Tam Patterson endured a rough start but finished with a flourish as Millsaps rallied from an early deficit to beat Belhaven 36-20 in the Riverside Rumble on Thursday night.
Patterson, a senior running back from Corinth and an All-SAA selection in 2025, fumbled twice in the first quarter. One of those loose balls eventually led to former Majors quarterback Ian Burleson scoring a 1-yard rushing touchdown to give Belhaven an early 7-0 lead.
Millsaps kicker Connor Babin knocked in a 41-yard field goal late in the first quarter to cut the deficit to 7-3.
From the second quarter on, though plagued by a dozen Millsaps penalties, the game was controlled by the Majors. Derrick Tasby Jr. put Millsaps ahead for the first time with a 5-yard rushing touchdown. Mitch Taylor added another score on the ground, this one from 12 yards out, to extend the lead to 17-7 going into halftime.
Quarterback Grant Bizjack opened the third quarter with a 5-yard rushing touchdown.
Patterson then found redemption for his early fumbles when he caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Bizjack, giving Millsaps a commanding 30-7 lead.
As the Belhaven crowd began to depart Harper Davis Field, the Blazers found the scoreboard again when Cayson Williams pushed the ball across the goal line with seconds remaining in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 30-14.
After a Millsaps interception was negated by a roughing-the-passer penalty with under six minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Jacob DeAngelo scored on a 1-yard run to make it 30-20 and give Belhaven a chance to make it a one-possession game. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
Patterson put the game away on Millsaps’ next drive, turning the corner and racing 25 yards for his second touchdown of the night. He finished with 97 yards on 16 touches and helped Millsaps win its second Riverside Rumble in three years.
Quick stats
- In addition to Patterson’s 97 yards, Millsaps used a committee approach at running back. Taylor added 65 yards and a touchdown, while Kevin Rogers II rushed for 63 yards. Tasby found the end zone on his lone carry.
- Bizjack completed 15 of 23 passes for 174 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The reigning SAA Newcomer of the Year also rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown.
- Davis Dare led the Majors’ receiving corps with four catches for 60 yards. He also made a couple flashy plays on special teams.
- Myles Johnson led Millsaps with six tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. Jacques Airhart added a sack, while Kyle Veal Jr. intercepted a pass.
- For Belhaven, Burleson completed 15 of 23 passes for 232 yards and an interception. The Blazers had several dropped passes throughout the night, though John Davis finished with a career-high 110 receiving yards.
- Julien Tabor led Belhaven’s rushing attack with 94 yards on 16 carries, while Williams scored on one of his three carries.
- John Ross Craven led the Blazers with eight tackles, including one for loss.
Next up
Millsaps: The Majors (1-0) will hit the road and play at Centenary in Shreveport, La., on Saturday, Sept. 12. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.
Belhaven: The Blazers (0-1) will play their home opener against East Texas Baptist on Saturday, Sept. 12. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.
