MOORHEAD – During the first quarter of Thursday's season opener at Mississippi Delta, it appeared that the Bears were locked in a tight battle with the Trojans. In the second, however, the Bears got back to playing their brand of football and it snowballed from there to the tune of a 51-6 win over the Trojans.
 
Southwest head coach Cliff Collins said that he is very pleased with his team's win but wants to work on limiting the miscues.
 
"This place I tell you is one of a kind up here in the Delta, the mosquitoes start biting and it doesn't matter what logo is on your shirt, you better be ready to play when you come up here," Southwest head coach Cliff Collins said. "Yeah, we got off to a slow start. We have a talented football team. We made too many mistakes."
 
The Bears (1-0) got big performances from several players. Quarterback Jordan Mills – playing in his first-ever collegiate game after missing all of the 2022 campaign – finished with two touchdown passes, both of which were to freshman Damarcco Blanton. In the rushing game, Jalen Williams scored three touchdowns on the ground and added another on special teams.
 
He got the scoring started early for the Bears punching it in from a yard out on just the second play from scrimmage for Southwest following a Delta botched snap on a punt deep in Trojan territory. Lyndell Boatman added the PAT putting the Bears up 7-0 with 13:20 to go in the first quarter.
 
The Trojans (0-1) responded later in the quarter with their lone score of the evening, a 37-yard touchdown pass from Troy Griffin to Sirr Trotter. The PAT was blocked keeping the Bears on top.
 
The one-point lead for Southwest stayed true for the next 10:50 of play. With 6:12 to go in the first half, the Bears put up their second score of the night, this time through the air as the first Mills to Blanton touchdown came from 30 yards out. The PAT was good giving the visitors a 14-6 advantage.
 
After another successful stop by the Bear defense, the offense fed off of that momentum as Mills hooked up with Blanton again, this time from 19-yards out giving Southwest a 21-6 lead with 2:00 to go in the first half.
 
For Mills, who missed all of last season with an injury, he said he was very thankful to get his opportunity to shine this season and is taking advantage of it.
 
"It is amazing, it is an adrenaline rush and it is crazy," he said.
 
A couple of mistakes hurt the Bears from adding to their 15-point lead early in the third quarter as fumbles halted two-consecutive drives. However, the Southwest defense rose to the occasion, shutting the door on the Trojans who desperately tried to climb back into the contest.
 
With just under 5:00 to go in the third quarter, Mills exited the game with a leg injury and did not return. In stepped freshman Quez Goss who picked right up where Mills left off, connecting on multiple passes, moving the Bears down the field. The drive was capped by Williams' second touchdown of the evening, a four-yard run to the left and with the extra point, Southwest enjoyed a 28-6 lead.
 
Williams made his presence known early in the fourth quarter as well, hitting a huge hole opened up by his offensive line before racing past the defenders and into the end zone from 60 yards out giving Southwest a 35-6 lead with 12:36 to go.
 
Just as it appeared Delta was on its way to pulling closer, the Southwest defense stepped up as Amarien Jefferson picked-off a Griffin pass and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown making it a 42-6 game.
 
Not even a minute later at the 9:39 mark the Bear defense made its presence known again. Amarion Ware and Jefferey Anderson teamed-up for a safety, not only giving Southwest two points but a 44-6 lead.
 
Williams capped-off his big night with a 73-yard touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff.
 
"I saw the ball coming to me then I looked to see where my hole was," Williams said. "I saw my hole and I just hit it and I saw the end zone."
 
Boatman stayed perfect on PATs for the evening with his latest increasing the visitors' lead to the eventual final.
 
The Bears return to action Thursday as they travel to Clarksdale to face Coahoma at 6:30 p.m.