JACKSON, Miss. — A Senior Day for the ages came down to the final play, which went in favor of the Millsaps football team on Saturday. A gutsy two-point conversion by the Majors late, and a missed Berry field goal as time expired gave Millsaps a 30-29 triumph from Harper Davis Field.
Millsaps (7-2, 5-1 SAA) kept itself alive in the Southern Athletic Association playoff race, trailing only Trinity (8-1, 5-1 SAA). Berry (6-3, 3-3 SAA) entered Saturday's contest receiving votes in the D3football.com Top 25 Poll.
A total of eight players were recognized pregame, including Erik Contreras, Willie Elliott, Quez Goss, Nate Johnson, Gunnar Maguire, Christian McCoy, Tameron Patterson, and Mitch Taylor.
The two-headed quarterback attack of sophomore Grant Bizjack and freshman Carl Reed Jr. gave the Vikings fits defensively all afternoon. Bizjack completed 12-of-16 passes for 80 yards (touchdown, interception). Reed Jr. highlighted with 99 rushing yards and a rushing score. He added a two-point conversion with his feet offensively midway through the fourth quarter.
Patterson electrified with a career-high 133 rushing yards to go along with two scores.
Junior Davis Dare finished with a team-high 37 receiving yards, a receiving touchdown, and a crucial pass on the go-ahead 2-point try.
Classmate Cole Williams led both teams with nine tackles (seven solo) and grabbed an interception for good measure.
Both graduate Zabian Boutan (one TFL) and freshman Ben Barron tallied seven tackles each.
Junior Connor Babin made both of his PATs, and sent five kickoffs for 311 yards (62.2-yard average). A trio of those kickoffs went for touchbacks.
The Majors fought through a nearly 20-minute disparity in time of possession (39:08 to 20:52).
Berry struck first with a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter, including a 3-yard and 1-yard rush. The second score with 27 seconds left in the opening frame included a successful 2-point conversion, making it 15-0.
Bizjack soon answered by finding Dare for a 31-yard completion, putting Millsaps down to the 2-yard line. Bizjack handed the ball off to Patterson to complete the ball with a 2-yard rushing tally.
The Majors further cut into the deficit when Reed Jr. raced down the left side on a 60-yard rushing play with 3:08 to play until halftime.
In the third quarter, Berry answered with two rushing touchdowns to accelerate past the Majors, 29-14. However, this would be their final pair of touchdowns against the Majors.
Millsaps not allowing the Vikings to get into their way, put up an impressive, comeback fourth-quarter performance.
Patterson charged Berry for a 59-yard touchdown up the middle with Reed Jr., rushing attempt successful on the 2-point conversion to cut back into the Vikings lead, 29-22.
Millsaps would regain possession with 4:08 remaining continuing to power back. Dare was knocked over attempting to fair catch a ball that put the Majors on the 50-yard line.
Moments later, after a two-minute timeout, Bizjack completed a pass short middle to sophomore Derrick Tasby Jr. for 10 yards on a Majors first down.
Patterson then rushed the ball up the middle for five yards gain before Bizjack found Dare for a 6-yard touchdown, who darted across the middle of the endzone.
The Majors elected to take the lead with a 2-point try as the Majors tossed the ball around on an end-around. Bizjack quick tossed to Patterson, who then pitched it off to Dare. Dare threw a perfect pass low and in the center of the scoring zone, where junior Sean Johnson cradled the catch before it hit the turf.
Berry hoped to regain the lead now trailing 30-29, with 1:11 remaining. The Vikings moved the ball into Major territory after five passing completions and a pair of rushing attempts.
At the Millsaps 33-yard line, the Vikings were stopped twice on two additional passing plays. Berry was then forced to attempt a 51-yard field goal attempt, but the try fell short and landed in the front of the endzone. The Millsaps bench jumped and ran onto the field in jubilation as the clock on the scoreboard turned to zeros.
The Majors will wrap up their regular-season finale against Maryville College on Saturday, Nov. 14 in Maryville, Tenn., beginning at 12 p.m. CT. Video will be provided at FloCollege, while live stats will be available at gomajors.com.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps 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.
