How good is Millsaps?
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Don’t get me wrong, I know the Majors are good after a playoff appearance in 2006 and a narrow miss last year with the “Mississippi Miracle” against Trinity. So I guess the question in my mind is really, are they good enough to challenge a Mary Hardin-Baylor or a Wesley as a legitimate contender for the NCAA South Region come playoff time?
Outside what I saw on YouTube against Trinity last year and a few plays of video from a particularly unimpressive ’06 playoff loss to Carnegie Mellon in the Wesley football office a couple years ago, I don’t have much of a reference point, besides what I’ve seen on the scoreboard. But it appears so far this season, they’ve have taken their game to the next level.
At 4-0, they have outscored opponents 166-29, including Saturday’s 49-2 manhandling of Rhodes. They are also on the move in the D3football.com top 25, jumping six spots to number 13. The most impressive of their victories was a 42-6 win over then-No. 25 Mississippi College in their season opening “Backyard Brawl.” That’s the same Choctaw team that gave Hardin-Simmons all they could handle on Saturday on the road before falling 35-27. And that HSU Tiger team will travel to Mary Hardin-Baylor this Saturday. That should make comparisons a little easier after this weekend.
Right now though, the Majors don’t appear to be worried too much about comparing scores. Perhaps it’s just the disappointments of last season are driving them or maybe just the maturity gained to focus on the task at hand. Maybe it’s both, but this week the Majors will be tested again when they host DePauw in an important Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference game.
The Tigers, who are also unbeaten at 3-0, are a team searching for respect and with a history of disappointments of their own. They appeared ready to break through and challenge Trinity for SCAC supremacy a few years ago, but instead it has been the Majors who have broken through. DePauw is still searching for that first NCAA playoff trip.
DePauw would appear to be the underdog again this Saturday after nearly letting Sewanee overcome a 24-0 first half lead to win 27-20 at home in Greencastle and having to rally for a 27-14 victory on the road at Centre a couple weeks ago. Plus, last season Millsaps topped the Tigers 35-17 at Blackstock Stadium.
However, if you look at the statistical comparison, aside from the Majors’ scary margin of victory (plus-34.3), these two teams look remarkably alike. Both teams average just over 400 yards a game in total offense including and identical 130 yards on the ground. The defenses have been similar too, allowing right around 250 yards a game. Both are led by veteran quarterbacks.
Millsaps signal-caller Juan Joseph, who lit the Tigers up for 475 passing yards last year, has been unbelievably efficient this season. The senior has 14 touchdown passes and just one interception, while completing over 60 percent. He also leads the Majors in rushing with 153 yards. Spud Dick has been nearly as good for DePauw. The junior has connected nearly 64 percent of the time with nine touchdowns and just three interceptions.
So, how good is Millsaps? We’ll find out a little more on Saturday. Though we may not know until they take on Trinity on November 1 and even then until later in November when the playoffs start. At this point though, they maybe the second best team in the entire south region.
Some important game in the ASC
Is there a big game in the American Southwest Conference this week? Oh yeah, that Mary Hardin-Baylor and Hardin-Simmons game. I hope I didn’t bury the lead, but both these teams can make the playoffs regardless of who wins the game. The loser is a great Pool C candidate if it can win out afterward.
So what makes this game so important? Well if you look at the ASC post board, you would have to include pride, bragging rights and also an inside track to the ASC title. But the biggest thing maybe that the winner of this game may also earn the No. 1 seed in the NCAA South Region at playoff time and home field advantage.
The Cowboys come into this game battle tested with four tight wins over some respectable programs such UW-La Crosse, 2004 national champ Linfield, Louisiana College and Mississippi College. If the Cowboys can stay close early, they may have the advantage late. They’ve already shown that they can execute under pressure in their first four victories.
The Crusaders have blown everyone out, outscoring opponents by a combined score of 139-14 in three games. They have faced some adversity, losing tailback Quincy Daniels, but otherwise its been smooth sailing. They’ve even had time to practice their passing game, averaging 19 throws a game. (They still run it an average of 50 times a game.) Still they lost an awful lot of experienced players on offense from last year’s South Region champs. How will the newcomers execute when the game is on the line?
However, UMHB has to come into the game as the decided favorite to go along with their number three national ranking.
The defenses probably hold the key. You know the Crusaders are going to come after you and try to force you into some mistakes. That has made the susceptible to some big plays in the pass game in the past, but still that pressure can lead to mistakes. The Cowboys' pass game has been excellent so far averaging nearly 300 yards a game.
The HSU defense, much maligned last season, has shown improvement this season allowing nearly 100 yards less per game. But did Mississippi College expose them last week by rushing for nearly 300 yards behind Desmond Mays, who galloped for 189 yards and four touchdowns? These questions and others to be answered on Saturday in Belton, Texas. Enjoy!
By the way, you to credit the job that the Choctaw coaching staff have done after losing Adam Shaffer a few weeks ago. That may sound crazy for a 1-3 football team, but they have totally changed their personality on offense going from a passing team to running team led by the previously mentioned Mays. Freshman quarterback Tommy Reyer has shown diverse talents by passing efficiently and adding a running threat.
East Texas Baptist is the only other remaining team with an unblemished record in ASC play. They take on McMurry this week, before their first big test traveling to Hardin-Simmons next week.
The big game in the Saint Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this week has Huntingdon (3-0, 1-0) traveling to Greenville (2-2, 1-0.) The Panthers have strung together a couple victories after being shut out in their first two contests. Last week, they hammered Principia 59-0 and made themselves a contender for the SLIAC title. The Hawks picked up their first-ever conference win with a win over a greatly improved MacMurray squad.
LaGrange (3-1, 1-0) continued its turnaround with a 61-0 pasting of Blackburn (1-3, 0-1), while Westminster (1-2, 1-0) picked up its initial victory of the year by beating Eureka (1-2, 0-1) by a score of 42-25.
Top Five
I haven’t done this yet, but I figured now that I’ve been watching teams from the ASC, SCAC and SLIAC closely now for a few weeks I’d put out a top five ranking for Around the South.
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor
2. Millsaps
3. Hardin-Simmons
4. Trinity
5. DePauw
Contact me
This weekend takes me to the panhandle of Maryland as I’ll provide analysis for the Wesley and Frostburg State game for WDEL 1150 Radio. Please contact me if you have any feature ideas and facts that would be helpful. I can be reached at jcbowen@lf.k12.de.us.