CLEVELAND, Miss. – Delta State's defense kept ringing the bell, forcing four Mississippi College turnovers, leading to 17 points, in a 30-17 victory on Saturday, Sept. 30, in the 38^th annual Heritage Bell Classic at Robinson-Hale Stadium. The Statesmen (5-0, 3-0 GSC), who earned their sixth straight win over the Choctaws (0-5, 0-3 GSC), rolled up 280 yards rushing, including 124 by Breck Ruddick and 106 by Chris Robinson.    
 
THE BASICS

• Score: Delta State 30, Mississippi College 17
• Records: Statesmen (5-0, 3-0 GSC) | Choctaws (0-5, 0-3 GSC)
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 30 | 7 p.m. Kickoff
• Location: Robinson-Hale Stadium | Clinton, Miss.
• Attendance: 6,348
• Series: Delta State leads the all-time series 21-15-2
• Get Social: Twitter - @DeltaStateFB | Facebook – DSUStatesmen | Instagram – DSUAthletics

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After the Choctaw defense forced 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, the Statesmen 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 an MC timeout slowed down DSU's second drive of the second quarter, Sciorrotta connected on his second field goal of the night, a 31-yard effort to put the Statesmen 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 MC 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 3^rd-and-1 with :21 seconds on the clock.
• On the first drive of the second half for DSU, Ruddick rumbled for a 39-yard touchdown with 10:40 to play in the third quarter to put the Statesmen up 20-10.
• MC 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 DSU to lead, 20-17.     
• Robinson's 6-yard rushing touchdown, his second of the game, put the Statesmen back up 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 night, a 29-yard effort with 14:09 to go in the fourth quarter, extended Delta State's lead to 30-17.                                                  

Offensive Notables:

• Delta State accounted for 426 yards of total offense on the night, including 280 on the ground, while the Choctaws closed with 312.   
• Ruddick accounted for 272 yards of total offense, passing for 148 yards and a score on 17-of-30 attempts, while rushing for a career-best 124 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown.
• Robinson rushing for 106 yards and a score on 19 carries, his fourth 100-yard performance of the season. He also caught four passes for 23 yards and a touchdown.
• LaDarion Peterson added 48 yards rushing and 45 yards in kick returns. The Woodville, Miss., native needs just 59 yards to become DSU's career kick return yardage leader.
• Delta State's 280 yards rushing was the second highest total of the year. The Statesmen ran for a season-best 394 yards in week two's win over Chowan.
• Aaron Feazelle passed for 102 yards on 6-of-13 attempts with two interceptions while rushing for 57 yards and a score on 13 carries.
• MC led 3-0 after the first quarter, marking the first time this season the Statesmen haven't scored in the opening frame.    

 
Defensive Notables:

• The Statesmen forced four Choctaw turnovers in the game, scoring 17 points.
• Ovenson Cledanord's 12 tackles paced the Statesmen on the night. The junior from Greenacres, Fla., had eight solo stops and four assisted tackles while forcing a fumble and recording a tackle-for-loss.
• Johnquavious McBride finished with 11 tackles, including seven solo.
• Keith Flanigan (1) and Jamoral Graham (1) picked-off one pass each, while Chandler Ector and David Herrington recovered one fumble apiece.
• MC's Steven Bradley and Chris Manning tied for the team lead in tackles with nine.    

 
Special Teams:

• Vince Sciorrotta nailed a season-high three field goals on the night. The Gainesville, Ga., native was also 3-for-3 on PATs. The 12 points marked a season-best for the four-year starter.
• Darius Young led MC with 194 yards in kick returns on five attempts.
• Peterson averaged 22.5 yards per kick return for DSU.   

Key Stat:

• Delta State held MC to seven second half points in the 30-17 victory.

  
Up Next:

• The Statesmen return to Parker Field-McCool Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 7, as Delta State hosts the University of West Alabama in the 32^nd annual Pig Pickin' Classic. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
• Delta State will also be observing "Hall of Fame Weekend." This year's class includes Karl Balls (FB), Rory Bell (FB), Meredith Coleman (SB), Shorlone Crockam (WBKB), Petya Petrova (WSWD), Brian Rea (BSB), Clark Richardson (Golf), Sean Spiegel (MSWD), Chris Sykes (MBKB), Joe Wun (MTN) and long-time Delta State men's and women's tennis coach Asa Atkinson. Members of the 2017 class will be recognized at halftime of Saturday's game with West Alabama.