ITTA BENA, Miss. – Mississippi Valley State football opened its 2025 season with heart and grit at Rice-Totten Stadium, going toe-to-toe with Southern University before ultimately falling 34-29 in front of 3,748 fans.

The Delta Devils matched the Jaguars early, with kicker Marko Jovisic drilling a 47-yard field goal in the first quarter to tie the game at 3-3. Valley seized momentum in the second quarter when quarterback Joshua Brown connected with Caleb Brownlow for a dazzling 53-yard touchdown strike, giving MVSU a 13-10 lead.

Defensively, the Delta Devils made a game-changing play in the third quarter when Jamari Stokes scooped up a fumble and sprinted 38 yards for a touchdown, pulling Valley within striking distance at 24-22.

Southern extended its lead to 34-22 in the fourth, but the Delta Devils refused to quit. Brown engineered a late 75-yard drive, capping it with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Christian White with just 1:45 left on the clock.. The comeback attempt came up just short, but Valley's resilience and explosive playmaking kept the crowd energized until the final whistle.

Brown finished with 146 passing yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 87 yards, including a 49-yard scamper. Brownlow and White each hauled in touchdown receptions, and Jovisic went a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals. On defense, Cole McKinney led with nine tackles, and Stokes' fumble return TD highlighted an aggressive performance.

Despite the narrow defeat, Mississippi Valley showed promise and toughness against a top SWAC opponent. The Delta Devils (0-1) will look to build on the positives as they continue their 2025 campaign.