Itawamba beats Hinds in season opener, 28-27
Raymond, Miss. — Itawamba Community College opened the 2026 football season with a 28-27 victory over Hinds Community College at Gene Murphy Field at Joe Renfroe Stadium Thursday night.
The Eagles took an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jaylon Ruffin to Kiandre Terry. Itawamba responded with a 70-yard touchdown pass from Wyatt Bond to Carlos Benjamin Jr., and Benjamin added an 80-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter to give the Indians a 12-7 lead.
Hinds regained the lead just before halftime as Ruffin connected with DJ Miller for a 14-yard touchdown, sending the Eagles into the break ahead 14-12.
The Eagles extended their lead in the third quarter, with Ruffin finding Terry for a 36-yard touchdown. Itawamba answered with a 73-yard rushing touchdown, but Ruffin responded with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Kelton Young to put Hinds ahead 27-19. The Indians trimmed the deficit early in the fourth quarter with a safety, then took the lead with a 2-yard touchdown run with 9:47 remaining.
Hinds had late opportunities but couldn’t capitalize. The Eagles drove into Indian territory on their final possession but turned the ball over on downs with just over a minute remaining.
Ruffin completed 28 of 46 passes for 340 yards and four touchdowns, connecting with six different receivers. De’traun Brown led with six receptions for 77 yards, while Terry caught four passes for 59 yards and two touchdowns. Miller finished with five receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown, and Young added four catches for 65 yards and a score.
On the ground, Young led with two carries for 28 yards. Makari Bodiford added 22 yards on 11 carries, and Ruffin rushed four times for four yards. Defensively, Hayes Dickens led Hinds with six tackles. Jaden Stingley recorded a sack for a loss of 13 yards, and Jermiah Campbell intercepted a pass.
The Eagles totaled 398 yards, including 340 passing yards, and held the ball for 29 minutes, 21 seconds. Itawamba finished with 471 yards, including 333 rushing yards. Benjamin led the Indians with 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Hinds falls to 0-1 on the season, while Itawamba improves to 1-0. The Eagles will next face East Mississippi Community College on September 4 in Scooba, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
For updates on Hinds Athletics, follow @HindsAthletics on Twitter and Instagram, and like the team on Facebook.
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