By CURTIS ROCKWELL

Item Sports Editor

BILOXI — It always seems like there is something on the line when arch-rivals Pearl River CC and Gulf Coast CC face off on the playing field.

And this Saturday will be no different.

The latest battle between the Wildcats and Bulldogs has much more on the line than just bragging rights. The winner of Saturday’s clash at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Perkinston Campus will determine which team wins the 2008 MACJC State title and an invitation to the first-ever Mississippi Bowl set for Dec. 7 here at the Biloxi High Stadium

The Mississippi Bowl will play host to the Mississippi Community College/Junior College state champion and the highest available ranked team in the nation.

Three fun-filled days of local entertainment, food and football will welcome the teams and their families, friends and special guests.

Gulf Coast (8-2) enters this Saturday’s contest as the reigning MACJC State Champs, while Pearl River (8-2) hopes to regain the state title it held from 2003-06.

Earlier this season, the Bulldogs defeated the Wildcats 10-3 in Poplarville.

South Mississippi automobile/RV dealers Barry Harper and Dub Herring are serving as co-title sponsors for the event. Harper, a Grenada native, played football at Delta State University from 1977-81 and currently owns Barry Harper Dodge and Harpertowne RVs in Poplarville. He also serves on the Pearl River Community College Board of Trustees.

Herring, also a well-known car and RV dealer, owns Dub Herring Ford-Lincoln-Mercury, Dub Herring Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep, and Paw Paw’s Camper City in Picayune. He also played football at Holmes Community College in Goodman. Harper spent 21 years working for Herring and is Herring’s son-in-law.

The game marks the second time the two archrivals have battled for a state championship. In 2005, Pearl River defeated Gulf Coast 25-19 in the championship game held at Perk.

All revenues of this association are for the benefit of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Foundation. The Mississippi Bowl payout for each team will be $10,000, compared to the $7,500 per-team payout from other bowl organizations.

For Mississippi Bowl ticket information, call 601-928-6344..