PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast, MACCC South champs for three straight seasons, will open its 2022 football season Sept. 1 with a trip to Senatobia to play the defending state champs.

 

The Bulldogs will take on Northwest Mississippi in a marquee game in the toughest conference in the country. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m., with a trip to Fulton to play Itawamba the following week.

 

“This league is always a tough schedule, but I think this is the toughest version it could possibly be,” Gulf Coast coach Jack Wright said. “We’re opening with the two-time defending champ on the road, and then another strong opponent on the road. We start the season with two rugged road trips, which only adds an element of toughness on top of playing really good teams.”

 

Once again, Gulf Coast will play four home games as the league swaps over its schedule for the next two-year cycle. After two road games, the Bulldogs kick off at A.L. May Memorial Stadium on Sept. 15 against Southwest Mississippi.

 

Home games, other than Homecoming, will start at 7 p.m. Homecoming will take place Oct. 15 when East Central visits for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.

 

The Bulldogs’ non-division slate includes the teams that finished 1-2 in the North last season. Gulf Coast gets North champ East Mississippi at Perk on Sept. 22. Northwest finished second in the regular season, and Itawamba, which is the Sept. 8 opponent, tied for third.

 

“We’ve got three really strong opponents out of the North, and the South is always tough,” Wright said. “It’s a very deep South this year. I think, from what I’m hearing, every team has a lot of good football players. Everybody feels really good, so it will be a rough schedule.”

 

Season ticket information, including opportunities to buy 50-yard-line chairback seats, will be released soon.

 

GULF COAST’S 2021 OPPONENTS

Sept. 1, at Northwest Mississippi, Senatobia, 7 p.m.

• All-Time Series Record: Gulf Coast leads 25-21-2
• First Meeting: 1929
• Last Meeting: Nov. 14, 2021, Northwest 38, Gulf Coast 14
• Streak: Northwest has won last two

Sept. 8, at Itawamba, Fulton, 6:30 p.m.

• All-Time Series Record: Gulf Coast leads 35-16-1
• First Meeting: 1952
• Last Meeting: Aug. 13, 2017, Gulf Coast 42, Itawamba 41
• Streak: Gulf Coast won last game

Sept. 15, vs. Southwest Mississippi, Perkinston, 7 p.m.

• All-Time Series Record: Gulf Coast leads 62-22-3
• First Meeting: 1931
• Last Meeting: Oct. 30, 2021, Gulf Coast 52, Southwest 6
• Streak: Gulf Coast has won last 15

Sept. 22, vs. East Mississippi, Perkinston, 7 p.m.

• All-Time Series Record: Gulf Coast leads 32-29-4
• First Meeting: 1929
• Last Meeting: Nov. 2, 2019, Gulf Coast 31, East Mississippi 7
• Streak: Gulf Coast won last game

Sept. 29, at Pearl River, Poplarville, 7 p.m.

• All-Time Series Record: Pearl River leads 55-43-1
• First Meeting: 1926
• Last Meeting: Sept. 16, 2021, Gulf Coast 33, Pearl River 10
• Streak: Gulf Coast has won last four

Oct. 6, at Copiah-Lincoln, Wesson, 6:30 p.m.

• All-Time Series Record: Gulf Coast leads 54-31-2
• First Meeting: 1928
• Last Meeting: Sept. 30, 2021, Gulf Coast 14, Co-Lin 13
• Streak: Gulf Coast has won last two

Oct. 15, vs. East Central, Perkinston, 3:30 p.m., Homecoming

• All-Time Series Record: Gulf Coast leads 56-16-2
• First Meeting:
• Last Meeting: Oct. 7, 2021, Gulf Coast 31, East Central 13
• Streak: Gulf Coast has won last five

Oct. 20, at Hinds, Raymond, 6:30 p.m.

• All-Time Series Record: 50-34-1
• First Meeting: 1926
• Last Meeting: Sept. 23, 2021, Hinds 47, Gulf Coast 37
• Streak: Hinds won last game

Oct. 27, vs. Jones, Perkinston, 7 p.m.

• All-Time Series Record: Series tied 46-46-6
• First Meeting: 1929
• Last Meeting: Nov. 21, 2021, Gulf Coast 27, Jones 24
• Streak: Gulf Coast has won last three

 

 

2022 MGCCC FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Date         Opponent                     Location                Time

Sept. 1      Northwest Mississippi    Senatobia               7 pm

Sept. 8      Itawamba                       Fulton                    6:30 pm

Sept. 15    Southwest Mississippi  Perkinston             7 pm

Sept. 22    East Mississippi            Perkinston             7 pm

Sept. 29     Pearl River                    Poplarville              7 pm

Oct. 6        Copiah-Lincoln              Wesson                  6:30 pm

Oct. 15     East Central (HC)        Perkinston             3:30 pm

Oct. 20      Hinds                            Raymond               6:30 pm

Oct. 27     Jones                            Perkinston             7 pm

 

For more information on MGCCC’s 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.