The Bears fought hard Thursday night and had many positives to take away from their home contest against No. 4 Mississippi Gulf Coast, but costly mistakes coupled with a strong Bulldog offense ultimately did Southwest in as the hosts fell 55-36 in a high-scoring affair.

"We have a good team here at Southwest. We played hard but we made some mistakes and that is why the outcome is the way that it is like that," Southwest head coach Cliff Collins said. "I am proud of my guys but we have to get it together and stop making the mistakes at the wrong time. We have to make plays, we have to tackle and that is the bottom line."

Early on, a mistake from the Bears (0-4, 0-2 MACCC) hurt as a fumble was scooped up by the Bulldogs and returned 24 yards for a score putting the hosts in a 7-0 hole.

Southwest tried to answer, but a costly interception on a promising Bear drive shut the door on the opportunity for the potential equalizer.

Another Bear mistake proved costly as a Tory Morgan interception of Gulf Coast quarterback Landon Varnes was erased following a penalty. Four plays later, the Bulldogs punched it in making it a 14-0 deficit for Southwest.

A second Bear turnover on the ensuing drive put the brakes on yet another promising drive as the Bulldogs jumped on a fumble inside their own 20-yard line.

The Southwest defense stepped up and stopped Gulf Coast before the Bear offense took over once again, however this time, they got points at the end of the drive. Jordan Mills, who came on in relief at quarterback, hooked up with Jordan Scott on a 14-yard touchdown pass. Lyndell Boatman's PAT cut the Bulldog lead in half at 14-7.

After trading punts Gulf Coast struck on their next two possessions as both ended with touchdown passes, the second of which made it a 27-7 game.

Early in the third quarter, the Bears took advantage of a Bulldog mistake as a long Gulf Coast drive was halted after a fumble, forced by Vinay Singh was scooped up by Tony Burns and returned 55 yards to the Bulldog 40 yard line.

A 12-play ensuing drive wrapped with another Bear touchdown pass, this time it was Quez Goss finding Marcellus Jackson from two yards out pulling the Bears within 13 at 27-14.

Unfortunately, that would be the closest the Bears would get for the remainder of the night. The Bulldogs got their next two touchdowns on a long kick return followed by a long run making it a 41-14 game.

Southwest answered late in the third with another touchdown pass from Goss, this time finding Scott from 62 yards out, reducing the Gulf Coast lead down to 20 at 41-21.

After the Bulldogs scored a touchdown early in the fourth on a pass, the Bears immediately answered with a 92-yard kick return touchdown from Jackson.

With just under 7:00 to go in the contest, the Bulldogs scored their final touchdown on the night on a 30-yard run before the Bears scored their final during the ensuing drive when Goss connected with Jackson from 26 yards out, making the score the eventual final.

Goss led the Bear offense coming on in relief and completing 11-of-17 passes for 183 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Damarcco Blanton had a big night with 10 catches for 68 yards. Scott and Jackson had two touchdown catches each with the previous catching four balls for 104 yards and the prior recording seven for 81. Jackson also added 148 yards and a score three kick returns.

Defensively Jeffery Polk Jr. led the Bears with seven tackles and a pass breakup.

The Bears will be back on the road next week as they make the short drive north to Wesson to face Co-Lin Thursday at 6:30 p.m.