Starkville, Taylorsville the teams to beat.
The fourth week of the high school football season kicks off with six more states ready to get their seasons underway. Mississippi is among those with teams set to take the field as early as Thursday. As things stand, the postseason is set to begin Nov. 13 with championship games scheduled for Dec. 4-5.
Mississippi is one of 34 states planning to play football this fall. Sixteen others plus the District of Columbia have moved their respective seasons to 2021.
In Mississippi, a total of 146 games are set to kick off Thursday through Saturday.
In advance of season openers, here's a look at what you need to know about Mississippi football in 2020.
Top games
Neshoba Central (Philadelphia) at
Tupelo, Sept. 4
South Panola (Batesville) at
Starkville, Sept. 25
South Panola at Neshoba Central, Oct. 16
Laurel at
West Jones (Laurel), Oct. 16
Laurel at Starkville, Oct. 23
Top teams
1. Starkville
2.
Taylorsville3. South Panola
4.
Picayune5.
Greenwood Defending champions
6A:
Oxford5A:
West Point4A:
Corinth3A:
Jefferson Davis County (Bassfield)2A: Taylorsville
1A:
Nanih Waiya (Louisville)MAIS 6A:
Madison-Ridgeland Academy (Madison)MAIS 5A:
Adams County Christian (Natchez)MAIS 4A:
Riverfield Academy (Rayville, La.)MAIS 3A:
St. Joseph (Greenville)MAIS 8-Man 1A:
Briarfield Academy (Lake Providence, La.)Top recruits
National ranking per 247Sports in parenthesis1.
Deion Smith, WR,
Provine (Jackson), (88)
2.
Isaiah Brevard, WR,
Southaven, (144)
3.
Luke Altmyer, QB, Starkville, (198)
4.
Antonio Harmon, WR,
Kosciusko, (277)
5.
Kadarius Calloway, ATH,
Philadelphia, (369)
Returning stat leaders
Passing
Ty Keyes, Taylorsville | 213-309 (69%), 3,721 yds., 41 TD
Khi Holiday,
Tupelo Christian Prep (Belden) | 171-304 (56%), 3,261 yds., 38 TD
Rushing
K.D. Carter,
Noxapater | 211 car., 2,125 yds., 32 TD
Jarquez Hunter, Neshoba Central | 213 car., 2,088 yds., 29 TD
Receiving
Noah Foster, Tupelo Christian Prep | 55 rec., 1,491 yds., 19 TD
Jordan Harvey,
Velma Jackson (Camden) | 63 rec., 1,170 yds., 18 TD
