Millsaps College -- Prognosticators picking the outcome of Saturday night's Mississippi Backyard Brawl between cross-town rivals Millsaps and Mississippi College had it about as easy as a blind squirrel searching for an acorn.
The many questions about the evening's game left many fans and players expecting a close contest, but rare was the utterance of a predicted score. How would a veteran Millsaps defense respond to pass happy Mississippi College quarterback Payton Perrett, who threw for over 2,000 yards in 2001? Would Millsaps sophomore quarterback Brandon Morris live up to his billing as a talented young signal caller? Would the Millsaps offense even stand a chance after two straight seasons of unproductive schemes? So many questions, yet so much was answered Saturday night before over 6,500 fans at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium as the Majors reclaimed bragging rights for area supremacy in a 16-14 win over Mississippi College.
The Majors' Morris, who completed 4 of 12 passes for 127 yards, orchestrated the revamped Millsaps offense to perfection. Carrying a resounding answer in his back pocket, Morris started his show as he engineered an 8 play, 80 yard drive for an early first quarter touchdown, capped with a 40 yard scoring strike to senior wide receiver Wayne Brown. Sophomore kicker Robert Ezelle sailed his extra point attempt through the uprights to give Millsaps a 7-0 lead.
After a quick Choctaw offensive series and a Millsaps fumble on the Majors' next possesion, the Choctaws' Perret responded with an 8 play, 43 yard drive of his own. Perrett found Andy Bryant for a 9 yard touchdown pass, and Carter Mascagni booted the PAT to tie the game at 7.
But the Millsaps defense then went to work. The Majors, under direction of first year defensive coordinator Joe Kinsella, proved why they were the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference's number one defense a year ago. The Majors' swarming defensive unit repeatedly put pressure on MC's Perrett. Time after time Perrett was hurried, forced to throw bad passes, and sacked.
Junior defensive end Stephen Cutter and senior defensive end Jed Mooney each registered 3 sacks on the evening. Sophomore defensive end George Fowler also charted one sack. The Major's defense allowed just 176 yards of total offense, limiting the Choctaws to just 153 passing and a paltry 23 yards rushing.
The Majors took complete control of the game when Millsaps senior running back Chris Schiro scampered 31 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter to give the purple and white a 13-7 lead. Ezelle's extra point attempt was blocked.
But Ezelle later put the game out of reach for good as the golden toe connected on a 26-yard field goal to give Millsaps a 16-7 advantage mid way through the 3rd quarter.
Mississippi College added a late 4th quarter touchdown when Perrett hooked up with Chris Jones for a 43 yard score. Mascagni's PAT was good, making the score 16-14 with just 1:36 to play.
After a Millsaps punt stranded the Choctaws on their own 2 yard line with 58 seconds to go, the Majors' stingy defense stifled a last minute effort by Mississippi College to secure the victory.
Millsaps will host first time foe, the University of Wisconsin, Stout next Saturday at Alumni Field. Kickoff is slated for 6:00 p.m.
