Justin Crawford had 33 carries for 269 yards, helping No. 8 Northwest Mississippi Community College stay unbeaten with a 31-24 win over Itawamba CC Thursday in Fulton.

NWCC quarterback Gardner Minshew went 19 of 32 for 315 yards and two scores, including a 75-yard strike to Ryan Golden on the game’s first play to give the Rangers (4-0, 2-0 MACJC North Division) a quick lead. Crawford, a second-team NJCAA All-American selection a season ago, ran for one touchdown and is just 66 yards away from becoming the school’s all-time leading rusher.

ICC (2-2, 1-1) went up 14-10 on Dontavis Bruce’s 21-yard touchdown run with 3:40 left in the second quarter, but the Rangers answered with Crawford’s lone score, a 7-yard run with 1:15 remaining before halftime, to grab a lead they never again relinquished.

Late winner
NWCC rolled up 593 yards of offense as the Rangers matched their win total from a season ago. Marquisian Chapman, who finished with five catches for 59 yards, was on the receiving end of Minshew’s other scoring toss while Jacob McCrary had 83 receiving yards on five receptions.

But the Indians battled back to knot the score at 24 with 11:54 remaining in the game before Max Joseph scored the game-winner on a 6-yard touchdown run with 3:34 left.

The Rangers return to Bobby Franklin Field this Thursday to take on Hinds CC. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.