BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Millsaps football team took care of business by taking down Birmingham-Southern on Saturday on the road, 14-8. Junior Connor Ladner tallied two receiving touchdowns in a gritty matchup, which featured 19 combined punts at General Krulak Stadium.
 
Millsaps (1-4, 1-2 SAA) surpassed BSC (1-4, 0-3 SAA) with a 130-123 passing-yard advantage. The Majors defense would collect three interceptions, including one to seal the game on the final Panther drive.
 
Freshman quarterback Gray Jennings threw two touchdowns for 130 yards as Ladner caught three passes for 56 yards and two scores.
 
Sophomore Joshua Richardson tallied 45 rushing yards and senior wideout Temias Mason hauled in four catches for 40 yards.
 
Defensively, junior Nicholas Eaton led the Majors with nine total tackles (1.5 TFLs). Sophomore Nehemiah Coalson tormented the Panthers' offense with six total tackles and an interception. Freshman Jeremiah Hall (four tackles) and senior Anthony Mayfield (two tackles) added interceptions.
 
Sophomore Donald Turley registered eight tackles, while classmate Braylon Wills recorded five tackles, a sack, two TFLs and a pass breakup. Additionally, sophomore Ashton Coffelt and senior James Christy (one sack, one quarterback hurry) added seven tackles each.
 
Fresh off making the D3football.com Team of the Week, junior Ethan Klapatch continued to make an impact on the special teams with 10 punts traveling 459 yards. Freshman EJ Escarfullet added two PATs and booted three kickoffs 138 yards.
 
Millsaps would march down the field on the game's opening drive, but a missed field goal attempt would keep the contest scoreless.
 
The game remained 0-0 until Birmingham-Southern scored on their first full offensive possession of the second quarter following a 13-yard rushing play alongside a two-point conversion to take an 8-0 lead with 9:12 on the clock.
 
After pinning the Panthers deep in their territory in the third quarter, the Majors would start at midfield. Jennings would later answer back with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Ladner making it an 8-7 deficit. 
 
Shortly after the Millsaps touchdown, Mayfield would grab a crucial interception and put the Major offense on the BSC 37-yard line.
 
Jennings would find Ladner six plays later for a 24-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone to take a 14-8 lead in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.
 
BSC would look to battle back with big throws down the field, but the Millsaps defense continued to dominate the Panthers as Coalson grabbed the game's second interception. Coalson recorded the takeaway on a BSC 4th-and-7 and hauled in the pass at the Millsaps nine-yard line. 
 
The teams would trade possessions before the Majors' second drive following the interception would chew the clock down to 1:08 remaining.
 
Hall would seal the victory with the third and final interception at the Millsaps 37-yard line with 33 seconds to play. Jennings then kneeled the ball in victory formation as the Majors dispatched BSC, 14-8.
 
Millsaps will return to Harper Davis Field to face Rhodes next Saturday, Oct. 7 for its Pink Out Game. Kickoff is set to begin at 3 p.m. with live video and live stats available at gomajors.com.
 
 
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps football program follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.