GOODMAN – No. 7 Jones College piled up 535 yards against No. 11 Holmes here Thursday night at Ras Branch Stadium, but five Bobcat turnovers led directly to five touchdowns as the Bulldogs posted a 35-22 victory.
 
The Bulldogs remain unbeaten at 5-0, while Jones falls to 3-2.
 
Statistically, the Bobcats dominated.
 
Jones ran 101 plays from scrimmage, had 30 first downs and held the ball for 42:25. Holmes had only nine first downs (two in the second half), had 47 plays from scrimmage and possessed the ball for 17:35.
 
Four of Holmes' five touchdown drives totaled only 40 yards. Jones was 3-for-7 in the red zone.
 
Things started off badly for Jones when the Bulldogs blocked a Bobcat punt on JC's first possession.
 
Holmes took over at the Jones 26-yard line, but could not convert when Andrew Merrell missed a 25-yard field goal.
 
On the Bobcats' next possession, quarterback Blake Murphy (Plantation, Fla.) fumbled and Bishop Riley recovered at the Jones 10.
 
Two plays later, Holmes quarterback Chance Richardson threw a 10-yard scoring pass to Malcolm Boykin. Dan Lindsay's extra point put the Bulldogs up 7-0 with 7:26 showing in the opening quarter.
 
On the next Jones possession, Murphy's pass was deflected and Kabron Purifoy came up with an interception at the Bobcat 6-yard line.
 
Two plays later, Richardson scored on a 6-yard run to make it 14-0 in the first quarter.
 
But the Bobcats responded on their next drive, driving 75 yards in nine plays. Cobey Craft (Taylorsville) scored on a 10-yard run and Christian Baglione's (Northwest Rankin) extra point made it 14-7 with 2:12 left in the first quarter.
 
Early in the second quarter, the Bobcats moved from their own 37 to the Bulldog 26 where the drive stalled. Baglione's 43-yard field goal attempt was good, but Jones was called for a false start. Baglione then tried the field goal from 48 yards, but this time it was no good.
 
But on JC's next possession, the Bobcats went 80 yards in seven plays. Murphy connected with Isaiah Roberts (Miami, Fla.) for a 47-yard touchdown pass and Baglione's extra point tied it at 14-14 with 6:09 remaining in the first half. 
 
The Bobcats would then force a fumble on the next series and Detrick Munford (Amanda Elzy) recovered at the Holmes 30.
 
But two plays later, E.J. Segrest came up with a pass interception and returned it 53 yards to the Bobcat 19.
 
After a Holmes holding penalty, Richardson tossed a 29-yard touchdown pass to K.J. Miller and Lindsay's PAT gave the Bulldogs a 21-14 lead with 6:09 left in the first half.
 
On Jones' next series, Craft got loose for a 23-yard run to the Bulldog 22. But Octavious Pernell forced a fumble and recovered the ball.
 
Three plays later, Deandre Pulley scored on a 44-yard run and Lindsay's extra point made it 28-14 with 3:53 to play in the first half.
 
The Bobcats responded with a 63-yard, nine-play drive. Baglione's 30-yard field goal brought Jones to within 28-17 with 1:07 left in the first half.
 
Jones got the ball to start the second half, but quickly turned it over.
 
Murphy's pass was picked off by Christavious Saviour at the Bobcat 29. He returned it 24 yards to the 5-yard line and on the next play, Rayshawn Hardy ran it in for a touchdown. Lindsay's extra point put Holmes up 35-17 with 14:01 left in the third quarter.
 
The Bobcats would then march 65 yards in 11 plays. The drive stalled at Holmes' 8-yard line and Baglione booted a 25-yard field goal to make it 35-20 with 8:25 left in the third quarter.
 
Jones forced another three-and-out and took over on its own 26. The Bobcats moved to a first and 10 at the Bulldog 14, but an offensive pass interference penalty would push them back to the 30 where they would face a fourth and 26. Murphy completed a pass to Josh White (Jackson Prep) for 23 yards, but Jones would turn the ball over on downs.
 
But on the very next play, Richardson was sacked in the end zone by Mason Jenkins (West Jones) for a safety to make it 35-22 with 44 seconds to play in the third quarter.
 
After the Holmes free kick, the Bobcats were in business at midfield. Jones moved to the Holmes 19, but would turn the ball over on downs at the Bulldog 11.
 
On JC's next possession, they drove from the Bulldog 48 to a first-and-goal at the 7-yard line. But after a false start, sack, 3-yard run and two incomplete passes, Jones turned the ball over on downs at the 12.
 
The Bulldogs then picked up their only two first downs of the second half before punting the ball away with only 1:05 left in the fourth quarter.
 
Jones drove from its own 32 to Holmes' 15 when time expired.
 
Murphy completed 29-of-56 passes for a career-high 369 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He also rushed for 22 yards. Craft rushed 16 times for 87 yards and a touchdown and Gerald Modest Jr. (Miami, Fla.) carried 15 times for 52 yards.
 
Harrison Knight (Foley, Ala.) had eight receptions for 102 yards and Marlon Lindsey Jr. (West Jones) had seven catches for 69 yards. Ten different Bobcats had pass receptions.
 
Chance Barron (Mendenhall) led the Bobcats with seven tackles and Jonathan Wiltz (Columbia) had six. Jeremiah Tatum (Columbia) had two TFLs, a sack and a forced fumble. Jenkins had one TFL and a sack.
 
Both teams will have an open date week.
 
The Bobcats resume MACCC South Division play at Hinds on Oct. 10. Holmes entertains Mississippi Delta on that same evening.