GAME: TIPS-C.H.A.M.P.S HEART OF TEXAS BOWL
EDITION: Game No. 22
OPPONENTS: No. 6 Navarro (8-2) v No, 7 Coffeyville (9-2)
KICKOFF: 2 PM Saturday, December 7
VENUE: Memorial Stadium, East Texas A&M University, Commerce, TX
GAMEDAY WEATHER: Mostly cloudy skies, a northeast wind between 5 and 15 miles per hour and a temperature of 55 degrees are expected at kickoff. There is a 20 percent chance of rain Saturday.
THE MATCHUP: The Navarro-Coffeyville pairing is a rematch of programs that met in the inaugural Heart of Texas Bowl at Copperas Cove in 2001. It is the first HOT Bowl rematch.
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CJC COACH CONNECTION: Nick Dobler joined Coffeyville's staff in Spring, 2021, after a successful eight-year run as Kilgore's defensive coordinator. His quick impact earned promotion to CJC's head football coaching position in November, 2023. His program, now is trying to complete a seven-game turnaround to a 10-win season – including the personal satisfaction in returning to 'East Texas' for a HOT Bowl win over an old SWJCFC rival.
TAYLOR-MADE BULLDOGS: Ryan Taylor is 31-16 in five seasons as an SWJCFC head coach and 20-11 the last three seasons at Navarro, where he's led the 'Dawgs to consecutive HOT Bowl appearances. His fast-rising program consistently stood on the brink of Top-4 NJCAA Playoff ranking most of the 2024 season, NC spent half of a 14-week polling period at No. 6 (4 times) and No. 7 (3 times).
HOW NAVARRO GOT HERE: Sixth-ranked Navarro won its sixth Southwest Junior r College Football Conference title in 14 championship-game appearances over the 29-year history of the league. The Bulldogs earned Top-15 ranking 12 of the NJCAA's 14 polling periods. The Bulldogs rebounded from a 1-2 start in conference play, averaging 38.5 points and 416 yards in the process of creating a six-game winning streak.
HOW COFFEYVILLE GOT HERE: Coffeyville bounced back from a 3-7 season in 2023 to share the 2024 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference regular-season championship with No. 3 ranked Hutchinson. CIC's only losses were to two of the four NJCAA Playoff qualifiers: top-ranked Iowa Western (42-20) and Hutchinson (40-17), While achieving the program's first nine-win season since 2014. The Red Ravens finished on a four-game winning streak that was capped by a 15-14 victory over rival Butler at El Dorado, KS. CJC's 9-2 resume -- including a 5-1 record on the road – apparently did not merit Top-15 ranking until the final seven rankings of the 14-week polling period.
RANKINGS: The game is Navarro's fifth Top-10 matchup this season. NC's earlier Top-10 battles were the Texas Highway 31 meetings with Kilgore, TVCC and both games against Tyler.
STREAKS: Navarro's on a six-game winning streak – its longest since 2012. Coffeyville brings a four-game win streak into Saturday's game.
BOWLING TRADITIONS: Navarro, appearing in its 23rd bowl game since 1962. Is 13-8-1 in post-season play.
CIC is making its fourth appearance in the TIPS- C,H,A,M,P,S, Heart of Texas Bowl – twice at Copperas Cove and now for the second time at Commerce. CJC, with future NFLers Ryan Lilja amd Brandon Jacobs. won the inaugural 48-14 over NC in 2001, but Trinity Valley knocked off the Red Ravens 27-24 in the 2014 Classic. At the first HOT Bowl in Commerce, Tyler defeated the Red Ravens 28-7 in 2021.
SERIES HISTORY: Navarro and Coffeyville are meeting for the fifth time -- and the third time in a bowl game since 1988, The series is tied 2-2, Navarro won regular-season games. The 'Dawgs beat CJC in 2009 (35-7) at Corsicana and 2010 (27-10) at Coffeyville – the most recent meetings between the programs. Coffeyville won bowl ganes – The 1988 Kansas Jayhawk Bowl (42-28) and the first C.H.A.M.P,S, Heart of Texas Bowl at Bulldawg Stadium in Copperas Cove, TX, in 2001l (49-14),
RAVENS' KEY STATS: Coffeyville averages 29 points and 336 yards wirh equal balance of 168 yards rushing and 168 passing. The Red Ravens' defense yields 18 points and 291 yards. CJC's stingy rush defense gives up 110 per outing while pass coverage is touched for 180 per game,
COFFEYVILLE'S LAST GAME: The Red Ravens scored 10 unanswered points inside the final 20 minutes and edged Butler 15-14. The Red Ravens overcame a 14-5 deficit. Jalile Bost caught a 31-yard scoring pass from quarterback; Jordan Vick with 1:47 left to seal a seven-play, 53-yard drive for the tying points. Roane McCarthy, who kicked a pair of field goals, nailed the winning conversion.
NAVARRO'S LAST GAME: Mason Shorb and Ryan Shackelton each threw touchdown passes, Clay Thevenin rushed for 125 yards and another score and Haden Tessier kicked three field goals as NC wom the SWJCFC title over the Apaches at Tyler.
BULLDOG WATCH: All-SWJCFC First Team – WR-KR Tim Burns. (49-842-8), RB Clay Thevenin (166-765-6), OL Julio Madero, LB Aubrey Smith (77 tackles, 5.5 TFL), DS Jaxon Cummings All-SWJCFC Second-Team – QB Mason Shorb (136-217-2189-22-6), WR Shawn Broen (27-467-8), DL Dallas Patrick Alo-Suifilo (29 tackles. 4 sacks), OL Chace Stratford, DB MuMu Bin-Wahad (24 tackles). PK Haden Tessier (87 points from 16/22 FG and 39/43 XP). Honorable Mention – WR Braylon Finney (31-469-6). WR Aaron Wood (20=272-3), OL T.K. Mina, C Carlos Betancourt, DL Braeylm Ward (29 tackles), LB Cormury Butts (59 tackles), DB Jordan Ford, DB Matai Thomas, P Haden Tessier (38.9).
BIG NUMBERS BULLDOGS: The SWJCFC champions led their conference in per-game scoring (38.5), offense (416), pass yardage (285), completion average (15.9) and total passing touchdowns (30). They also rank Top-10 nationally in those categories – eighth in scoring, sixth in offense, second in pass yardage, and third in completion average and TDs thrown.
385 AND COUNTING: The 2024 Bulldogs, with 385 points through 10 games, rank 12th among the program's highest-scoring teams. They are 15 points from joining the eight-member 400 Club. Next in their path are Scott Parr's 2021 (401) and Nick Bobeck's 2010 national champion (409) and Cody Crill's 2016 (412) teams. Brian Mayper's teams of 2012, 2013 and 2014 cracked 500 and re-set program record each year – 2012 (521), 2013 (523) and 2014 (526).
A SIGN FROM SHAWN: Greenville native Shawm Brown, a transfer from Texas A&M Commerce, created a pre-game splash earlier this week when he signed to attend New Mexico State University in Las Cruces and play football for the Aggies of Conference USA. Brown led NC receivers with eight TD catches and ranked third in receptions (25) and yardage (467).
INDIVIDUAL MILESTONES: Sophomores have a final game to add numbers. Among NC single-season passing leaders, Mason Shorb is 12th in completions (136) and seventh in both yardage (2189) and TD passes (22)_…..Among NC career reception leaders, Braylon Finney is 11th in catches (69), 15th in yardage (960) and tied for eighth in TD receptions (12)….Among single-season receiving leaders, Tim Burns is 14th in catches (49)….
RED RAVEN REVIEW: All-KJCCC First Team -- Brec Long (6-4m 230, So., TE), Casey Jean Baptiste (6-5, 355, Fr., OG). All-KJCCC Second-Team – Tre'avis Jones (5-10, 200, So, RB), Da'Juqwan Jackson (6-5, 295. Fr., OT), Khalil Walker (6-5, 300, RFr, OT), Deaurucj Jackson (6-4, 255, So., DT). Frederick Giles (6-4, 240, Rfr. DE_Cyler Christmas (6-0, 190, So, DL). Honorable Mention – Jalile Bost (WRI, Ty Durham (WR), Loren Hall (S), Khmari Johnson (LB), Eric Lane (OG), Roan McCarthy (K), Cam Paul (TE), Devon Wallwe (C)
P.S. -- POST-SEASON; The only other NJCAA-sanctioned bowl game will be played Sunday. The Game One Bowl features unranked host Iowa Central (5-6) and third-ranked, Division III North Dakota State School of Science (9-1) at the UNI Dome on the Northern Iowa campus in Cedar Falls, IA. We've got to do better than this.
NJCAA TOURNAMENT: National Semifinals pairs (4) Northwest Mississippi and (1) Iowa Western at Council Bluffs, IA., and (3) Hutchinson and (2) Georgia Military at Davenport Field in Milledgeville, GA.
