JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps football team secured a convincing shutout triumph, dispatching John Melvin University, 46-0 at Harper Davis Field on Sunday.
Freshman Gavin Berger led the offense with 136 passing yards and a touchdown. The Chattanooga, Tenn., native completed 7-of-15 passes.
Classmate Ian Burleson threw for 82 passing yards on 5-of-8 completions, Burleson while also passing for two touchdowns against the Millers.
Newcomer Cole Canatella started the day and tossed a touchdown on 4-of-5 completions for 60 yards.
In the backfield for the Majors, freshman transfer Chase Jacobs covered 46 yards on the ground, including a long of 35 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore Brydon Wesley-LaSarge carried for 36 yards, while freshman Joel Vaughn II ran for 32 yards and caught a 25-yard touchdown pass.
First-year student Jacorey Mitchell led the wideout group with 53 receiving yards and a score. Senior Connor Ladner finished with 52 yards and hauled in a touchdown pass.
Freshman Dexter Compton Jr. tallied 47 receiving yards and underclassman Isaiah Sinclair recorded a touchdown with 45 yards.
On special teams, senior Ethan Klapatch, the reigning SAA Special Teams Player of the Week netted with three punts for 117 yards. The Metairie, La., native also kicked a 52-yarder against the Millers.
On kickoffs, freshman Connor Babin also had a great game against John Melvin. Babin totaled six kicks for 348 yards, averaging 58 yards per attempt.
Undergraduate Ty Miller boasted a 6-for-6 outing on point-after attempts in the triumph over the Millers.
Defensively freshmen Alex Gee (0.5 TFL) and Mikey Strain tied for a team-high five tackles.
Sophomore Luke Bridges had a strong performance against the Millers by returning a 15-yard interception. Bridges also added three solo tackles, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.
Freshman Kyle Veal Jr. finished with four total tackles, including a tackle for loss.
Millsaps (2-0) started fast in the first quarter, building a 26-0 cushion out of the gates. Jacobs rushed from 31 yards out to complete the opening drive and give the Majors a 7-0 advantage.
A couple drives later the Majors would march down the field and Canatella would spot Ladner on a nine-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0.
The Millsaps defense impressed all game long and came up big when Bridges collected a 15-yard interception and returned it for a touchdown.
Moments later, the defensive squad would then capture a safety as a muffed snap sailed over the John Miller punter's head and was kicked through the back of the end zone to go into the second quarter leading, 23-0.
On the Majors' first drive of the second quarter, Burleson would find Vaughn II on a 25-yard touchdown connection.
Only three minutes later, Burleson closed out his second touchdown of the quarter with a 20-yard pass to Sinclair, pushing the lead to 37-0.
The defense added another safety next when freshman Zabian Boutan sacked the Miller quarterback in the end zone.
The final score of the contest came four minutes later when the Major offense only needed a single play when Berger connected with Mitchell on a 53-yard catch to push the contest to 46-0. Miller would collect his sixth PAT of the game following the score.
In the second half, both teams allowed zero points and played 12-minute quarters. Millsaps would see nearly all of its roster compete and close out the game, securing a 46-0 victory.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the football program this year follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.
