JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps football program was bested in the Riverside Rumble, 56-28 at Belhaven Bowl Stadium on Thursday.

Tough breaks on both sides of the ball, turnovers and penalties spelled trouble for Millsaps (0-1) as they challenged their crosstown rival Belhaven (1-0) in the season opener.

Both sophomore Jaidon Horton and senior Nik Shanklin scored on the ground and junior Moïse Tezzo scored a receiving touchdown. Defensively, freshman Jett Coolman returned an interception 73-yards to the house, while Jalen Shead and Osiris Jackson added a sack a piece.
 
The Blazers opened the scoring on their first drive after quarterback Mayowa Asagunla found a streaking target down the right hash marks.

Belhaven then added another touchdown following a strip fumble on the next Major drive to push the deficit to 14-0.

Graduate receiver Austin Russell was able to drive Millsaps down the field on the ensuing possession with a key pass inference call. A few plays later Horton drove the ball up the middle to put the Majors on the scoreboard, making the contest 14-7.

The Blazers would answer to make it 21-7 with a score that saw tight end Brooks Brymer curl to the back-right pylon.

Millsaps looked like they would threaten the Belhaven lead, but a nice Russell catch was called back because he was said to have stepped out of bounds.

Belhaven would make breathing room in the second quarter with three more touchdown tallies, leading 42-7 at the break. They would then score to open the second half.

Jackson's sack would give the Majors the ball back for a second possession and some energy after the intermission. On the ensuing offensive series, Horton would get things started with a big rush and late hit out of bounds putting the Majors on the 29-yard line.

Another late hit out of bounds on junior starting quarterback Kaleb Thompson and two solid rushes would put Millsaps back on the board, this time punctuated by Shanklin.

Belhaven would add to its lead with another score in the fourth to extend their advantage to 56-14.

Millsaps wouldn't back down as they answered with two final touchdown strikes themselves to make it 56-28. Coolman jumped the route leading to a 73-yard interception return. This was then followed by a pair of specular catches by Tezzo, the last of which saw him catch the ball with a defender draped all over him in the end zone.

Millsaps will enter its bye week and then return with another road matchup. The Majors will face Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) in Waxahachie, Texas on Saturday, Sept. 18.

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