When LSU traveled up to Starkville and took on Mississippi State Saturday afternoon, it was more than a battle between two SEC Western Division rivals.

It was also a battle of former Natchez athletes.

Former Trinity standout Stevan Ridley was on the winning end as his LSU Tigers barely hung on to defeat former Cathedral standout Andrew Ellard’s Mississippi State Bulldogs on a goal line stand in the final two minutes.

Ridley is listed as a running back on the LSU roster while Ellard is listed as a wide receiver. However, their biggest contribution to their teams is their play on special teams.

Both Ridley, a redshirt sophomore, and Ellard, a senior, played in all of their team’s games last season and have played this year on special teams.

While Ridley and Ellard are Natchez natives playing at the highest level of college football, they aren’t the only Miss-Lou natives to make the next level.

Ole Miss also has a local connection with former Franklin County standout Marcus Tillman, who hails from McCall Creek.

Tillman is entering his four season as a starter on the defensive line. He has been a stalwart for the Rebel defense, which helped lead Ole Miss to a 9-4 season and a Cotton Bowl victory last season.

But not all of Natchez’s athletes make it to the SEC. There are plenty that are scattered throughout colleges around the Southeast.

Former Cathedral standout Braxton Fondren is at Mississippi College while his former teammate JEB White is at Millsaps and another former teammate Josh Gamberi plays at Belhaven.

Trinity Episcopal also has former players making their mark at the college level in addition to Ridley. Former receiver Wells Middleton is a Division II power Delta State while former standout lineman Larry Calcote is playing for Northwestern State.

Former Natchez High School standouts are also playing major college football.

Former wide receiver Jason Bruce is now playing for Troy after spending two years at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, while Rico Richardson is now playing receiver and returning punts for the Jackson State Tigers.

But Miss-Lou athletes playing college sports is nothing new. There have been plenty of former athletes who have made their mark on the college, and even professional ranks.

Just look at former local stars Hugh Green, Allen Brown, Perry Lee Dunn and Michael Richardson.

Each of them helped put Natchez on the map with their outstanding play on the college and professional levels.

Those players helped light the way for current standouts from the Miss-Lou.

So when you sit down to watch a college football game next Saturday and see the scores scroll across the bottom of the screen, think about all the Miss-Lou flavor that is on those teams and be proud of the guys who are helping to put Natchez on the map.

Jeff Edwards is the sports editor for The Democrat. He can be reached at sports@natchezdemocrat.com.