NJCAA Football Games of the Week on ESPN+ Announced

Charlotte, NC - The NJCAA has announced the five NJCAA Football Games of the Week on ESPN+. The ten teams participating are Butler (KS), Copiah-Lincoln (MS), Hutchinson (KS), Independence (KS), Iowa Central, Mississippi Gulf Coast, New Mexico Military, Snow (UT), Trinity Valley (TX), and Tyler (TX). 

Game One takes place between Hutchinson (KS) and New Mexico Military. This game will be on Thursday, August 29th at 7:00 PM ET/6:00 PM CT at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, KS. The Blue Dragons went undefeated in the regular season last year before falling to East Mississippi in the 2023 NJCAA DI Football Semifinals. The Hutch offense is led by returning starting Quarterback Samari Collier, who had 20 touchdowns and 1,851 total yards last year to earn the KJCCC Co-Offensive Player of the Year. The Blue Dragons are in search of their second national title after earning the first in the 2020-21 season. Wide Receiver Benson Prosper transferred to Hutchinson from Highland (KS). Prosper had 55 receptions for 864 yards and 4 touchdowns last season to earn Co-Offensive Player of the Year alongside Collier. Hutchinson is ranked No.3 in the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Preseason Rankings. 

New Mexico Military is led by first-year head coach Oliver Soukup. Soukup re-joins the Bronco coaching staff after serving as the Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach in 2011. The Broncos are on the hunt for their second national title in program history. They won their first in 2021, defeating Iowa Western 31-13. NMMI closed out the 2023 season with a 6-6 record, with five of those losses being to ranked teams. They hope to redeem themselves this season behind the arm of returning Quarterback Elliot Paskett-Bell. Bell steps up into a role that was previously held by Kobe Muasau, who had 182 completions last year with 2,296 total yards and 22 touchdowns. Defensively, The Broncos finished out the 2023 season with 982 tackles, 110 tackles for loss, and 10 interceptions. New Mexico Military received votes in the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Preseason Rankings.

Game Two will be between Trinity Valley (TX) and Tyler (TX). This game takes place in Tyler, TX at Christus TMF Rose Stadium on Saturday, September 14th at 8:00 PM ET/7:00 PM CT. The Apaches went 5-4 on the season last year with three of the losses being to ranked teams. The offense will be led by returning Quarterback John Thomas and Running Back Ashton Haynes. Thomas had 69 completions for 970 yards and 6 touchdowns along with 392 rushing yards for 5 touchdowns last season for the Apaches. Haynes rushed for 233 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tyler received votes in the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Preseason Rankings. 

Trinity Valley went 7-3 last season. The offense will be run by 2023 UTSA transfer Diego Tello at Quarterback, returning Wide Receiver Jaquan Lowman, and returning Offensive Linemen Daniel Hernandez and Benneth Nnanna. Defensively, the Cardinals return Larell Howling at Defensive Back and Noah Flemmings at Linebacker. Howling had 14 total tackles and 3 interceptions along with Flemmings' 25 total tackles for the Trinity Valley defense last season. The 10x bowl champions won two national titles in 1994 and 1996, and are on the hunt for their third. Trinity Valley finished the 2023 NJCAA DI Football season at No.10 in the Postseason Rankings, and is No.6 in the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Preseason Rankings. 

Game Three takes place in El Dorado, KS on Saturday, September 28th between Snow (UT) and Butler (KS) at 2:30 PM ET/1:30 PM CT. Snow is coming off of a 9-3 season. The Badgers' two regular season losses came from No.15 ranked at the time Trinity Valley and No.2 ranked at the time Iowa Western. The Snow Badgers earned a bid to the 2023 Game One Bowl where they took a loss to No.11 ranked at the time Iowa Central to finish out the season. Snow finished the 2023 season ranked No.9 in the Postseason Rankings, and is the No.5 team in the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Preseason Rankings. The Badgers are returning First-Team All-American Linebacker Bryan Cuthbertson, Honorable Mention All-American Quarterback Donovan Smith, Wide Receiver DJ Overstreet, Running Back AJ Tillman, Defensive Back Brooks Esplin, and Offensive Lineman Nate Vyfvinkel. 

Butler is coming off of a tough 5-5 season last year. The Grizzlies are returning a handful of players that will be helping lead the team this season. Defensive Linemen Jaden Roper, Kenton Simmons, Seth LeClaire, and Linebacer Landon Boss are coming back on defense. On offense, Butler is returning Offensive Tackle Jahkye Irby, Running Back Vinny Smith, Wide Receiver Justin Stephens, Punter Chevy Edwards, and kicker Aidan Battle. Mason McHugh will be battling for the starting quarterback role after transferring in from App State. McHugh attended IMG Academy and had 159 completions for 2,849 yards and 31 touchdowns. Roper, Simmons, Stephens, Edwards, and Battle all earned All-KJCCC conference honors last season. The Grizzlies are ranked No.15 in the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Preseason Rankings, despite not being named to the 2023 postseason rankings. 

Game Four is between Mississippi Gulf Coast and Copiah-Lincoln (MS) on Thursday, October 17th at 7:30 PM ET/6:30 PM CT. The 5X defending MACCC South Champions and 4x NJCAA National Champions are on the hunt for their first national title since 2019. Mississippi Gulf Coast is the No.11 team in the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Preseason Rankings. The Bulldogs finished the 2023 season with an 8-2 record and No.8 in the postseason rankings. MGCCC is returning three offensive weapons in Running Backs Trey Hall and Chandler Chapman, and Wide Receiver JP Coulter. Hall rushed for 883 yards and 7 touchdowns, finishing third in the nation in rushing average (7.2 YPC). Chapman rushed for 408 yards and 4 touchdowns, and Coulter caught 26 passes for 382 yards and 3 touchdowns. Defensively, the Bulldogs are returning Linebackers Keshawn Thomas and Montrell Chapman, and Defensive Lineman Al Sandifer. Thomas had 36 tackles, 26 assists, 4 TFL, 1 FF, and 1 INT. Chapman had 15 tackles and 11 assists, 3 TFL, 1 FF, and 1 INT. Sandifer had 12 tackles, 7 assists, 7 TFL, and 3 sacks. 

Copiah-Lincoln finished 10-2 last season with a win in the C.H.A.M.P.S Heart of Texas Bowl and the No.4 spot in the 2023 Postseason Rankings. The Wolves are returning Quarterback Will Loy, Running Backs Tray Minor and Dezmond Ray, and Tightend Elijah Lagg on offense, as well as Linebackers Malachi Williams and LaKendrick James, and Defensive Backs Zyrian Jackson and Ricardo Butler Jr. on defense. The Wolves also welcome East Mississippi transfer DJ Hill-Smith, who played in ten games for the National Runner-Up Lions last season. LaKendrick James had 30 total tackles and 4.5 sacks last season for Co-Lin and is committed to play at Mississippi State next fall. The Wolves are No.4 in the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Preseason Rankings. 

The Final Game of the Week of the season will take place between Iowa Central And Independence on Saturday, November 2nd at 2:00 PM ET/1:00 PM CT. Iowa Central kicks off the season as the No.8 team in the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Preseason Rankings after a 7-4 record last year. Six key returning players for the Tritons are Wide Receivers Jalen Lueth and Riley Purcell, Running Back Adriel Fussell, Defensive Back Aaron Warren, and Linebackers JaWarren Corbin and Ajai Russell. Fussell rushed for 127 yards and 4 touchdowns last year for the Tritons. Aaron Warren had 41 total tackles and 2 interceptions, while Ajai Russell had 37 total tackles and 2.5 TFL last season. The Tritons are chasing their first national title since 1978.

Independence is coming off of a tough 2-8 season. The offense returns three key wide receivers in Tommie Weatherspoon, Nathan Owens, and Khyaire Hines. The defense returns three key linebackers in Damien Ordonez, Jeremie McGurn, and Omarion Buckman. Damien Ordonez had 35 total tackles, 3.5 TFL, and 2 interceptions for the Pirates last season. Independence has never won a national title and is hoping to go after their first this season. Indy's schedule will see eight teams that were ranked in the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Preseason Rankings. The Pirates are looking to work their way into the rankings this season. 

Newcomers to watch this season:

Hutchinson - Benson Prosper (WR), David Jester (DB), JaKwon McGinney (LB)

New Mexico Military - Karl Peterson (TE), Deshun Horsley (RB), Wiley Hamilton (DB)

Trinity Valley - Lamar Kerby (WR), Eric Fields III (LB), Tavion Atkinson (DL)

Tyler - Hawk Patrick Daniels (RB), Josiah Drake (OL), Kendal Marks (DC)

Snow - Jesse Wilson (DL), Mana Kula (DL), Tyler Brumfield (OL)

Butler - Mason McHugh (QB), Bryce Simpson (OL), Seven Cloud (DL)

Mississippi Gulf Coast - Skieler Mann (LB), Rodderius Bland (OL), Lester Miller (WR)

Copiah-Lincoln - Jordan Richardson (WR), Trey Webb (DB), Deauntre Jackson (RB)

Iowa Central - Howard Brown (DL), Cyncir Bowers (RB), Bryce Anderson (TE)

Independence - Socrates Alofipo (DB), Tekeyla Neal (DB), Abraham Harris (DL)

For more on the NJCAA and ESPN multi-year agreement, visit: HERE.

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