SEWANEE, Tenn. - The University of the South football team wraps up the season-opening four-game home stand on Saturday from historic Hardee-McGee Field at Harris Stadium, as Sewanee will welcome Millsaps College in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) opener.
THE BASICS
The University of the South (2-1, 0-0) vs. Millsaps College (Mo.) (0-2) | Oct. 1, 1 p.m.
Sewanee, Tenn. | Historic Hardee-McGee Field at Harris Stadium
All-Time Series: Millsaps leads, 46-25-3 (75th Meeting)
A LOOK AT THE MAJORS: Coming off a bye week, Millsaps is 1-2 to start the season. The Majors defeated the War Hawks of McMurry (Texas), but they fell in their two home games to Belhaven (Miss.) in the Riverside Rumble and then No. 17 Wisconsin-Oskosh.
One of the leading returners for the Majors is wide receiver Moise Tezzo. The senior from Houston, Texas was the only First Team selection for Millsaps last season. So far in 2022, Tezzo leads the league in receiving yards with 337 on 25 catches, posting triple-digit numbers in each of his three games in 2022. Recording his 100th career reception last week versus UW-Oskosh, he is eyeing 2,000 receiving yards, needing just 324 yards to eclipse the milestone.
Sophomore Brody Davis has posted a 54% completion rating and a QBR of 105.34. Throwing for 541 yards this season, he is fifth in passing in the SAA, but his 54 completions place him second in the league.
On defense, Thomas Patterson (20) and Nehemiah Coalson (18) are the top-two tacklers on the team.
Isaac Carter enters his third year at the helm of Millsaps Football in 2022, and he has posted a career record of 4-13.
DO NOT EXPECT MANY CHANGES IN POSSESSION: Sewanee and Millsaps are two of the top "ball hogs" in not just the SAA, but in the nation. After three games, the Tigers lead all SAA teams with a 32:53 time of possession, good for 39th in Division III.
However, the Majors are about 38 seconds behind Sewanee in TOP. The team's 32:15 average is 55th in the country and third in the SAA.
In between Sewanee and Millsaps is Rhodes with a 32:33 average.
RUNNING GAME SUCCESS: In last season's matchup with the Majors, the Tigers racked up 400 yards on the ground in the contest from Harper-Davis Field. It was third-most rushing yards the Majors allowed that season.
The 400 rushing yards is the third-most for Sewanee in a game since 2012, and it was the first time since Nov. 16, 2013 that the Tigers posted over 400 on the ground. Here are the top-5 rushing yard performances since 2012:
- 449 - Puget Sound (Wash.); Sept. 1, 2012
- 408 - Hendrix; Nov. 16, 2013
- 400 - Millsaps; Oct. 30, 2021
- 378 - Berry; Nov. 8, 2014
- 378 - Williamette (Ore.); Sept. 14, 2013
The Tigers are ranked 31st in the country with an average of 213.3 yards per game on the ground. Birmingham-Southern is tied with Sewanee in the category from the SAA.
On the other side, the Majors are ranked 172nd in rushing defense (181.7).
Michael McGhee, who is closing in on 1,000 career rushing yards, has 284 yards on 43 carries this season with four scores to lead the Purple and White.
THE NATION'S BEST IN PASSING DEFENSE: Sewanee's nation's best passing defense will be put to the test in the conference opener on Saturday. The Purple Tigers lead the nation in passing yards allowed, averaging 48.3 per game.
Millsaps will be the best team by far in terms of opponents Sewanee has faced with a passing game. The Majors average over 200 yards a game through the air, fourth-best in the SAA.
SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND: The 2022 season will be the 100th year of football for Millsaps College. Football started in 1920 in Jackson, Mississippi as the team missed just the 1945 and 1946 seasons.
Of the 100 years, Sewanee and Millsaps have met 74 previous seasons. Saturday's contest at historic Hardee-McGee Field at Harris Stadium will be the 75th time in history. It is the third-longest series in program history, behind Rhodes (88) and Centre (74). The two teams have met in each year since the start of the series in 1947 with the exception of 2020.
The two teams first met after World War II on Nov. 8, 1947 inside Harris Stadium. The Tigers defeated the Majors, 26-13, as the Purple and White went unbeaten (2-0-1) in its first three matchups.
However, history has not been kind to the Purple Tigers in this series, as the Majors have won the last 15 meetings and lead the series, 46-25-3. Sewanee will look to win for the first time in the series since 2005 and the first time since 2002 at home.
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