# Delta State–Mississippi College football rivalry

The Delta State–Mississippi College football rivalry, commonly known as the Heritage Bell Classic, was a college football rivalry game between a public university and a private Christian college in the U.S. state of Mississippi, the Delta State University Statesmen and the Mississippi College Choctaws. The current winner is Delta State, who won 20–14 on November 16, 2024. Delta State leads the all-time series, 26–16–2.

## History
### Background: 1935–1994

The Delta State Statesmen were co-founding members of the Gulf South Conference in 1970. Mississippi College joined the conference in 1972 and played 23 straight games with the Statesmen before the Choctaws left the conference in 1996 which halted the series. The Choctaws left the conference and NCAA Division II to compete at the NCAA Division III level until 2014, when they rejoined the conference and continued the series with Delta State.
The annual battle between Delta State and Mississippi College was one of the most anticipated contests in the Magnolia State from 1973 to 1995.

## Game results

| Delta State victories | Mississippi College victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 1 | October 26, 1935 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 33–0 |
| 2 | October 31, 1936 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 20–0 |
| 3 | October 18, 1941 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 17–6 |
| 4 | 1947 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 19–0 |
| 5 | October 9, 1948 | Cleveland | Delta State | 7–6 |
| 6 | October 30, 1954 | Clinton | Delta State | 25–0 |
| 7 | October 29, 1955 | Cleveland | Delta State | 41–0 |
| 8 | September 22, 1956 | Clinton | Delta State | 25–0 |
| 9 | September 21, 1957 | Cleveland | Delta State | 19–7 |
| 10 | October 18, 1969 | Jackson | Delta State | 33–7 |
| 11 | October 17, 1970 | Jackson | Tie | 30–30 |
| 12 | September 29, 1973 | Cleveland | Delta State | 17–16 |
| 13 | September 21, 1974 | Clinton | Delta State | 13–3 |
| 14 | October 11, 1975 | Cleveland | Delta State | 24–0 |
| 15 | October 9, 1976 | Clinton | Delta State | 7–3 |
| 16 | October 8, 1977 | Cleveland | Delta State | 24–13 |
| 17 | October 7, 1978 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 27–0 |
| 18 | October 6, 1979 | Cleveland | Mississippi College | 27–19 |
| 19 | October 11, 1980 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 10–7 |
| 20 | November 7, 1981 | Cleveland | Mississippi College | 38–21 |
| 21 | November 6, 1982 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 27–6 |
| 22 | November 19, 1983 | Cleveland | Delta State | 31–21 |
| 23 | November 17, 1984 | Clinton | Delta State | 30–21 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 24 | November 23, 1985 | Cleveland | Tie | 14–14 |
| 25 | November 22, 1986 | Clinton | Delta State | 21–10 |
| 26 | November 21, 1987 | Cleveland | Mississippi College | 13–7 |
| 27 | November 12, 1988 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 7–3 |
| 28 | November 11, 1989 | Cleveland | Delta State | 17–7 |
| 29 | November 10, 1990 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 35–17 |
| 30 | November 16, 1991 | Cleveland | Mississippi College | 27–10 |
| 31 | November 14, 1992 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 34–23 |
| 32 | November 13, 1993 | Cleveland | Mississippi College | 13–7 |
| 33 | November 12, 1994 | Clinton | Delta State | 14–0 |
| 34 | November 11, 1995 | Cleveland | Delta State | 14–0 |
| 35 | November 15, 2014 | Cleveland | Delta State | 27–3 |
| 36 | November 14, 2015 | Clinton | Delta State | 37–29 |
| 37 | September 29, 2016 | Cleveland | Delta State | 61–31 |
| 38 | September 30, 2017 | Clinton | Delta State | 30–17 |
| 39 | November 10, 2018 | Cleveland | Delta State | 28–21 |
| 40 | November 16, 2019 | Clinton | Mississippi College | 37–13 |
| 41 | November 6, 2021 | Cleveland | Delta State | 24–21 |
| 42 | October 29, 2022 | Clinton | Delta State | 52–38 |
| 43 | November 11, 2023 | Cleveland | Delta State | 41–3 |
| 44 | November 16, 2024 | Clinton | Delta State | 20–14 |
| Series: Delta State leads 26–16–2 |||||