Football team wins 44-27 at Millsaps

JACKSON, Miss. – The 13-hour bus ride home will be a happy one, as the Olivet College football team improved to 3-0 on the season with a 44-27 victory over Millsaps (Miss.) College this afternoon at Harper Davis Field. The Comets used a 20-point third quarter to turn a close 24-13 lead at halftime into a 44-13 lead entering the final quarter.

Final Score: Olivet 44, Millsaps 27
Location: Harper Davis Field; Jackson, Mississippi
Records: Millsaps 0-3 overall, Olivet 3-0 overall

• After forcing Olivet to punt on its first drive, the Majors scored first on a 58-yard touchdown pass at the 13:05 mark of the opening quarter. The PAT kick was missed.
• Sophomore Deonte Higgins returned the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to the Millsaps 17. Following a loss yardage play, sophomore Cortaveon Barnett rushed 24 yards into the end zone. Sophomore Samuel Roose's PAT kick was good, and the Comets led 7-6 with 10:55 remaining in the first quarter.
• Roose connected on a 26-yard field to extend Olivet's lead to 10-6 at the 2:58 mark.
• Millsaps took a 13-6 lead on a 60-yard punt return for a touchdown with 12:57 left in the second quarter.
• The Comets regained the lead, 17-13, when sophomore Jeremiah Sterling rumbled 44 yards for a touchdown.
• Olivet took advantage of a fumble recovery in the final minute of the first half. Three pass completions set-up the Comets at the Millsaps 31-yard line. On the final play of the half, freshman Evan Ormsby tossed a 31-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Akeem Benjamin. The PAT kick by Roose was good, and Olivet led 24-13 at the break.
• The Comets put together an 8-play, 66-yard scoring drive on their first possession of the second half. Sophomore Nyassinu Crowell, Jr. capped the drive with a 9-yard rush into the end zone.
• On the first play of the Majors' next drive, sophomore Alonzo Grigsby intercepted a pass to put Olivet at the Millsaps 28-yard line. A personal foul penalty moved the ball to the 15-yard line. An 11-yard run, followed by a 4-yard run by Crowell put six points on the scoreboard for the Comets. The PAT kick was successful.
• The Majors fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Olivet took over at the 16-yard line. Another personal foul penalty advanced the ball to the 9-yard line. Senior David Coffey had a 5-yard carry, followed by a 4-yard carry into the end zone to make the score 44-13.
• Millsaps scored twice in the fourth quarter. The second of the two touchdowns was a 60-yard interception return.

• Olivet totaled 438 yards of offense, with 284 on the ground and 154 through the air.
• Sterling had 16 carries for 157 yards.
• Crowell, Jr. rushed seven times for 53 yards.
• Ormsby threw for 88 yards on 9-of-16 passing.
• Coffey completed 3-of-6 passes for 66 yards and had 10 carries 50 yards.
• Benjamin caught five passes for 83 yards.
• Seniors Anthony Merriman III and Kolby Williams finished with seven tackles apiece.

• The Majors recorded 408 yards, 68 rushing and 340 passing.
• Byron Phillips topped the ground game with five rushes for 37 yards.
• Kaleb Thompson was 18-of-26 for 340 yards.
• D.B. Bennett snagged six passes for 68 yards.
• Moize Tezzo hauled in five passes for 103 yards.
• Josh Smith led the defense with eight total tackles.

• Olivet plays Alma College next Saturday, October 2, to begin its pursuit of a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) championship. Kick-off at Bahlke Field is 2 p.m.