1980 Millsaps Majors football team

The 1980 Millsaps Majors football team was an American football team that represented Millsaps College as an independent during the 1980 NCAA Division III football season. In their 17th year under head coach Harper Davis, the team compiled a perfect 9–0 record.[1] The team broke the Millsaps single-game scoring record with 84 points against landmark College in the final game of the season.[2] It was the first undefeated season in Millsaps history.[2]

1980 Millsaps Majors football
ConferenceIndependent
Record9–0
Head coach
Home stadiumAlumni Field
Seasons
← 1979
1981 →
1980 NCAA Division III independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Dayton ^     14 0 0
Millsaps     9 0 0
Wabash     8 0 1
Hofstra     8 2 0
Wagner ^     8 2 0
DePauw     7 2 1
Salisbury State     7 3 1
Catholic University     6 3 0
Sonoma State     6 4 0
Canisius     5 4 0
Brockport     5 4 1
Buffalo     6 5 0
Albany     5 5 0
Georgetown     4 4 0
San Diego     5 5 0
UCF     4 4 1
Saint Mary's     5 6 0
Duquesne     4 5 0
Frostburg State     4 5 0
Grove City     4 5 0
Norwich     4 6 0
Rochester (NY)     3 5 1
St. Norbert     3 6 0
Cortland     3 7 0
Colorado College     2 7 0
Saint Francis (PA)     2 7 0
Union (NY)     1 7 0
Fordham     0 9 0
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant

The team ran a rushing-based offense, tallying 2,612 rushing yards and only 633 passing yards. The individual statistical leaders included tailback James Henley with 70 points scored and 573 rushing yards on 80 carries (7.2 yards per carry), quarterback Chris Busick with 303 passing yards (20-34-1), and M. Smith with 10 receptions for 228 yards.[3]

The team played its home games at Alumni Field in Jackson, Mississippi.

Schedule

edit
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 6Fisk
W 51–02,000[4]
September 13at Southwestern (TN)Memphis, TNW 26–102,300[5][6]
September 20at SewaneeSewanee, TNW 33–72,000[7]
September 27at UCFW 8–712,793[8]
October 4Saint Leo
  • Alumni Field
  • Jackson, MS
W 67–02,300[9]
October 11vs. Baptist UniversityAtlanta, GAW 57–02,000[10]
October 18Baptist Christian 
  • Alumni Field
  • Jackson, MS
W 7–02,400[11]
October 25at MaryvilleMaryville, TNW 17–72,100[12]
November 8Landmark
  • Alumni Field
  • Jackson, MS
W 84–02,300[13]
  •  Homecoming

[14]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Undefeated Millsaps plays 'just for fun'". The Greenwood Commonwealth. Associated Press. November 10, 1980. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "How do you win one 84-0? Nothing to it for Millsaps". The Clarion Ledger. November 9, 1980. p. 6D – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Millsaps statistics". Clarion Ledger. November 28, 1980. p. 5F – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Millsaps routs Fisk 51-0". The Greenwood Commonwealth. September 7, 1980. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Majors' pass defense paces Millsaps past Southwestern". The Clarion Ledger. September 14, 1980. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Majors Strike Early To Defeat Lynx". The Commercial Appeal. September 14, 1980. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Millsaps 33, Sewanee 7". Vicksburg Sunday Post. September 21, 1980. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "UCF tricked 8-7". Sentinel Star. September 28, 1980. p. 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Millsaps stampedes by St. Leo". The Clarion-Ledger. October 5, 1980. p. 5D – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "6-0 'Saps smacks Baptist, 57-0". The Clarion-Ledger. October 12, 1980. p. 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Millsaps nips Baptist Christian, 7-0". The Clarion-Ledger. October 19, 1980. p. 5C – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Maryville streak Halted by Millsaps Defense". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. October 26, 1980. p. D8 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Undefeated Millsaps Gives Landmark a 84-0 Shellacking". The Tampa Tribune. November 10, 1980. p. 3-Polk – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Final 1980 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 29, 2024.