VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Valdosta State Blazers picked up a much needed win last week against the Mississippi College Choctaws and will aim to carry that momentum into another Gulf South Conference matchup this weekend against the Statesmen of Delta State in Cleveland, Miss.
The Blazer offense fired on all cylinders on the big stage during last weekend's ESPN3 Gulf South Conference Game of the Week. Freshman quarterback Rogan Wells continues to make strides this season and delivered his best career outing in the win over Mississippi College with one rushing touchdown and three touchdown passes. Valdosta State also established a strong presence on the ground, rushing for a season high 245 yards. Both Isaiah Johnson and Cedric Hollingshed teamed up to account for 60 and 59 of those rushing yards, respectively.
The opposing Statesmen had a scare last weekend in Pensacola, Fla., as the team went into the fourth quarter trailing 25-14. A clutch rally ensued, however, as DSU scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to keep their tremendous season rolling with a 6-1 overall record and a 4-1 stint against GSC opponents.
Entering Saturday's contest, the Blazers will have to figure out how to slow down one of the league's top rushers, Chris Robinson. The senior currently ranks third in the conference in rushing with 588 yards gained and an average of 84.0 yards per game on the season. Robinson has had a knack for finding the endzone, as proven by his league-leading total of nine rushing touchdowns.
Saturday's matchup marks the 37th all-time between the two rivals, with Delta State holding the all-time series edge at 20-15-1. DSU has taken seven out of the last ten contests between the two teams, but Valdosta State comes into this weekend's contest having won two straight. Last season, the Blazers routed the Statesmen in Valdosta, Ga. with a 56-27 win at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. At Parker Field-McCool Stadium, the Statesmen hold a 10-7-1 all-time advantage.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EST, with live audio provided at www.talk921.com. Links for all other forms of coverage, including live stats and a video stream, will be provided by Delta State via links on the main event page at www.vstateblazers.com.
