Magnolia State Players of the Week (Week 5)

Offensive Player of the Week

Fluff Bothwell RB Mississippi State

Bothwell turned in a workhorse performance in the Bulldogs’ SEC showdown with Tennessee. The powerful back carried the ball 23 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns, consistently moving the chains and keeping the Mississippi State offense balanced. His ability to grind out tough yardage while breaking off timely runs gave the Bulldogs their offensive spark. Bothwell’s breakout day solidifies him as one of the most reliable playmakers in the state.

Defensive Player of the Week

TJ Dottery DB Ole Miss

In the Rebels’ rivalry clash with LSU, Dottery set the tone defensively with his physical play and leadership in the middle of the field. He recorded a team-high in tackles along with a tackle for loss, helping Ole Miss slow down LSU’s rushing attack and keeping the game within reach. Dottery’s energy and sideline-to-sideline presence made him the heartbeat of the Rebel defense, earning him Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Magnolia State Week 5 Scores and Highlights

Ole Miss (5-0)

Defeated LSU in Oxford with a strong offensive showing and timely defensive stops.
QB Trinidad Chambliss threw for 314 yards and a touchdown, keeping the Rebel offense moving.
Linebacker TJ Dottery led the defense with a team-high tackle total and a stop behind the line of scrimmage.
Ole Miss stayed poised in the fourth quarter, pulling away late.
Next Up: Bye (10/4) vs. Washington State (10/11)

Mississippi State (4-1)

Pushed Tennessee to overtime before falling 41–34 in a thriller at Davis Wade Stadium.
Fluff Bothwell’s 134 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns kept the Bulldogs in contention.
QB play was efficient but couldn’t match Tennessee’s late-game execution.
Defense forced turnovers but struggled against the Volunteers’ speed.
Next Up: at #6 Texas A&M.(Saturday 6:30p.m. SEC Network)

Southern Miss (3-2)

Beat Jacksonville State 42-25 to advance to 3-2 on the season
• Jeffery Pittman had two rushing touchdowns.
• Braylon Braxton threw for two touchdowns and ran one in
• Jacksonville State committed four turnovers, which Southern Miss capitalized on.
• There was a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown by Ian Foster late in the game.
Next Up: Bye (10/4) @ Georgia Southern (10/9)

Jackson State (3-1)

JSU secured a conference victory in Week 5 38-13 over the Southern Jaguars, relying on a defense that forced timely stops
The offense leaned on its ground attack at times to control clock and sustain drives.
Special teams contributed by helping with field position in key sequences.
The Tigers now head to Mobile for the Gulf Coast SWAC Challenge against Alabama A&M
Next Up: vs. Alabama A&M (Saturday 4p.m.) (Mobile, AL)

Alcorn State (0-4)

The Braves stayed competitive deep into the game, with their defense producing key stops through the first three quarters but ultimately lost 24-20 to Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Offensive struggles in the red zone and inconsistent execution late hurt their chances.
Alcorn’s inability to finish drives proved costly in the waning periods.
Next Up: vs. Prairie View A&M (Saturday 3p.m.)

Mississippi Valley State (0-4)

MVSU faced another tough outing, with the offense stalling and failing to string together sustained drives falling short in a close one 23-20 to Texas Southern.
The defense was on the field too often, leading to fatigue and breakdowns in the latter stages.
Valley’s inability to slow down the opponent on third down deepened the deficit.
Next Up: Bye (10/4) @ Alabama A&M (10/11)

Delta State (4-1)

Delta State turned in one of their most complete games, combining a steady offense with a defense that forced turnovers and prevented big plays dominating Erskine College 52-0.
The Statesmen capitalized on defensive takeaways to fuel scoring drives.
Their balanced attack and situational execution gave them a decisive edge.
Next Up: @ Barton College (Saturday 1p.m.)

Millsaps (2-1)

The Majors fought tenaciously in SAA play, putting together several long drives that moved the chains by defeating Hendrix College 41-9.
However, late defensive errors and missed assignments opened room for the opponent’s comeback.
The offense showed flashes of explosiveness early, but couldn’t sustain it late.
Next Up: @ Centre College (Saturday Noon)

Belhaven (1-2)