Eli Wilson tweeted out a pair of laughing emojis when the Division II-A Mr. Football finalists were announced on November 21.
Despite a regular season where he more than proved that he deserved to be on that final list of three, Wilson was somehow left off.
In the end it was Wilson who got the last laugh leading Middle Tennessee Christian to its first state championship in a 28-13 win over Friendship Christian. Racking up 190 yards on the ground, an interception and scoring two total touchdowns, Wilson was also named the game’s MVP.
“I’d take take winning this over Mr. Football any day,” Wilson said. “Everyone here is happy and our whole school is happy. That’s just an individual award so this is way better.”
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It only seemed fitting that Wilson got things going for the Cougars and also capped the win off for them.
Wilson broke off a long run midway through the first that got MTCS within striking distance. Facing a fourth and long from the Friendship 24, Yates Geren fired a shot over the middle that Brooks Jones hauled in on a dive for the game’s first touchdown.
“That’s definitely the best play I’ve ever made,” Jones said. “I saw Yates throw a good ball and knew if I just dove and put my hands under it that I could get it. It fell in there and all I could think was how unbelievable it was. By far the best play I’ve ever made.”
After Friendship made it a one-point play on their next drive, Wilson broke off a 50-yard touchdown run. That was a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
MTCS made it a 15-point in the third quarter on a drive that took eight minutes off the clock. Then Wilson struck again to put the game on ice.
With just under six minutes remaining, Wolcott took a hand off and battled his way through the line. Jaxon Highfill seemingly came out of nowhere and forced Wolcott to uncharacteristically fumble the ball away. Like fate, it bounced into Wilson’s waiting arms who took it in for six.
From there, the celebration was on.
“This is special,” MTCS coach Christian Peterson said. “It’s special for this place to win the first in school history. It’s special for these kids who have busted their tails all year. I’m just so excited to see them rewarded.”