Game Notes (PDF Format)

VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 7 Valdosta State Blazer football team returns home to host Gulf South Conference newcomer North Greenville University for Homecoming Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
 
OPENING DRIVE NOTES

• VSU (7-0, 5-0 GSC) is coming off a 51-21 win at Florida Tech on Saturday as the Blazers scored a touchdown as time expired off a fumble recovery for their sixth-straight game of scoring 50 or more points this season.
• North Greenville (4-2, 3-1 GSC) is coming off a 41-7 win over Shorter last weekend.  This is the first meeting on the gridiron between Valdosta State and North Greenville.         
• Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming and ticket information at vstateblazers.com on the football schedule page.  The game will be broadcast on 92.1 FM with Spencer Van Horn and Scott James having the call.
• Valdosta State is in its 37th year of intercollegiate football and owns an overall record of 287 wins, 126 losses and four ties.  
• VSU head coach Kerwin Bell is 20-7 at Valdosta State in his third season, after enjoying a strong start in 2016 with an 8-3 record in his initial campaign and a berth in the NCAA playoffs. 
• The Blazers are 31-5 all-time on Homecoming and have won 18 of their past 20 on Homecoming, but are looking to avenge a loss last season as West Alabama downed the Blazers 38-14 in 2017, snapping a school-record 17-game winning streak on Homecoming.  Saturday marks the second Homecoming game on Oct. 20 as VSU defeated Delta State on this date in 2012, 59-41. 
• The Blazers are 5-1 all-time on Oct. 20 and have won four-straight on this date dating back to a 37-22 loss at East Tennessee State in 1990.  The Blazers are 2-0 at home on this date and 2-1 on the road with a neutral site win in 1984 against West Georgia, 20-13. 
• Senior kicker Andrew Gray earned his second-straight Gulf South Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors this week after going 6-6 in extra-points and made his seventh field goal of the season (7-10), in the win at Florida Tech.
• VSU leads the nation in scoring offense at 54.7 points per game.  The Blazers also lead the nation in defensive touchdowns with four as one of four teams tied for the lead nationally.  Sophomore quarterback Rogan Wells leads the nation in points responsible for (180) and points responsible for per game (25.7), while junior wide receiver Lio'undre Gallimore leads the nation in yards per reception at 28.2 yards per catch.
• The Blazers moved to seventh this week in the AFCA Coaches Top 25 for the highest ranking since 2013 when the Blazers began the season No. 1 after the program's third national championship in 2012.  VSU has been ranked in the AFCA Top 10 144 weeks in program history and 238 weeks in the top 25 all-time.
• The Crusaders lead the GSC in net punting at 39.49 for seventh nationally, while leading the conference in first down defense allowing just 106 for 26th nationally.  NGU is second to VSU in redzone defense in the GSC, holding teams to a 0.684 clip for 28th nationally.  The Crusaders are third in the league in rushing defense (143.7), fourth in scoring defense (21.3), third in passing efficiency defense (113.16), second in tackles for loss (7.5), second in TOP (31:44) and second in turnovers gained.

 
INSIDE THE SERIES

• This is the first meeting in the series between the two teams.
• VSU is 3-1 all-time against teams from the Palmetto State as the Blazers have played Newberry four times. VSU last played Newberry on Sept. 8, 2011, with a 24-17 win in Valdosta.

 
MEET THE COACHES

• VSU head coach Kerwin Bellis in his third season at the helm of the Blazers.  Bell is 20-7 at VSU and is 86-42 overall 12 seasons of coaching, including nine seasons at the University of Jacksonville, where he went 66-35.  
• North Greenville head coach Jeff Farrington is 36-27 at the helm of the Crusaders in his sixth season. He had his best season to date at NGU in 2016 guiding the Crusaders to the NCAA Playoffs with a 9-5 record. Farrington came to NGU from Virginia Military, where he was the defensive coordinator.  Farrington graduated in 1982 from The Citadel and lettered twice as a defensive back.  Farrington had G.A. positions at The Citadel, East Carolina and Florida State.

 
A WIN OVER NORTH GREENVILLE WOULD . . . 

• Give VSU a 8-0 record to start the season, marking the best overall start since 2003 when the team began 8-0.  
• Give VSU a 6-1 record on Oct. 20 as the Blazers last played on this date in 2012 with 59-41 win over Delta State in Valdosta.
• Give VSU a 6-0 record in Gulf South Conference play, marking the first 6-0 start in league play since 2004, when the Blazers won their first National Championship.
• Be the 288th win in program history, the 190th GSC victory. 
• Give Coach Kerwin Bell his 21st win at VSU (20-7) and 87th overall (86-42).
• Give the Blazers a 32-5 record all-time on Homecoming and snap just the third losing skid (1 game) on Homecoming since football began in 1982.

 
GAMEDAY NOTES

• This will be the third-straight week VSU has played an afternoon game as the Blazers won 59-28 against Delta State on Oct. 6 and 51-21 last week at Florida Tech.  Bell is 2-0 in afternoon games this season and 9-3 in his career at VSU. 
• VSU ranks 13th nationally and first in the GSC in 3rd down conversions at a 0.475 clip, while ranking first in the GSC and 28th nationally in 3rd percentage defense at a 0.303 clip as FIT was 2 of 11 on the pivotal down last week.  VSU also is holding teams to a 0.313 clip on 4th down for 26th nationally and second in the league to North Greenville.
• VSU and Florida Tech are among four teams leading the nation in defensive touchdowns as freshman Aaron Dawson's 88-yard fumble return was the fourth defensive score of the season for the Blazers last week in the win at Florida Tech.
• The Blazers are 11th nationally and first in the league in first downwith 168 for the season, while VSU is 21st nationally and second in the league in fewest interceptions with just four for 21st nationally.  VSU is 18th nationally and leads the league in passing offense at 291.7 yards per game, while ranking 13th nationally and second in the league in passing yards per completion at 15.83.
• VSU is fourth nationally and first in the league in punt return defense, holding teams to 0.5 yards per punt return, while ranking fifth nationally in red zone defense as teams are scoring at a 0.579 clip in the red zone.
• Conversely, the VSU red zone offense is 12th nationally at 0.917 to lead the league. VSU is second in the GSC and 20th nationally in sacks allowed (1.00) and 28th nationally and second in the league in scoring defense (19.3).  VSU is 14th nationally and second in the league in tackles for loss allowed at 4.29, while ranking seventh nationally in passing efficiency at 168.06 and 19th in passing efficiency defense (103.59) for second in the league.
• The Blazers are 10th nationally in sacks (3.43) to lead the league, while leading the league and ranking 15th nationally in tackles for loss (8.7).  
• VSU is second nationally in total offense at 535.7 behind Colorado School of Mines (540.1).  VSU has had five games of 500 or more yards of total offense this season and one of 600 or more.
• Grayis fourth in the GSC in field goals per game (1.00) and ranks 33rnd nationally. Freshman Michael Henderson is third in the GSC and 40th nationally in kickoff returns at 25.3.  He is 15th nationally in scoring at 10.1 points per game to lead the league. Wells ranks 14th nationally in passing efficiency (165.9) to lead the GSC, third nationally in passing touchdowns (25), 17th in passing yards (1,809), 20th in passing yards per game (258.4), 10th in passing yards per completion (15.73) and 13th in total offense at 299.9 yards per game to lead the league.
• Sophomore wide receiver Brian Saunds is ninth nationally in receiving touchdowns to lead the league with eight scores, while he is third in the GSC and 24th nationally in punt returns at 12.9. Saunds is third in the GSC In receiving yards with 451 for second on the team behind Gallimore who is second in the league with 564.  Gallimore also is second in the league in receiving yards per game at 80.6.
• Freshman Jamar Thompkins is second in the GSC and 30th nationally in rushing yards with 654 to lead the team.  He is second in the league and 44th nationally in rushing touchdowns with six, while Wells is third in the league with five rushing touchdowns.  Wells used a 48-yard touchdown run for the longest of his career last week at Florida Tech and finished leading the team in rushing with 12 carries for a career-high 120 yards becoming the first quarterback to rush for 100 yards in a game since 2009.
• North Greenville leads the GSC in blocked punts with two this season for sixth nationally, while field goal kicker Matt Gravely ranks eighth nationally and second in the league in field goals per game at 1.4.  He is sixth nationally in field goal percentage at 0.875.  Quarterback Will Hunter is second in the league in completion percentage at 0.611, while he is fifth in the league in completions per game at 17.0.  Hunter is third in the league in passing efficiency (139.6), fifth in passing touchdowns (11), fourth in passing yards per completion (12.7) and seventh in total offense (199.0).  
• Punter Bobby Foos is third in the league in punting and 37th nationally at 41.1 yards per punt, while Lucas Catalfomo is fourth in the league in receivingyards with 412.  He is second in the league in receptions per game at 4.8, while teammate Demajiay Rooks is fourth at 4.7.