JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven Blazers football team is set to kickoff the 2015 season on Thursday with the renewal of the Riverside Rumble against Millsaps College at 7 p.m. at Harper Davis Field.
 
The Blazers and Millsaps have not played on the gridiron since Sept. 12, 2009. Belhaven leads the all-time series over the Majors 3-2.
 
Belhaven Athletics will be hosting a march to Harper Davis Field form the Chapel on Riverside Drive on Thursday, beginning at 4:50 p.m. The Blazers Marching Band, Cheerleaders and Dance teams, along with the student body will march with the football team to the stadium.
 
There will be a tailgate for Belhaven fans prior to the game outside of the Visiting team entrance at the stadium.
 
General Admission tickets for the game are $10. All Students who bring and show their Belhaven Student ID will be admitted free of charge.
 
Belhaven is heading into its second season under head coach Hal Mumme, while Millsaps is entering year six under head coach Aaron Pelch.
 
Millsaps finished 2014 at 3-6, while the Blazers posted a 2-9 mark in a rebuilding campaign.
 
Belhaven won three straight from 2003-05, but Millsaps has won the last two meetings in 2008 and 2009.
 
More information on pregame festivities and game day activities will be posted as it becomes available.

SIDEBARS, STREAKS, & STORY LINES

Belhaven kicks off its 18th season of football by travelling up Riverside Drive to play rival Millsaps College on Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m. at Harper Davis Field. The game will be broadcast live on the Blazers Sports Network with Kevin Griffin (play-by-play) and Jay Fletcher (analyst) on the call.

In 2014, the Blazers went 2-9 with an 0-5 record in Mid South Conference play. It was the final season for Belhaven in the NAIA as the Blazers begin the transition to the NCAA and Division III athletics in the 2015-16 academic year.

With the transition to NCAA Division III, Belhaven Athletics has joined the American Southwest Conference as a provisional member in 2015-16. The Blazers have played  two of the ASC's seven other football schools in the program's 17-year history.

Thursday's game will mark the sixth meeting between Belhaven and Millsaps. The Blazers picked up wins in 2003 (34-19 at Millsaps), 2004 (27-10 at Belhaven), and 2005 (30-13 at Millsaps), while Millsaps' victories came in 2008 (14-34 at Belhaven) and 2009 (10-27 at Millsaps). The series is expected to continue as the season opener in the coming seasons.

Belhaven opens the 2015 season on the road for the second consecutive season. The Blazers defeated Texas College last season 44-6 in Tyler, Texas. Belhaven has not won back-to-back lid-lifters on the road in school history (WLLLWLW).

Now in his second season with the Blazers, Hal Mumme owns a 137-128-1 career  collegiate record as he begins his 24th season.

The Blazers enter the 2015 season looking to snap a nine game losing streak dating back to week three in 2014 when the Blazers lost at then No. 4 University of the Cumberlands 27-31. The losing streak is Belhaven's longest in school history, currently two more than the previous streak from 10/18/08 to 9/12/09. The final loss of that streak came against Millsaps in the last meeting between the two programs.

The Blazers have won three of the last four games against outright non-conference opponents, dating back through the 2013 season. The Blazers will have five non-ASC games in 2015, including the first four games of the season.

In 2014, the Blazers ranked in the top 10 in the NAIA in four different offensive categories as a team and six categories with individuals. The Blazers were second in Pass Offense per Game (337.5), fifth in Total Pass Offense (3712), sixth in First Downs per game (24), and 10th in Total Offense per Game (441.8). Wide Receiver Greg Livingston led the nation in Receptions (117), Receptions per Game (10.6), and Receiving yards per game (121), while also ranking third in Total receiving yards (1341). Wide Receiver Darien Thomas ranked fifth in Receiving TDs (13) and QB Brian Ensminger ranked eighth in Pass efficiency (145.7).