CLEVELAND, Miss. - This fall, Delta State University Athletics will select a Team of the Week from past seasons, showcasing the achievements of various athletic teams throughout Delta State's storied athletic history.
This week, the 2000 Statesmen football team grabs the team of the week spotlight. Led by quarterback Josh Bright, the 2000 Statesmen delivered Delta State University's first National Championship on the gridiron as the Green and White posted a 14-1 season with an 8-1 mark in Gulf South Conference play. Delta State opened the year with a convincing 55-18 win over Belhaven before rattling off wins against Mississippi Valley State, West Alabama, North Alabama, Harding, Valdosta State, Southern Arkansas, Henderson State and Central Arkansas to open the campaign 9-0.
The only loss of the year for DSU came in its 10th game, a 24-10 slip against Arkansas Tech in Russellville, Ark., but DSU rebounded with a 47-10 victory over Arkansas-Monticello in its final game to finish the regular season 10-1 and earn a spot in the postseason.
The Statesmen earned another date with Valdosta State to open the 2000 NCAA playoffs, and the result was a 49-12 drubbing of the Blazers to advance to the quarterfinals. Delta State escaped with a 20-14 victory over Catawba and then defeated North Dakota State in the semifinals 34-16 to earn a spot in the school's first ever NCAA Championship football game.
The title game saw much of the same for the Statesmen, as Bright rushed for 175 yards and three touchdowns en route to a 63-34 throttling of Bloomsburg (Pa.) to win the National Championship at Braly Municpal Stadium in Florence, Ala. Delta State amassed 524 rushing yards in the game, an NCAA title game record, and gained 649 total yards, good for another championship game record.
Six different players rushed for touchdowns, DSU did not punt in the game, and the Green and White scored on eight of their first nine possessions.
Bright secured the Conerly Trophy in 2000 as the best football player in the state of Mississippi, totaled 2,923 total yards (1,428 passing yards and 1,495 rushing yards) and scored 35 touchdowns (14 passing, 21 rushing) on the season for Delta State. Running back Rico McDonald also had a monster season for the Statesmen, as he rushed for 1,637 yards and 18 touchdowns on 279 carries. McDonald averaged 5.9 yards per carry and 109.1 rushing yards per game.
Jeff Smith also finished the campaign with 1,055 passing yards and seven touchdowns for the Statesmen at the quarterback position. DSU's leading receiver was Jason Franklin, who had 41 grabs for 1,055 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Bright's outstanding season led him to a host of awards during the 2000 season, including being named the 2000 Mississippi Amateur Athlete of the Year in addition to his Conerly Trophy. Bright was a First Team All-GSC selection and was named the GSC's Co-Offensive Player of the Year. He was also a Don Hansen's Football Gazette Honorable Mention All-American. The 2000 campaign also saw Bright become the first player in the state of Mississippi to rush and pass for 1,000 since Southern Mississippi's Reggie Collier did it in 1981.
McDonald also earned a host of awards for his efforts on the gridiron, as he too was a First Team All-GSC selection. He earned a Don Hansen's Football Gazette Honorable Mention All-American nod and was a Second Team Daktronics All-South Region selection. McDonald also broke Tregnel Thomas' single season rushing record and tied the single-game rushing record for rushing touchdowns with four against Valdosta State.
