Hinds Rallies Late to Upset No. 5 Gulf Coast in 49-42 Thriller
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College suffered a heartbreaking loss Thursday night, falling to Hinds 49-42 after letting a 21-point lead slip away in a wild Week Nine matchup.
The No. 5 Bulldogs entered the contest looking to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season against East Central last week. Instead, Gulf Coast watched Hinds mount a second-half comeback to pull off the upset with just 39 seconds remaining.
The Eagles struck first, with quarterback Jaylon Ruffin connecting with DJ Miller near the goal line before Miller finished the drive with a touchdown. Ruffin later found De-Traun Brown downfield for another big play, and Hinds took a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.
Gulf Coast responded with a highlight-reel play of its own. Quarterback Josh Flowers connected with Royale Shelvy, who hauled in a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch to put the Bulldogs on the board.
The momentum quickly shifted in Gulf Coast’s favor. The Bulldogs forced a Hinds fumble, with Tyler Jenkins recovering the loose ball to give his team possession. Flowers capitalized on the opportunity, finding Michael Moore in stride for a touchdown that tied the game at 14 with four minutes remaining in the first half.
Gulf Coast’s defense came up with another key takeaway shortly afterward, recovering a fumble by Ruffin to give the Bulldogs excellent field position.
The Bulldogs turned that opportunity into points when Flowers handed the ball to Elijah Jones-Crosby, who powered his way into the end zone to give Gulf Coast a 21-14 lead at halftime.
Gulf Coast continued to build its advantage after the break, stretching the lead to 35-14 in the third quarter. However, Hinds refused to go away, steadily chipping away at the deficit before eventually tying the game at 42.
The Eagles completed the comeback in the closing seconds, scoring with just 39 seconds left to secure the 49-42 victory.
The loss ends Gulf Coast’s hopes of advancing to the playoffs this season. The Bulldogs will look to close out their 2026 campaign on a high note next Thursday night in Poplarville when they face rival Pearl River Community College.
