Delta State, Mississippi Valley State set for Delta Classic in Itta Bena

Delta State University will play Mississippi Valley State University in the Delta Classic on Saturday in Itta Bena. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Central at Rice-Totten Stadium at Chuck Prophet Field on the Mississippi Valley State campus.

Delta State enters the game 0-3 and is seeking its first victory of the season. The Statesmen lost 59-10 at Central Missouri last week after the Mules totaled 674 yards, including 460 passing. Jekerious Williams returned a kickoff 90 yards for Delta State's touchdown, and Price Nixon kicked a 44-yard field goal. Rickie Davis Jr. led the Statesmen with 17 tackles, while Tavian Moore had 15.

Mississippi Valley State is coming off its first victory of the 2026 season, a 31-20 win over Lincoln University of Pennsylvania at Soldier Field in Chicago. Josh Brown completed 14 of 21 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns and added 46 rushing yards. Dayvian Bluitt had four receptions for 143 yards and a touchdown and finished with 259 all-purpose yards.

Delta State has won six of the seven meetings with Mississippi Valley State in the Delta Classic and has a four-game winning streak in the series. The Statesmen won the most recent matchup, 35-7, in 2023, after defeating the Delta Devils 28-17 in 2022. Delta State holds a 3-1 record in its four previous trips to Itta Bena.

The game will be David Dean's first season as Delta State's head coach. Dean was hired as the program's 20th head coach on Feb. 6, 2026, and Saturday will be his 178th game as a head coach. Terrell Buckley became Mississippi Valley State's head coach on Jan. 21, 2025.

The game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Radio Network, with Michael Gross providing play-by-play on Magic 107.5 WMJW.

Source: Delta State Athletics.