JACKSON – Millsaps
racked up a season-high 590 total yards of offense (456 in the
first half) and 30 first downs and held the visitors from DePauw
to a season-low 269 total yards and 11 first downs as they won
their seventh-straight game, 55-13,
to improve to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in SCAC
play.
The
loss for DePauw was its worst in 12 years, falling to Albion
51-9 in 1996.
Millsaps
scored on five of its first eight drives to jump out to
a commanding 35-7 halftime lead, using 456 yards of total offense.
Highly unusual for the Majors' offense, Millsaps scored its
first three TDs on the ground thanks to a 1-yard run from senior
RB
Nick Namias and two rushing
TDs from QB Juan Joseph from 7-yards out and a career-high
46 yards out.
DePauw's
lone score of the first half came early in the second when QB
Spud Dick avoided two Millsaps defenders hungry for a sack and
heaved a ball 67-yards to Alex Koors who found a break in the
coverage.
A
scary moment for Millsaps just before the half was when Joseph
was rolled over by a DePauw lineman and sat
the remainder of the half. Senior QB/WR Burt
Pereira filled in
for
the injured
Joseph and completed 3-of-4 passes, including a 7-yard TD toss
to junior Tye Menist, for his first passing TD of the year. The
TD catch for Menist marked his first of the season, while Pereira
has now rushed, received and thrown for a score in 2008.
Out
of intermission, Joseph returned to the Majors' lineup with the
game already wrapped up and led the home team to
one more score in the third quarter when he connected with
Eric
McCarty from 19-yards out.
Pereira's
second passing TD of the game came just seconds into the fourth
quarter, hooking up with fellow senior Raymece
Savage from 5-yards
away for a 48-7 cushion. The score was set up off a 19-yard interception
return down to the 1-yard line by senior Cap
White.
Less
than two minutes after Savage's TD reception, on DePauw's next
series from scrimmage, junior Miles
Sager delivered a huge blow
to Dick that made the QB fumble and Mason
Burrell scooped and
scored from 20-yards out for his first collegiate touchdown.
The
Tigers would add a late score on their best drive of the day,
covering 84-yards in 12-plays, capped off by sophomore Mitchell
Willsey's 1-yard rush. A relentless Willsey
scored after three consecutive rushes from inside the 7-yard
line just as time expired. DePauw did not attempt
the point after.
Offensively,
Joseph was 33-of-43 for 345 yards and two TDs passing while also
picking up two scores on the ground. Savage led a corps of receivers
with 10 catches for 90 yards and a score, while Michael
Galatas had nine catches for 106 yards and a score and McCarty had seven
catches for 96 and a TD.
Defensively,
sophomore Will Hawkins led
all Majors with seven tackles, whereas
Keith Naccari and Colby
Langston each tallied five. Senior Marcus
Harris picked off one of two passes for Millsaps on the day,
giving him 13 for his career – five short of the record
set by Murray Meadows from 1988-91 of 18.
Sophomore
kicker Taylor Russolino set a new Millsaps single-season record
with his 29th PAT make in 31 attempts, going 7-of-8 on the afternoon.
The previous record was 27 PATs by Chuck Smith in 1980.
DePauw
was led by Ryan Preuss on defense with 10 tackles and offensively
by Koors who had three catches for 95 yards. Chris Collins also
carried the ball seven times for 50 yards.
Millsaps
will take its eight-game, SCAC road win streak to Centre
College next weekend with kickoff slated for 1:30 p.m. in Danville,
Ky. The game will be streamed live on www.atwsportscast.com.
Game
Notes:
Millsaps has now won 20 of its last 23 games overall
Millsaps
off to first 5-0 start since 1980 undefeated season
Millsaps' 590 yards of total offense was third-best in a single-game
(669 vs CC in 2007)
K Taylor Russolino set a new Millsaps single-season record with
his 29th PAT make (29-of-31)
CB Marcus Harris moved into fifth all-time with 13 career interceptions
WR Eric McCarty moved into fourth all-time in career receiving
yards with 1,711
