Football remains unbeaten, defeats Millsaps 24-22
For the first time since the 1989 season, the Centre College football team has started a season 7-0 after defeating Millsaps College 24-22 Saturday, Oct. 29 in Jackson, Miss.
The Majors scored the first six points of the game on a pair of field goals, but the Colonels answered with 10 straight points on a 34-yard field goal by junior Jordan Gay (Danville, Ky.) and a 12-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Tyler Osterman (Monroe, Ohio) to sophomore receiver Rob Melillo (Louisville, Ky.).
Trailing 10-6 at the half, Millsaps answered with ten points of their own in the third quarter to take a 16-10 lead into the fourth quarter.
In the final frame, Centre drove to the Millsaps 42-yard line. On third and two the Colonels' next play went for only a yard setting up fourth and one. Junior running back Monte Scotton (Cleveland, Tenn.) took the hand-off from Osterman and went 41 yards for a touchdown and a 17-16 Centre lead.
Three drives later, senior Ryan Gallas (Prospect, Ky.) intercepted a Millsaps' pass at the Centre 41-yard line. The Colonels then needed only three plays to go 59-yards with senior running back Jonathan Pinque (Athens, Ala.) capping the drive with a 13-yard run to give Centre a 24-16 lead. Sotton also had a big play on the drive running for 37 yards on the second play.
The Majors took the ensuing kick-off and drove 72 yards on nine plays to pull within 24-22, but their pass attempt for the two-point conversion fell incomplete.
Millsaps had one more chance. With 3:07 on the clock, the Majors took over on their own 18-yard line. One fourth and one from the 50-yard line, the Centre defense stuffed the Millsaps ball-carrier short of the first down to give the Colonels the ball and the win.
The Majors out-gained Centre 405-237 in total offensive yards, but turned the ball over three times, while the Colonels did not have any turnovers in the game.
Scotton finished the game with 90 yards rushing on seven carries (12.9 avg.) with a touchdown. Pinque gained 62 yards on 18 carries (3.4 avg.) and also had a score.
Gallas led the defense in tackles for the second straight week tallying 10 tackles, including one tackle for a loss and the one interception.
Today's win by Centre, along with Trinity University's win over Birmingham Southern College, sets up a game between two unbeaten teams Saturday, Nov. 5 in San Antonio, Texas. The Colonels will play Trinity at 1:30 p.m. CST.
