ITTA BENA, Miss. – The Mississippi Valley State University football program had its biggest offensive outing of the season in a five-touchdown explosion of firepower but big plays by Bethune-Cookman crashed the party in a 45-35 setback in the Delta.

The Basics
 

• Score: Bethune-Cookman 45 | Mississippi Valley State 35

 

• Records: Mississippi Valley State (0-8, 0-5 SWAC) | Bethune-Cookman (2-5, 2-2 SWAC)

 

• Location: Itta Bena, Mississippi – Rice-Totten Stadium at Chuck Prophet Field

 

• Series History: Bethune-Cookman Leads 6-2

 

• Winning Streak: Bethune-Cookman (W1) | Mississippi Valley State's Last Win: October 9, 2021 (20-14)

 

• All-Time History vs. SWAC Opponents: SWAC Leads 301-135-9

 
Mississippi Valley State Top Performers
 

• Cobie Bates made history with his 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, tying Julian Stafford's program record for longest kickoff return for a score in program history from November 9, 2013, versus Texas Southern. Bates averaged 47 yards per return on his way to 141 overall on the night and added one catch for 25 yards to give him over 150 all-purpose yards.

 

• Jamari Jones became the first Valley quarterback in three seasons to rush for over 100 yards in a contest, leading the Delta Devils both on the ground (101) and through the air (218) while accounting for three passing touchdowns, all season-bests. Jones averaged 6.3 yards per scramble including a long of 25 while completing 13 passes to six different receivers.

 

• Jacory Rankin has firmly established himself as the number one wideout on the roster, hauling in a game-high six receptions for a season-high 93 yards and a career-high two touchdowns.

 

• Jalen Bell feasted on the Wildcats offensive line, setting career-highs in both tackles for loss (2.5) and sacks (1.5) while punching out his third career forced fumble which Stefon Smith Sr. recovered.

 

• Ronnie Thomas has an eye on receiving an invite to the HBCU Combine in the offseason as he notched his ninth consecutive game with at least a half-tackle for loss (1.5) and for the sixth time this year registered in the sack column (0.5).

 

• Sylvester Campbell scored the other receiving touchdown from the tight end slot, his second of the season, Gregory Jean logged a season-best 24 yards, and Cameron Gardner more than doubled his season total (16) coming into the matchup on his lone catch of 25 yards.

 

• Jakobe Thomas averaged more than 5 1/2 yards per rush and had the club's only rushing score of the day.

 

•  Malcom Johnson led the Devil defense with a season-high six tackles and Elijah Rawlins registered his first career full sack to wrap up the defensive notables.

 

• Kaiyus Lewis made special teams magic from the opening possession, blocking Bethune-Cookman's punt deep in their own territory to setup the game's first score moments later. Orlando Fernandez also had a quality game as the specialist had three punts downed inside the 20, went a perfect 5-for-5 on PATs, and drilled his fifth touchback into the end zone on kickoff this campaign.
   

Notes:
 

• Mississippi Valley saw its four-game winning streak in homecoming contests come to an end, falling for the first time on the big day since 15th-ranked Grambling State exorcised the Devils back in 2016.

 

• The Delta Devils special teams was electric as Coach Dwyan Luckey's men motored their way to over 200 kickoff return yards (213) for the first time in six years, aided by its first kickoff return touchdown since 2019 as well as blocking the team's first punt since the spring of 2021. The specialists set up the offense in B-CU territory all evening long, flipping the field and providing short drives for scores.

 

• It was the first time in over a decade that Valley State had both a blocked punt and a kickoff return for a touchdown in the same game.

 

• The Green and White had scored 60 points coming into the weekend but got halfway there in this game alone with a season-high 35 points.

 

• The offense woke up with authority Saturday night, going for its most passing (218) and rushing (203) of the season for 421 scrimmage yards with multiple passing touchdowns (3) for the first time in 2022.

 

• Valley has more first downs than its opponent for just the second time on the campaign (23-22) and the defense broke up its highest number of passes with four to go along with its most tackles for loss of 8.0, its sixth contest with at least five-plus TFLs.

 
MVSU has its lone bye week of the regular season next weekend before another prime time Thursday night clash under the lights versus Alabama A&M on ESPN U, November 3 inside Rice-Totten Stadium at Chuck Prophet Field.
 
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