta connected on his second field goal of the night, a 31-yard effort to put Delta State up 6-3 with 8:42 to go in the half.
Aaron Feazelle capped a 5-play, 79-yard drive with 2:25 to go in the half, as the quarterback scrambled into the endzone from 5-yards out to put Mississippi College back on top 10-6. The rushing touchdown was the first of the season for the redshirt freshman.
With 1:32 to play in the half, Jamoral Graham stepped in front of Feazelle's intended pass to Nathan Fashon for his first interception of the year.
Delta State would take the first turnover of the contest and reclaim the lead, as Breck Ruddick hit Chris Robinson on a 2-yard touchdown pass with just seven seconds remaining in the half. The scoring strike was set-up by Mario Lanier's 52-yard reception, his first of the game, on 3rd-and-1 with :21 seconds on the clock.
On the first drive of the second half for Delta State, Ruddick rumbled for a 39-yard touchdown with 10:40 to play in the third quarter to put them up 20-10.
Mississippi College used a 24-yard half-back pass from Nathan Faciane to Christian Keene with 9:10 to play in the third quarter to cut the Delta States lead 20-17.
Robinson's 6-yard rushing touchdown, his second of the game, put Delta State back up by 10 points 27-17, with 1:32 to play in the third quarter. The drive covered 55 yards in 3:00 on nine plays.
Sciorrotta's third field goal of the game, a 29-yard effort with 14:09 to go in the fourth quarter, extended Delta State's lead to 30-17.
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