DANVILLE, Ky. — Centre College edged the Millsaps College football team, 37-36 in a heartbreaker on Saturday at Joe McDaniel Field at Andy Frye Stadium. The Majors surged with a 19-point third quarter, highlighted by three passing touchdowns. Despite two interceptions by the Millsaps defense, Centre tallied the final turnover late to secure the victory.

The game was as even as the final score, with Centre (2-2, 1-0 SAA) holding a narrow 530-494 total yard advantage.

Freshman Grant Bizjack led the Majors' offense with 302 passing yards on 18 completions off 26 attempts, adding three touchdown passes. Bizjack also posted a rushing touchdown and 33 yards on the ground.

Sophomore Greg Donaldson contributed with a strong receiving performance, collecting 118 yards on three catches, including a touchdown.

Senior Blake Wiley (78 yards) and freshman Derrick Tasby Jr. (47 yards) also hauled in a touchdown reception each for Millsaps (2-2, 0-1 SAA).

On the ground, junior Tameron Patterson rushed for 96 yards on nine carries while scoring a touchdown.

Defensively, sophomore W.H. Carver made a significant impact with two interceptions, helping to stifle the opposing team's offense.

Senior Luke Bridges posted a game-high and tied a career-high with nine tackles. Redshirt sophomore Brewer Bailey (1.0 TFL, pass breakup), senior Zabian Boutan, senior Nehemiah Coalson and sophomore Justin Smith all tallied seven tackles.

Sophomore Connor Babin netted eight kickoffs for 428 yards (53.5-yard average) and added a 34-yard field goal. He finished 3-for-5 on PATs.

The first quarter began with the Majors receiving the kickoff, quickly advancing 58 yards over eight plays. Babin capped the drive with a successful field goal, putting the Majors up 3-0 with 12:05 on the clock.

The Colonels responded with a 62-yard drive that culminated in a 10-yard touchdown pass, giving Centre a 7-3 lead.

Millsaps regained the lead late in the quarter, with Bizjack connecting with Wiley for a 21-yard touchdown pass at the 1:54 mark, ending the quarter at 10-7 in favor of the Majors.

Centre capitalized on a strong offensive drive early in the second quarter, with a 4-yard rushing touchdown, extending their lead to 14–10.

The Millsaps defense managed to halt a promising Centre drive when sophomore Mikey Strain recovered a fumble at the Millsaps 14-yard line near the end of the quarter. The Centre kicker then missed a 36-yard field goal attempt with only 18 seconds remaining, keeping the score at 14–10.

In the third quarter, the Colonels extended their lead early when returned a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown just 16 seconds in, but the point-after attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 20-10.

Millsaps responded swiftly as Bizjack connected with Donaldson on a 50-yard touchdown pass, though Babin's extra point was blocked, narrowing the gap to 20-16. Bizjack later found Tasby Jr. for a 29-yard touchdown, and Babin's successful PAT put the Majors ahead 23-20.

However, Centre reclaimed the lead with a 14-yard rushing touchdown, followed by a successful kick, making it 27-23. Millsaps struck back with Bizjack's 1-yard touchdown run, but Babin's missed the extra point attempt, leaving the score at 29-27. Centre's subsequent drive was halted by penalties, with the quarter concluding without further scoring.

The fourth quarter began with Centre extending their lead as a 2-yard touchdown run, coupled with a successful two-point pass attempt, put Centre ahead, 35-29 at 14:29.

Millsaps quickly responded with a 51-yard touchdown run by Patterson at 12:58, and Babin's extra point gave Millsaps a narrow 36-35 lead.

The momentum shifted back to the Colonels when Temes Kahsay tackled redshirt sophomore Braxton Garmon in the end zone for a safety at 7:36, returning the lead to Centre at 37-36.

The Colonels looked poised to add to the score, but Carver hauled in a crucial interception with 4:30 to play at the Millsaps nine-yard line.

In the final minutes, Bizjack then drove the team down to the Centre 14-yard line, but a fumble recovered by the Colonels with 44 seconds remaining stopped a final comeback attempt as Centre secured the win.

Millsaps will remain on the road and continue SAA play at Rhodes College next Saturday, Oct. 11. Start time is slated for 1 p.m. with live video and live stats available at gomajors.com.


To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College football program follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook and 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.