Millasps College -- Brent LeJeune's 4th quarter touchdown run broke a 7-7 tie, and for the second consecutive week the Millsaps College defense tossed a second half shutout en route to a victory, this time emerging 14-7 winners over conference rival Centre College.
"This was the best half of football our defense has played this year, " said defensive coordinator Joe Kinsella about his squad's second half performance Saturday night. "We let too many things go in the first half, but we made some adjustments at halftime and simply focused on stopping their attack."
Stop is an understatement. After giving up 198 yards of offense in the first half, the Majors' limited the Colonels to a minus 7 yards in the second frame. Colonels' quarterback Brian Behrendt, who entered the game with over 1,400 yards passing to his credit, was held to just 92 yards through the air on the night and was sacked 6 times, all in the second half. On the ground, the Colonels were led by tailback Jeremy Britt, who ran for 92 yards in the first half, including 46 yards on the Colonels' first possession of the game, but ended the evening with just 85 yards rushing.
Britt's 14 yard scamper to the Majors' 5 yard line on the 7th play of a 8 play, 84 yard scoring drive set up a Justin Beinkampen touchdown run at the 6:21 mark in the first quarter. Nick Zillich's extra point attempt put the Colonels on top 7-0, and Centre's touchdown lead would stand through halftime as neither team sustained a drive during the remainder of the first half.
Centre's dismal second half began as the Colonels lost 10 yards on 3 plays from their own 33 yard line and then worsened when Majors' return man Chandler Malone broke four tackles on his way to a 63 yard punt return for a touchdown. Robert Ezelle's extra point knotted the game at 7 with 12:45 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Centre's offensive woes continued as the Colonels obtained control of the football seven more times through out the course of the game but were forced to punt on their first five possessions and lost the ball on downs on the final two drives.
The Majors, who also struggled offensively, tallied 292 yards of total offense on the night and were led by LeJeune's 125 yards rushing, including his game-winning, 82-yard charge late in the 4th quarter.
With the win, Millsaps improves to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the SCAC. Centre falls to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in league play.
