JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps College football team held tough at Belhaven University in the 15th Annual Riverside Rumble, but a strong Blazer second half was enough to earn a 50-24 decision inside Belhaven Bowl Stadium on Thursday.

Freshman Grant Bizjack threw 19-for-36 for 213 yards and two touchdowns. He added 36 yards rushing in his collegiate debut.

Redshirt sophomore Braxton Garmon rushed for 78 yards on five attempts and a score, with a long of 66 yards.

Junior receiver Taj Colom II tallied 79 receiving yards on eight receptions, while senior Blake Wiley hauled in 70 yards and a touchdown off two catches.

Sophomore Justin Smith (pass breakup) and senior Luke Bridges both added six tackles.
 
Sophomore Greg Donaldson hauled in a touchdown pass of his own as well. Classmate Brewer Bailey posted five tackles, one TFL and a quarterback hurry.
 
Fellow second year W.H. Carver added an interception and three tackles defensively.

Classmate Davis Dare tallied 35 punt return yards and freshman Bryce Wilkerson added 44 yards off of kickoffs.

Completing special teams, sophomore kicker Connor Babin tallied a 36-yard field goal and went 3-for-3 on PATs.
 
Facing third-and-one in Blazer territory, Garmon found a hole up the middle and sprinted 66 yards down the field for the opening score on the game's opening possession.

Belhaven then converted a fourth-and-one from the Millsaps 37-yard line and later converted a third-and-11 with a 33-yard pass to reach the Millsaps two-yard line. The Blazers tied the game at 7-7 three plays later on a third-and-goal from the one-yard line.

A roughing the kicker penalty on a Blazers' 39-yard field-goal make gave Belhaven a first down in the closing minutes of the first quarter. The Blazers took advantage of the extended drive and scored from two yards out on the initial play of the second quarter, making it 14-7.

The Majors then were pinned deep in their territory after a poor kickoff return. Belhaven grabbed possession and converted on fourth-and-five from the Major 12-yard marker. Another one-yard score by the Blazers made it 21-7 to conclude the drive.

Looking to regain momentum, Millsaps converted a fourth-and-one from its own 34-yard line. Bizjack kept it and was pushed ahead for two yards and earn the yard-to-gain.
 
Millsaps used a pass interference on third down and a nifty passing completion on third-and-eight to reach the Blazer red zone. Bizjack found junior Tam Patterson on a 21-yard pass and run to the outside.
 
Babin cut into the deficit with a 36-yard yard field goal, making it 21-10 with 2:55 before halftime.
 
The Major defense followed by forcing a three-and-out and gave themselves nearly two minutes before intermission to work with.
 
Bizjack found Colom II on third-and-four at midfield before the Majors converted on yet another third down. Sophomore Isaiah Sinclair later put the offense up to the 19-yard line after a 15-yard reception.

Then with only seven seconds remaining until intermission, Bizjack found Donaldson up the middle wide open. Donaldson was stopped a yard or two short with time expiring in front of the goal line, but freshman Corey Carr II gave a last-second push to help Donaldson cross and bite further into the deficit, down 21-17.
 
Belhaven managed to reach Major territory on its opening possession of the second half, but the Millsaps defense made a stand. However, the Blazers managed to make it 28-17 on their ensuing possession courtesy of a 59-yard passing score.
 
Millsaps then was stopped on a fourth-down rush at midfield on the next drive. Belhaven increased their margin to 35-17 with 1:41 left in third frame after.
 
Another fourth-down chance by the Majors closed the third quarter offensively.
 
The teams then traded takeaways on defense. W.H. Carver intercepted the ball with an acrobatic, stretching catch and keeping his feet in bounds. However, the Blazers forced a fumble moments later to get the ball back.
 
Belhaven would score again and convert a two-point conversion before Bizjack found Wiley on a 66-yard catch and scamper. The Blazers answered to make it a 50-24 final score.
 
The Majors will next host the Hall of Fame Game in the home opener against Centenary College on Saturday, Sept. 13. Kickoff is slated for 6 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.