No. 5 Canyons Set to Kickoff vs. No. 6 Mt. SAC in Western State Bowl

After narrowly missing out on a trip to the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) state playoffs College of the Canyons will host Mt. San Antonio College in the 2017 Western State Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at Cougar Stadium.

General admission tickets are $12. Students/staff from both schools, seniors over age 60 and children under 12 are $8.

Saturday's bowl game will also be live streamed to fans through a broadcast partnership with SoCalCollegeSports.com, with longtime Cougar football play-by-play man Joe Soriano on the call. That broadcast can be found here.

No. 5 Canyons (8-2, 4-1) finished the regular season second in the Southern California Football Association (SCFA) National Division, Northern League behind conference champion Ventura College (8-2, 5-0).

The Cougars won six of their final seven games, including four straight to close the regular season. COC averaged nearly 39 points and 500 yards of total offense per game, scoring more than 40 points in six contests. Canyons also limited opponents to an average of 26 points and 363 yards of offense.

COC posted a 4-1 record at Cougar Stadium with its lone loss coming vs. No. 1 Fullerton College.

No. 6 Mt. SAC (8-2, 4-1) was a tri-champion of the SCFA National Division, Central League, sharing the title with Riverside City College (9-1, 4-1) and Long Beach City College (7-3, 4-1). The Mounties averaged 38.5 points and 467 yards of total offense, while also ending the regular season with four straight victories. Mt. SAC held opponents to 21.6 points per game, ceding just 276 yards each outing.

The Mounties were 3-2 on the road, suffering losses at Fullerton and Long Beach City College.

Canyons and Mt. SAC also squared off in the 2016 postseason, with the Mounties winning 27-3 in the Golden State Bowl at Covina District Field.

The 2017 Western State Bowl represents the fifth time the Cougars and Mounties have met since the 2010 season. Canyons lastb defeated Mt. SAC in week one of the 2015 campaign with an impressive 30-6 road win against the defending state champs. However, the Mounties own a 4-1 record vs. COC during that span.

The Cougars are also returning to the Western State Bowl for the first time since the 2009 season. Prior to that, Canyons played in the Western State Bowl during the 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008 seasons.

Mt. SAC is playing in a bowl game for the 12th consecutive season.

The top four ranked teams in each region earned spots in the CCCAA state playoffs.

No. 1 Fullerton College (Southern League champion), No. 2 Riverside City College (Central League champion), No. 3 Ventura College (Northern League champion), and No. 4 Saddleback College (at-large selection) will represent the southern region in the CCCAA state playoffs.

Likewise, No. 1 American River College (NorCal League Champion), No. 2 College of San Mateo (Bay 6 Champion), No. 3 College of the Siskiyous (at-large selection) and No. 4 Laney College (Valley League champions) will represent the northern region as determined by the Northern California Football Association (NCFA). 

Each of the league champions in both regions received an automatic berth to the state playoffs, while Saddleback and Siskiyous were both at-large selections.

The SCFA and NCFA will each sponsor five non-playoff bowl games, including the matchup between Canyons and Mt. SAC. A full lineup of postseason matchups can be found here.

Higher seeded team will then host a regional final game on Nov. 25. The CCCAA State Championship game is slated for Dec. 9 at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento.

Stay up-to-date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

— Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information

— Photo by Tim Strong/COC Sports Information