Head Coach: Mitch Evans
2025 Record: 8-6
Region Record: 3-1, second in Region 6-3A
Classification: MHSAA Class 3A
2026 Season Opener: Aug 21 @ West Jones
At this point, a playoff appearance is not enough for Seminary. The Bulldogs have gone beyond that. Seminary reached at least the third round of the Class 3A playoffs in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Last season, the Bulldogs finally pushed even farther, winning three postseason games before falling to Raleigh in the Class 3A South State championship game.
It was a strange journey. Seminary entered October only 2-4 after navigating one of the most difficult non-region schedules a Class 3A school could reasonably put together. The Bulldogs played West Lauderdale, Collins, D’Iberville, Presbyterian Christian, Northeast Jones and Sumrall before region play arrived.
Seminary finished second in Region 6-3A, defeated Southeast Lauderdale, West Marion and Franklin County in the playoffs and earned another shot at Raleigh after losing to the Lions during the regular season. Raleigh ended Seminary’s season 27-14, but the Bulldogs had finally broken through the third-round barrier that had frustrated the program the previous two seasons.
Now Mitch Evans enters his sixth season at Seminary with another team capable of playing deep into November. The Bulldogs lost several of their leading offensive weapons and defensive veterans.
Cornerback Stanley Peters Jr. enters his senior season committed to Arkansas after collecting offers from programs throughout the SEC and beyond. Quarterback Brady Chancelor is back after throwing 30 touchdown passes as a sophomore.
Safety Cameron Charles, linebacker Keylan Hatten and athlete Johnny Byrd return after producing significant numbers during last season’s playoff run. Seminary will look different. The expectations will not.
Brady Chancelor Is No Longer the Young Quarterback
One year ago, Brady Chancelor entered the season as a sophomore trying to take control of a veteran offense. He did more than survive. Chancelor threw 30 touchdown passes, completed 65.1 percent of his attempts and finished the season with a quarterback rating of 118.0.
Those numbers immediately change the outlook of the 2026 offense. Seminary does not have to break in a quarterback. Seminary does not have to break in a quarterback.
It has a junior who has already started 14 games, competed against Class 7A athletes, played in a South State championship game and shown he can operate a passing offense at a high level. The challenge will be replacing the receivers who helped him produce those numbers.
Stanley Peters Jr. Gives Seminary an SEC Cornerback
The biggest name on the roster is senior cornerback Stanley Peters Jr. Peters entered the offseason as a relatively under-the-radar prospect. He will not enter the season that way.
The 6-foot, 170-pound cornerback committed to Arkansas in June after receiving offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Baylor, Houston, Southern Miss, Memphis, UAB, Appalachian State, East Carolina, James Madison and several other programs.
Peters recorded 31 tackles, 12 pass breakups and three interceptions during his junior season, establishing himself as one of the better coverage defensive backs in Mississippi.
But Peters is more than a defensive specialist. He also contributed at receiver and caught two touchdown passes last season. That versatility becomes especially important after Seminary graduated its three leading receivers.
Expect Evans to find ways to get Peters involved offensively. His primary value, however, will remain at cornerback. Class 3A teams do not often have an SEC defensive back capable of eliminating one side of the field.
Cameron Charles Returns as the Leading Tackler
Senior safety Cameron Charles may be the most important returning defender not named Peters. Charles led Seminary with 9.3 tackles per game as a junior and also intercepted a pass. That tackle production says plenty about the way Seminary used him.
Charles is not simply a center-field safety waiting on deep passes. He comes downhill, helps against the run and gets involved around the line of scrimmage.
With several other experienced seniors gone, Charles becomes one of the leaders of a defense that must replace plenty of production. The good news is that Charles has already shown he can handle a large workload.
Keylan Hatten Gives the Linebacker Group Experience
Senior Keylan Hatten returns after averaging 6.8 tackles per game and recording two sacks as a junior. Hatten also forced two fumbles and became one of Seminary’s most consistent linebackers during the second half of the season.
He was one of the players who helped set the tone during the Bulldogs’ turnaround. Before Seminary’s 2025 game against Northeast Jones, Hatten described the team’s mindset simply: go 1-0 every week.
That approach worked once the Bulldogs entered region play. Now Hatten becomes one of the seniors responsible for carrying it forward. Seminary’s defense may not have the same number of experienced starters as last year, but Hatten and Charles give the middle of the unit two proven tacklers.
Peters gives the secondary a Division I corner.
Johnny Byrd Brings Speed to the Offense
Senior Johnny Byrd should receive considerably more offensive responsibility. Byrd led Seminary with 461 rushing yards last season and averaged 32.9 rushing yards per game while scoring two rushing touchdowns. He also contributed at wide receiver and strong safety.
Those numbers may not look enormous but the opportunity in front of him is. Byrd is the most obvious candidate to lead the offense next to Chancellor He can line up at running back. He can play receiver. He can take direct snaps. He can contribute defensively. That gives Evans flexibility when designing an offense around younger skill players. Expect Byrd’s touches to rise considerably.
Mitch Evans Has Rebuilt Seminary Into a Contender
The turnaround under Evans has become increasingly difficult to ignore. Seminary went 4-7 in 2021. The Bulldogs slipped to 2-8 in 2022. Then things changed. Seminary went 8-5 in 2023, 10-3 in 2024 and 8-6 in 2025. The Bulldogs have won seven playoff games over those three seasons and reached the South State championship last year.
Evans understands what championship football looks like. Before taking over at Seminary, he coached at Taylorsville and went 43-3 from 2018 through 2020, reaching three consecutive Class 2A state championship games and winning two state titles.
He has steadily brought those expectations to Seminary. Three years ago, reaching the playoffs represented progress. Now Seminary expects to be playing when Thanksgiving arrives. That is a significant culture change.
Five Games to Watch
Sept. 11 – at D’Iberville
Seminary intentionally schedules above its classification.
D’Iberville beat the Bulldogs 49-21 last season and gives Seminary another opportunity to face Class 7A speed before region play.
The Bulldogs may not need to win this game for it to benefit them later.
Sept. 18 – at Presbyterian Christian
This has quickly become an interesting Pine Belt matchup.
Seminary beat PCS 35-21 last year, but the Bobcats return Wake Forest commitment Smith Stringer at quarterback.
Chancelor versus Stringer should make this one of the better small-school quarterback matchups in South Mississippi.
Sept. 25 – Northeast Jones
Northeast Jones beat Seminary 16-7 in the schools’ first-ever meeting last season.
The Tigers now come to Seminary, giving the Bulldogs an opportunity to even the series.
Oct. 2 – at Sumrall
This is the old one.
Seminary and Sumrall have played 72 times, making it Seminary’s longest-running rivalry. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 42-28-2. (ahsfhs.org)
Sumrall won 20-7 last season.
Oct. 23 – at Raleigh*
Everything points toward this game.
Raleigh beat Seminary twice last season—27-21 during the regular season and 27-14 in the South State championship.
The Lions won Region 6-3A and finished 14-1.
If Seminary wants to win the region and secure home-field advantage in November, Raleigh remains the team it has to catch.
2026 Seminary Schedule
Aug 21 — @ West Jones
Aug 28 — West Lauderdale
Sept. 4 – Collins
Sept. 11 – at D’Iberville
Sept. 18 – at Presbyterian Christian
Sept. 25 – Northeast Jones
Oct. 2 – at Sumrall
Oct. 9 – at Jefferson Davis County*
Oct. 16 – McLaurin*
Oct. 23 – at Raleigh*
Oct. 30 – Magee*
Magnolia Coast Sports Outlook
Seminary is going to lose more veteran production than it did entering last season.. But this does not look like a team headed for a major rebuild. Chancelor already has a 30-touchdown season at quarterback. Peters is an SEC commitment. Charles and Hatten give the defense proven senior leaders. Byrd should become a much larger piece of the offense, and Seminary’s repeated deep playoff runs have given younger players valuable practice and postseason experience.
The schedule is difficult again, which may make the overall record look less impressive than the quality of the team. D’Iberville, PCS, Northeast Jones and Sumrall can all beat the Bulldogs. Region play is different. Seminary should be favored over Jefferson Davis County and McLaurin and has already shown it can beat Magee.
That leaves Raleigh. Until Seminary proves it can beat the Lions, Raleigh deserves to remain the favorite in Region 6-3A. But the gap is not enormous.
Magnolia Coast Sports Prediction: 7-2 regular season, second place in Region 6-3A and another run to at least the third round of the Class 3A playoffs. Seminary has enough talent to return to South State if the new receivers develop around Chancelor.
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