FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[consultant]

Millsaps defeats Austin College 26-11.   Millsaps improves to 3-3 overall and 2-0 in the SCAC.  It's the first time Millsaps has won three straight games since the 2001 season.  Coach Dubose called the victory "ugly."  But he and I both will take it.  Millsaps puts up 444 yards of total offense.  

[Hawks88]

Touchdown Huntingdon. Golson pass to Colson. Kick is good. HC leads 21-14. Converted a 4th and inches in the drive. Around 9 minutes left.

Hawks recover a fumble at CC 43.

Teams swap punts but HC muffs ours to give CC the ball at HC 43. 5:19 to go.

Hawks recover CC fumble at HC 25

HC misses 49 yd field goal. 3 minutes left

CC makes it on 4th down at 49 yd line 1:25 left

:22 left CC has 4th and short at HC 30

4th dowb :06 left
1st down at 25

clock didn't run. after getting first down and grounding ball, still :21 left. officails take it down to :17

incomplete on 4th down

game over. final HC 21 CC 14

[Hawks88]

Fun game. HC was able to run the ball pretty well this week. After getting behind 14-0, sounded like our defense mostly shut CC down the rest of the way. I don't think CC had a first down in the second half until that final drive. Sounds like we need to get our kicking game straightened out.

[DPU3619]

Not really much to say that isn't obvious.  Good day for the O against the highly-heralded Rhodes D.    D bounced back nicely.  However, not to sure how much of a true litmus test the Rhodes O is.

Beat Millsaps.

[Wizardman]

True. Granted, Rhodes may have been the toughest challenge for Depauw in the sense that the two seemed to be simmilar. If Depauw won by that much though, then they shouldn't have a problem against Millsaps (I expect a shootout in that game, both teams scoring at least 28)

[DPU3619]

Also, Wabash's kicker choked.  No playoffs for the Little Giants.  I'm so sad that I may cry. 

[Josh Bowerman]

Images from this weekend's Austin College/Millsaps game are available to be viewed from the Photo Galleries link on the front page of the site.

Check them out!

[frank_ezelle]

Some interesting numbers from the DePauw-Rhodes game:

                                                   DU       RC
FIRST DOWNS...................          14        8
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............      41-102    29-40
PASSING YDS (NET).............        96      152
Passes Att-Comp-Int...........    17-10-0  24-14-1
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARD   58-198   53-192
Fumble Returns-Yards..........      1-7      2-5
Punt Returns-Yards............        6-62      2-0
Kickoff Returns-Yards.........        2-36     3-41
Interception Returns-Yards....    1-0      0-0
Punts (Number-Avg)............     6-35.5   6-36.7
Fumbles-Lost..................            2-2      4-2
Penalties-Yards...............          1-10     5-36
Possession Time...............       28:33    31:27
Third-Down Conversions........  4 of 12  5 of 14
Fourth-Down Conversions.......   1 of 1   0 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances.......      3-3      2-2
Sacks By: Number-Yards........     3-31     3-33

They hardly look like the numbers you would expect in a 27-6 game.  Rhodes lead in time of possession, the yardage was just about equal, DePauw was only plus 1 in turnovers, very few penalties for either team, etc.  These look like the numbers you would see in a 13-10 game.

[Ron Boerger]

Good observations, Frank ... one of those cases where stats lie.  I listened to most of the game.  DePauw had one big drive in the first half and a lot of three-and-outs.  The other TD came on a short fumble return.  Rhodes could string together a first down or two, but their ineffective rushing game (for which you must credit the DePauw defense) kept them from consistently moving the ball downfield.   As a result, two Lynx drives deep into the red zone ended in FG's instead of TD's.  Change either or both of those and who knows what the final result is.  Jeremiah Marks, on the other hand, just kept making plays and shedding tacklers on his way to 114 hard-earned yards.   He was the only consistent offensive threat either team had. 

DePauw's net +50 yds on punt returns, +25 on penalties were significant on a day when neither team had 200 yards of total offense.   The +1 turnover margin resulted into a DPU TD. 

What it really boils down to is that DPU had Marks and Dustin Hertel, and Rhodes did not.   

[wabashcpa]

The DePauw-Millsaps game this Saturday is very intriguing.  Millsaps has strung together some good games, and their offense is capable of putting up a lot of points.  DePauw has a stingy D, and their offense is starting to put up some points as well.  Long road trip to Jackson won't help the Tigers.

Key for DePauw - chew up clock with running game, keep Millsaps offense off the field
Key for Millsaps - stop Marks, keep pressure off Joseph

Should be a heck of a game, and an important game, as both teams still have the potential to make the playoffs.

[wabashcpa]

Also, Wabash's kicker choked.  No playoffs for the Little Giants.  I'm so sad that I may cry. 

In a bit of role reversal, looks like you're our playoffs this year.  Let's hope this isn't a trend.

[DPU3619]

Key for DePauw - chew up clock with running game, keep Millsaps offense off the field
Key for Millsaps - stop Marks, keep pressure off Joseph

Should be a heck of a game, and an important game, as both teams still have the potential to make the playoffs.

I'm a subscriber to the philosophy that good defense beats good offense.  DPU's 3rd in the SCAC against the pass at about 150 yds/game and have given up only 3 passing TD's on the year (3rd to TU and Rhodes). 

In Millsaps' 6 games they're giving up about 130 yards on the ground.  It sounds like a day that Marks should be able to run wild and run the clock. 

Millsaps may score a lot, but they're also the worst in the league defensively.

[frank_ezelle]

While I'm certainly pulling for Millsaps this Saturday, I can't disagree with anyone who says that DePauw is the favorite.  DePauw has been one of the elites in the SCAC for a long time and Millsaps has strugged in recent years.  Millsaps shouldn't be considered among the elite until they prove it by beating one of the elite SCAC teams.

Millsaps does have an advantage by being the home team and not having to travel 600 miles for the game.  I think the Millsaps offense is capable of putting up enough points to win the game but the question mark is the scoring defense.  The average for the season looks bad but keep in mind that Millsaps gave up 128 points in the first 3 games and only 33 in the last 3 games. 

There is no question that the defense has improved considerably since the start of the year.  On the other hand, Centre did gain 350 yards against Millsaps and their scoring was primarily held down by 5 turnovers.  Austin gained 295 yards against Millsaps and they haven't scored much on anybody.  So it seems to me that the jury is still out on just how much improvement Millsaps has made on defense over the course of the season.  We should know the answer to that on Saturday.

It looks like it will be great weather and a great game that will go a long way in determining the SCAC standings for 2006.

[roocru]

I am just now posting my thoughts on the AC/Millsaps game last week.  I was too busy celebrating my reunion  and then bad weather in Houston delayed my flight until midnight Sunday night.

Once again Austin College was plagued by the inability to really stop the passing game.  Millsaps rushed for 172 but threw for 272.  Joseph looked good most of the day although I thought he might have begun to spook a little late in the game when AC was finally able to get a little pressure  on him.  AC had to give a large cushion due to the speed difference in  their DB's against Millsaps receivers and Joseph made lots of first downs on passes that were broken off in front of the DB's.  The real turning point in the game was right after AC scored to make it 19-11.  On Millsaps first play from scrimmage following the TD,   AC picked him off with good field position and would have had all the momentum in the world.  Alas,    they also roughed the passer and Millsaps got the ball back and scored.

AC seemed to move the ball well between the 20 yard lines.  As was stated earlier they had almost 300 yards of offense themselves. However, in the red zone, as the field got more compressed Millsaps was able to tighten up on the receivers and move more into the box and AC's comparative lack of speed became evident. 

I saw several Millsaps fans at our Athletic Association tailgate and besides being nice folks, they were very complimentary regarding AC's effort and the way the offensive line came off the ball.  They knew it had been a good game.  This was the fourth time I have seen AC play this year and every week they play better.  They are finally getting more of Coach Gage's offense in and their passing game looked the best I have seen it.  Once they are able to recruit some speed at the skill positions and in the secondary and get a little more depth I think they can become a contender in the next few years in the SCAC.  Right now I would just say to everyone to not overlook them.    I think they have a decent chance against Sewanee this week.

[Bill McCabe]

roocru, do you think the move to the SCAC was the right thing for AC?