MEMPHIS- The Millsaps Majors were tripped up in their pursuit of an undefeated regular season and outright conference crown, falling to Rhodes 49-30 in Memphis on Saturday. 

Mike Barthelemy ran for 127 yards and two scores and Zak Thrasher threw for two more but three intereceptions were too much to overcome. 

The Lynx scored first, getting a short field after a Thrasher interception. Rhodes drove six plays and 18 yards leading to a Blake Box touchdown run. The quarterback ran for three scores on the day. Rhodes would score again on their next drive, taking over on their own 41 after a Ben Dudley punt. Box connected on a 23-yard touchdown pass to put Rhodes up two scores. 

A pooch kick gave the Majors good field position at midfield. Barthelemy had runs of 24 and 6 to move the chains and set up a Thrasher touchdown pass to Trevor King from 18 yards out. Beau Brady's extra point was blocked and it remained an eight-point game. 

Rhodes took the ensuing kick-off 67 yards for another score to make it 21-6. The teams traded posessions and a coffin-corner kick by Dudley pinned Rhodes back and a short Lynx punt set the Majors up nicely at the end of the half. Brady connected from 44 yards out at the halftime buzzer to make it 21-9.

Rhodes took the opening drive of the second half 53 yards for their fourth score of the game. Box ran it in again from four yards out to stretch the Majors' deficit to 28-9. After a Majors punt, Alex Jackson picked off Box to give the Majors the ball at the Lynx' 15-yard line. Barthelemy would punch it in from one yard out and it was 28-16. The teams would trade punts through the end of the quarter to send it to the fourth with the Majors' down 12. 

Box capped an 11-play drive with another rushing TD to make it 35-16. The Majors went for it on fourth-and-two on the ensuing drive but a Thrasher pass fell incomplete. The defense would force a Lynx punt, setting the Majors up deep in their own territory. Thrasher would be picked off at the Majors' 40-yard line and led to a Rhodes' touchdown pass to stretch the lead to 42-16. Running a hurry-up offense, Millsaps answered with an 11-play drive capped by King's second touchdown catch of the game. The two point conversion failed and Rhodes recovered the on-sides kick. 

Thrasher would be picked off by Michael Shield who returned it 40-yards for a score to make it 49-22. Barthelemy would get a late touchdown and two-point conversion to make it 49-30. Barthelemy set the school record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 21. 

The loss forces Millsaps to share the SAA crown with Rhodes, as both teams finished 3-1. The Majors at 9-1 are at the mercy of the NCAA selection committee to see if they can get an at-large birth to the D-III playoffs. The SAA does not have an automatic bid this season as it's in its second-year of a two-year probationary period installed for new conferences.