Kylan Bobo's 3 TDs lift Tupelo over Brandon in MHSAA football championship rematch
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BRANDON — Through the first half of Tupelo’s game against Brandon on Aug. 29, the Golden Wave looked nothing like the team that won the 2024 MHSAA 7A state championship last December. They were down 7-2 and had lost two fumbles.
Late in the third quarter, the Tupelo finally found an offensive spark, but it wasn’t reigning Mississippi Mr. Football Jaeden Hill. Instead, it was running back Kylan Bobo. On the heels of a muffed punt return by the Bulldogs, Bobo took the handoff and found his way into the end zone with 4:48 left in the third quarter for his first of three touchdowns to help Tupelo beat Brandon 36-15.
“That’s what happens when you work your tail off all offseason,” Tupelo coach Ty Hardin said. “… You’re talking about a determined kid that want to be great, and he’s seeing the fruits of his labor.”
Bobo finished with 198 rushing yards on 19 attempts, in addition to his three touchdowns.
His most impressive score of the night was also the one that sucked the air out of the Bulldogs’ home stadium.
With 9:44 left to play in the game and the Golden Wave up by 22, Bobo navigated his way to the outside edge, found a gap and accelerated into the open field for a 78-yard touchdown rush.
Bobo’s explosive runs weren’t the only thing that helped turn the tide for Tupelo. Less than a minute after Bobo’s second touchdown run at the 2:43 mark in the third, Brandon quarterback Sladen Shack threw a pass while trying to avoid taking a sack. The ball floated in the air before landing in the arms of Tupelo’s Tyson Hunter, who returned the interception for a touchdown.
On Brandon’s next offensive drive, Shack threw another interception returned for a TD, this time to Trace Wilson. In just 4:30 of game time, Tupelo went from trailing 7-2 to leading 29-7.
“Second half, when they turned the ball over, we took advantage of it,” Hardin said. “… Third quarter, momentum jumped in there and it just kind of stayed on our side.”
Tupelo’s win was even more impressive considering the unusual role Hill played. Due to injuries, the star running back stepped in at quarterback.
He totaled just one completion for six yards and 49 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Although it was a stark contrast from his usual output, Hill’s involvement created opportunities for Bobo.
“His performance was very great because at the end of the day, they were trying to stop him because of what he did last year in the Class 7A state championship, so he did his part,” Bobo said.
Getting the win was important for Tupelo beyond simply starting the season off on the right note. The game served as a rematch of the 2024 7A MHSAA state championship, in which Tupelo beat Brandon 28-16.
Bobo didn’t have any impact on that game but understood the importance of defending Tupelo’s title in the 2025 season opener all the same.
“It feels great having a statement game the first game of the year cause this is a rematch from the state championship, and it’s a great way to respond to the talk,” Bobo said. “At the end of the week, our goal is to be 1-0 and we got the job done.”
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@gannett.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MHSAA football: Tupelo beats Brandon in 7A championship rematch
