VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Blazers head into a monster rivalry matchup this weekend on the heels of a win and an off-week. With a 1-2 overall record and a 1-1 mark in conference play, each victory is monumental at this point for the red and black, and VSU's road to the playoffs continues on Saturday with a trip to Carrollton, Ga. for a showdown with the West Georgia Wolves.
West Georgia (4-1, 1-1 GSC) is hot coming into the weekend skirmish, with wins in each of the team's last two matchups against Albany State and North Alabama, respectively. The Blazers, meanwhile, showed tremendous improvement in their last matchup and handed West Florida their first loss of the season in a 30-19 Gulf South Conference win on the road in Pensacola, Fla.
Unranked Valdosta State faces a situation similar to that of last year's matchup against UWG, in that VSU comes into the contest as an underdog. West Georgia recently jumped into the fray of nationally ranked teams, as UWG snuck into the AFCA rankings at No. 25. Last season, West Georgia fell as the No. 12 ranked team in the country, thanks in large part to the efforts of the stellar 2016 VSU secondary. Current Indianapolis Colt Kenny Moore picked off one pass with a big return in the contest, and two of this year's returners accounted for the remaining three. Brandon Roe, who already has one interception this season, netted one pick alongside Raymond Palmer, who recorded two interceptions in the game. The defensive effort led to a 38-27 home victory for the Blazers. In addition, Valdosta State's 546 total yards marked the fourth-best all-time offensive performance by the Blazers against their long-time rival.
Last year's win snapped a three-game skid versus West Georgia, including two losses during the 2015 season at University Stadium. Valdosta State's last game in Carrollton, Ga. was a playoff loss in 2015. This year's matchup marks the 37th all-time between the two teams. VSU leads the series 26-12.
Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., with live audio provided at www.talk921.com. Links for all other forms of coverage, including live stats and a live video stream provided by UWG, are available below and on the main event page at www.vstateblazers.com.
The VSU Alumni Association will also be hosting a tailgating party at Tailgating Area 11 and 12, beginning at noon. Please RSVP to alumni@valdosta.edu or call 229-333-5797 for more information.
