Middle Georgia State Club Football Team Ready to Defend National Championship

COCHRAN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Macon State Blue Storm is now known as the Middle Georgia State Knights!

Macon State merged with Middle Georgia College over the offseason.  Now, the team’s based in Cochran.

“At first, we weren’t too thrilled,” Dustan Jump says.  Jump is entering his second season as head coach. “But then again, it was a blessing in disguise.  We feel a part of the community.  We have better resources.  We’re able to keep everybody here on campus.  Last year, we didn’t have everything set up that way.”

“Last year, we faced a lot of ups and downs,” Dee Lundy says.  Lundy, a linebacker, played at Rutland High School in Macon.  For Macon State, he was an All-American in 2012.  “We didn’t have a lot of help.  We didn’t have a lot of money, so we had little resources.  This year, it’s a little better.  We have a lot more everything.  A lot more players and a few more dedicated people.”

They’ll have a new mascot and color scheme, too.

“I think it’s a little bit more manlier,” Lundy says.

Just like last year’s team, which went all the way to the national championship game and won, Jump says this year’s team features a whole lot of middle Georgia talent.

“Ricardo Lyons was a really good runningback from Mary Persons High School,” Jump says.  “Miguel Williams was a standout slot receiver/runningback from Northside High School.”

On top of the local talent, seven players return from last year’s team.

“The campus is live with football,” Ricardo Lyons says.  “I think we’ll have a good season this year.”

The Knights take on OC Tech in Orangeburg, South Carolina Saturday at 1 p.m.  You can watch the game here: http://www.ihigh.com/mgsknights/section_1.html.