JACKSON – Millsaps
racked up 493 yards of total offense and scored on all four of
its red zone possessions and for the first time since 2004 the
Backyard Brawl trophy is safely back in
Jackson after a 42-6
win over archrival and 25th-ranked Mississippi College.
In
front of 4,178 fans at Harper Davis Field, the
Majors won their eighth home game in nine tries and erased any
thought
of
a fourth
quarter comeback from the Choctaws with a strong second half
showing.
MC
(0-1) looked to make a statement early, forcing a Millsaps three-and-out
and driving 49 yards in 10 plays on its opening drive of the
game before having to
settle
for a 32-yard Kyle Kruse field goal.
After
three-straight incompletions from QB Juan
Joseph on the Majors' first possession, the senior from Edgard, La.,
found his comfort zone and hit his next 16 receivers that turned
a 3-0 deficit into a 28-3 lead. Joseph
hooked up with fellow senior Donnie
Epps from 6-yards out for
the Majors first score,
followed by another strike to Epps from 63-yards out and a
22-yard toss to Eric McCarty. Schuyler
Huff capped the first
half scoring with a 1-yard TD rush to complete a 10-play, 95-yard
drive that spanned 4:16.
Another
Kruse field goal midway through the third quarter on a 9-play,
75-yard drive brought the Choctaws to within 28-6 and shed some
light for the visitors, but Millsaps answered on its next two
drives off sophomore Chris Skinner's first career touchdown from
1-yard out and a 52-yard scamper from senior Burt
Pereira to
turn the lights out on MC, 42-6.
Joseph,
the All-American hopeful, finished the night 21-of-30 for 266
yards and three TDs and also
rushed for 31 yards while his companion on the opposite sideline,
Adam Shaffer, finshed 26-of-53 for 208 yards. Raymece
Savage led Millsaps' corps of receivers with
five catches and Epps led the way with 92 yards and two scores,
whereas Renard Ellis was
MC's leading receiver with five catches for 62 yards.
On
defense, senior Michael Sims had a team-high seven stops (five
solo) for Millsaps, followed by six apiece from Lee
Klein and
Will Hawkins. The Chocs were led by Ryne Davison with
eight tackles and Dale Meitzler with seven tackles (3.5 tackles-for-loss).
Millsaps
will make the short trip across North State Street next weekend,
facing off with NAIA-foe Belhaven College. Kickoff at H.T. Newell
Field is set for 7 p.m. and can be watched live on atwsportscast.com
courtesy of the Millsaps College sports information department.
Game
Notes:
Millsaps' McCarty moved into 4th all-time on the career receptions
list (105)
Millsaps scored 40+ points for the third-straight game dating
back to last year
MS College did not convert a 4th down on the night (0-for-4)
