College coach calls out rival school for cancelled game (Featured)

The school website still features a banner ad denoting the game scheduled for Saturday.

The football schedule pull-down menu? It also reflects the scheduled game.

One problem? Kentucky State at Delta State is not happening.

Delta State, 7-3 on the season but a loser of its last two games by a total of 15 points, is seeking to finish strong and remain pertinent to the NCAA Division II Playoffs conversation.

"What I really want to do is get back out and play another game," said 13th-year Delta State head coach Todd Cooley, whose program has won 34 games in its last four seasons. "You got Kentucky State, who signed a contract to play us July 14th. They're supposed to be coming to Cleveland (Mississippi) this weekend to play us, and they're not. They're playing Shorter.

"They're telling us they've got an agreement to play the third-place team in Conference Carolinas. Well, Shorter is not the third-place team in Conference Carolinas. So, basically it's just a deal for them to play an extra game. We're two teams in Regional rankings and got a chance to clear some stuff up this weekend and finish it where it's supposed to be finished: on the field.

"And you got a team that's not wanting to play. So, it's baffling to me. It's setting a precedent that should be set. So ... I don't know. It's tough."

Kentucky State is 8-2 on the season, with a single loss to FCS program Grambling.

The Thorobreds already have amended their online schedule to reflect that they will, in fact, host Shorter College this weekend instead of making the 1,050-mile roundtrip jaunt south to Delta State.

Those NCAA rankings to which Cooley made reference? Well, the NCAA's Super Region Two rankings through Nov. 2 had Delta State No. 7 ... and Kentucky State at No. 6.

Shorter College is five games out of first place in Conference Carolinas ... and, at 1-5 in league play, 2-8 overall, three wins ... out of third place. 

"Our players are going to continue to work this week," Cooley said. "We know that we need some help right now to get into postseason, but we've got to play as if we'll get that help. We're going to continue to move ahead and I just believe in good people and somehow we're going to find a way to get into the Playoffs. I think we've earned the right.

"Our numbers are good. And we're excited. We're excited about an opportunity to go back and try to play better than we did last time."



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