Tigers Pull off Dramatic, Come-from-Behind SCAC Victory

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - Dan Ryan's 5-yard reception from Jason Lee with 50 seconds remaining and Ben Murray's point-after lifted DePauw to a 14-13 come-from-behind Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference win over host Millsaps College. DePauw improved to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the SCAC with their third straight win, while the Majors fell to 4-3 and 2-2.

The Tigers spotted Millsaps a 13-0 first-half lead as the hosts scored all their points in the second quarter. Derrick McNeal connected on field goals of 40 and 35 yards, respectively, sandwiched around a 77-yard pass play from Allen Cox to Thomas Bowden. Four Tiger turnovers contributed to six Millsaps points.

DePauw opened the second half with a score on the third play of the opening series. Lee teamed with Ryan on an 82-yard pass play on a third and 12 from the Tigers' 18. The play was the longest through the air by the Tigers since Bernie Haskins connected with Jamie Cunha in the 1996 Monon Bell game.

The DePauw defense, which limited Millsaps to just 59 yards of offense in the second half, forced the Majors to punt on each of their first five possessions of the second half.

That set up the Tigers' final, game-winning drive which started on their own 42. Lee found Ryan for a first down on a 14-yard pass play, but on the next play the Tigers were called for an ineligible receiver downfield that forced them into a first-and 27 from their own 39. Lee and Ryan again teamed for a 31-yard gain and a first down at the Millsaps 30. After a 1-yard run by A.J. Smart, Lee completed a 10-yard pass to Joe Schoen to the Majors' 19.

Three straight runs by Smart netted 12 yards and put the ball at the Millsaps 7-yard line with 1:02 remaining. Lee completed a 2-yard pass to Schoen to move the ball to the 5 before Lee lobbed a pass to the right corner of the end zone and the 6'4" Ryan made the grab for the tying score. Murray booted the PAT to give the Tigers the lead, 14-13, with just 50 seconds left.

The Majors took over on their own 18 and, after three straight incomplete passes, were faced with fourth down. The Tigers were called for pass interference with 15 seconds left, giving Millsaps a first down at its own 33. Two more incomplete passes followed and the game ended on a Tiger sack at the Majors' 30.

Defensively, DePauw held the second-ranked rushing team in the SCAC to minus seven yards on the ground and 234 total. Alson Jacquet finished with seven tackles, while Charles Stanback, David Blackburn and Freddy Marrero each had six. Six of Jacquet's went for losses totaling 24 yards. In all, DePauw sacked Cox five times. Blackburn and Justin Tillis each had five breakups including one each on the Majors' final drive. Matt O'Bryant led Millsaps with 15 tackles including five for loss and Craig Bowman added 10 stops.

Lee finished with 285 passing yards with 217 going to Ryan on nine grabs. Ryan's two touchdowns moved his season total to 11 which has already tied the school record set by Tim Weaver in 1984. Schoen caught six for 36 yards and John Stephens added three for 32 yards. Smart finished with 69 rushing yards in 15 carries and Matt King added 49 on nine attempts. After the four first-half turnovers, the Tigers didn't commit one during the final 30 minutes.

Cox finished with 231 passing yards with Jed Lumpkin hauling in a school-record 13 for 104 yards. Brent LeJeune, who entered the game as the conference's top rusher at 98.2 yards per game was held to just 26 in 17 carries.

The win for the Tigers was their third straight and the one-point win marked the sixth game out of the seven played that was decided by six or fewer points.

DePauw is at Centre on Saturday, October 28. The Colonels knocked off previously unbeaten Trinity, 25-21. Millsaps is at Sewanee this Saturday.

TIGER NOTES: DePauw has now won 20 of 22 games over the second half of the last five seasons and all 11 following the midseason break of each of the last three seasons ... The DePauw defense has limited its last two opponents to a combined 19 rushing yards ... Joe Schoen moved into seventh place on the DePauw all-time receptions list with 125 and also ranks seventh with 1,616 career receiving yards. His 52 catches this season is one more than he had all of last season and ranks sixth in school history ... Dan Ryan's 66 points is tied for sixth in school history. Johnathon Stigall holds the DePauw record with 102 in 1998 ... Ryan's 789 receiving yards this season is the fifth-highest single-season total by any DePauw receiver ... Jason Lee's 1,744 passing yards this year ranks sixth in school history for a season.