An unexpected turn of events has the Blinn College football team vying for a Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) playoff spot in this week’s regular-season finale.
The Buccaneers visit Cisco College for a conference showdown at 3 p.m. Saturday in Cisco, Texas, with both teams needing a victory in their bid for the conference’s final playoff berth.
Blinn (3-4, 2-4 SWJCFC) initially saw its playoff hopes come to an end last week as its loss to Kilgore College combined with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College’s upset of No. 10 Trinity Valley Community College knocked the Bucs from contention.
Then, on Tuesday, conference officials announced Navarro College had committed a player eligibility violation and would be forced to forfeit four conference victories, including triumphs over Blinn and Cisco. The additional wins and Navarro’s subsequent fall from playoff contention left the fourth and final berth in the conference tournament up for grabs.
To earn their first playoff berth since 2021, the Bucs need to defeat the Wranglers and see both Northeastern Oklahoma defeat Kilgore and Navarro topple New Mexico Military Institute.
“All of this is unexpected, but you roll with it,” Blinn head coach Ryan Mahon said. “We’re fired up. We have new life and another opportunity to prove that we belong in the playoffs, and I think our guys are going to go out and play like they have something to prove.”
Blinn’s offense may be hitting its stride at the right time, as the Bucs were firing on all cylinders in a 45-40 setback to Kilgore on Nov. 1. Blinn piled up 422 yards of offense, including career days for freshman quarterback Jack Emerson and freshman running back Bryson Batts.
Emerson had his best collegiate performance with 285 yards and four touchdowns through the air, while Batts chewed up the Rangers to the tune of 140 yards on 21 touches (6.7 yards per carry) with a pair of touchdowns. Freshman wide receiver Tyler Harrington also had a breakout performance with three touchdown receptions.
“We feel like things are really starting to gel and having the opportunity to put more of the pieces together and roll into the playoffs playing like we are is exciting,” Emerson said. “Our energy right now is high. The guys are excited, and I have all of the confidence in the world that we’re going to get the job done Saturday.”
Fans unable to attend this week’s game can catch the action live on www.buccaneersports.com by clicking on the “Live Streams” button under the “Inside Athletics” tab.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 53 national championships since 1987.
