JACKSON -- The steady rainfall that pelted central Mississippi on Friday and Saturday provided the ideal mud pit for a pivotal SCAC matchup on Saturday afternoon. A must win game for both DePauw and Millsaps, the Tigers took advantage of an early lead and continued to slip and slide their way to a 28-7 victory on a soggy Alumni Field.
Cory Parlow's blocked punt and return for a touchdown set DePauw in winning motion at the 4:50 mark in the first quarter and Ben Murray's true extra point attempt gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead.
The Tigers' Andy Yoder then connected with Jamarcus Shephard for a 47-yard scoring strike with 1:26 to go in the 1st quarter, and Murray's PAT was good, giving DePauw a 14-0 lead.
Yoder, who threw for 242 yards and 3 touchdown's on the afternoon, next connected with John Stephens on a 43-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter to give the Tigers a commanding three touchdown lead.
Then, in the 4th quarter, Yoder found Stephens once more for an 8-yard touchdown, and Murray's 4th extra point of the day put the Tigers up 28-0.
With a shutout all but guaranteed, DePauw attempted to tack on another score late in the 4th frame, but the Majors' Reggie Young intercepted an errant Yoder pass and returned the ball 84 yards to the DePauw 4 yard line. Three plays later, Millsaps' Garner Wetzel plunged in for a touchdown from 2 yards out to put the Majors on the board. Robert Ezelle's extra point was good, bringing the final score to 28-7. With the loss, the Majors suffer their first home conference defeat since a 14-13 loss to DePauw two seasons and six SCAC games ago.
The Majors currently stand at 4-3 and 1-2 in the SCAC. Millsaps will travel to Sewanee next weekend for 1:30 p.m. kick off.
Of note: Millsaps' Brandon Morris led all rushers with 63 yards, while the Majors' Chris Schiro and Brent LeJeune carried for 55 and 57 yards respectively.
The Majors' Jahreese Jones intercepted his 13 career pass on Saturday. The senior is now three picks away form tying Millsaps career interceptions leader in Murray Meadows, who was inducted into the Millsaps College Sports Hall of Fame on prior to Saturday's game.
