SENATOBIA – In a much-anticipated rematch between the nation's top-ranked teams, the visiting East Mississippi Lions took advantage of four Ranger turnovers and sacked Northwest 11 times to pull away for a 34-6 win Thursday night at Bobby Franklin Field.

Northwest dropped its first game of the season to fall to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the division while East Mississippi stayed unbeaten at 6-0 and 3-0 in the north.

The first NJCAA No. 1 vs No. 2 regular season meeting since 2011 could've gotten out of hand early, but the Ranger defense and special teams play kept it a two-score game at the half.

EMCC took its second possession 61 yards in just 1:08, capped off by Deon McIntosh's 3-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 Lions. 

Minutes later, the lead was quickly 13-0 as Jacob Anderson blocked a Ranger punt at the 21-yard line that was recovered in the end zone by Braden Boykin.

After the first four Northwest drives resulted in punts, it was Braden Smith's 46-yard punt return for a score that gave the home team some life. It marked the Rangers' first punt return for a score in four years.

A one-score game into the second quarter, EMCC got a big break when a Josh Smith punt deep in Ranger territory hit the back of a Northwest player and was recovered by the Lions at the 24-yard line. Three plays later, McIntosh scored from 9-yards out to extend the EMCC lead to 20-6.

Northwest didn't cross midfield the rest of the quarter and went into the break down a couple scores.

EMCC outgained Northwest 156-18 in the opening half and sacked Jacob Free eight times.

The offensive woes continued in the second half, with Northwest having to punt for a ninth time on its opening drive.

The Lions took their first possession of the half quickly down the field, scoring in five plays to make it a 27-6 Ranger deficit. Messiah deWeaver was 3-for-3 on the drive, hitting Dontario Drummond back-to-back from 35 and 15 yards.

Trailing by three touchdowns in the fourth, a promising Ranger drive down to the EMCC 28-yard line was halted by a Free interception that JaQuez Akins returned 79 yards for a score to make it 34-6.

EMCC held Northwest to a season-low 98 yards and nine first downs. Free was 13-of-34 for 111 yards and an interception and the Rangers were limited to minus-20 yards rushing.

DeWeaver was 20-for-30 for 169 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions for EMCC, picked off twice by Brandin Echols. Drummond had a team-high nine catches for 115 yards and a score. 

Jerrick Reed II had a game and career-high 19 tackles for Northwest, fourth-most in single-game school history, with Robert Miller adding 10 tackles.

Northwest will travel to winless Coahoma next Thursday. Live video and stats available through nwccrangers.com.