Millsaps Football Defeats Belhaven 36-20 in Riverside Rumble
Millsaps College’s football team defeated Belhaven University 36-20 in the Riverside Rumble on Thursday night at Harper Davis Field. The victory marked the Majors’ return of the sword after the rivalry game.
Senior quarterback Grant Bizjack led the offensive effort, completing 15 of 23 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 13 times for 66 yards and scored once on the ground. Senior Tameron Patterson contributed 74 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, adding a 30-yard reception and a receiving touchdown. Junior Davis Dare caught four passes for 60 yards and returned two punts for 20 yards, helping lead the Majors past the Blazers.
The offense totaled 25 first downs, outpacing Belhaven’s 17. Defensively, juniors Myles Johnson and Cole Williams each recorded a sack and forced fumbles. Redshirt sophomore Brewer Bailey and others contributed with tackles and pressure that stifled Belhaven’s offense. Sophomore Jace Vasquez averaged 41 yards per punt on five punts, and junior Connor Babin kicked seven kickoffs for 420 yards, including four touchbacks. Babin also scored three field goals.
Belhaven struck early with a 50-yard drive culminating in Ian Burleson’s 1-yard touchdown run, and led 7-0 after the first quarter. The Majors responded with 17 points in the second quarter, including a 41-yard field goal from Babin and a 45-yard run by Kevin Rogers II. Millsaps closed the half with a 12-yard touchdown run by Mitch Taylor, taking a 17-point lead into halftime.
The Majors extended their lead after halftime, with Bizjack rushing for a five-yard touchdown and Babin catching a 23-yard pass from Bizjack for a 30-7 advantage. Belhaven scored before the end of the third quarter, but Millsaps led 30-14. The Blazers made it a one-score game, 30-20, with 5:18 remaining after a 50-yard possession and a one-yard touchdown run.
A key defensive stop came when Myles Johnson forced a fumble recovered by junior Decorian Warren at the Belhaven 30-yard line. Patterson then scored on a 25-yard run to seal the victory, 36-20, with the extra point missed. Millsaps’s defense held strong in the final minutes, forcing Belhaven into a fourth-and-25 as time expired.
The Majors will travel to face Centenary College on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 6 p.m. The game will be streamed via FloCollege, with live stats available. Fans can follow Millsaps athletics on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook, or visit gomajors.com for updates.
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