Football 12/5/2018 3:27:00 PM

No. 3 Blazers Host No. 11 Falcons Saturday Afternoon in NCAA Semifinals

Game Notes in PDF Format

OPENING DRIVE NOTES:

The No. 3-ranked Blazers host No. 11 Notre Dame College (Ohio) Saturday at 12 p.m. ET in one of two NCAA Division II National Semifinals. The Blazers are 12-0 on the year, while Notre Dame is 13-0.
The second semifinal matchup pits Ferris State (Mich.) at Minnesota State at 2 p.m. CT as both games will be televised on ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN App.
The winners will advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship scheduled for Dec. 15 at 4 p.m. ET in McKinney, Texas, at McKinney ISD Stadium.
VSU is playing in its fifth national semifinal since 2000 and is hosting its first since 2004, when it defeated West Chester 45-21.
This marks the third time VSU has hosted a semifinal and is 2-0 previously.
Notre Dame is appearing in its first national semifinal and this marks the first year the Falcons have been in the NCAA postseason playoffs. NDC earned the No. 1-seed in Super Region One this season.
VSU is 24-12 all-time in the NCAA postseason with national championships in 2004, 2007 and 2012, while finishing runner-up in 2002. This season marks the first time since 2002 VSU has hosted each round of the playoffs prior to the national championship round.
Two of the three remaining Harlon Hill Finalists will be showcased in the game Saturday as VSU sophomore Rogan Wells has had an outstanding season earning Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Super Region Two Offensive Player of the Year honors, first team all-region, while earning Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year accolades.
Notre Dame freshman running back Jaleel McLaughlin is the Harlon Hill finalist for the Harlon Hill as he is third nationally in all-purpose yards at 191.2, while ranking 13th nationally in yards per carry (6.9), ninth in rushing TD's (18), while leading the nation in rushing yards at 2,246 and second in rushing yards per game at 172.8. McLaughlin is 26th in scoring at 8.8 points per game and 13th in total points with 114. He ranks 10th nationally in total touchdowns with 19.
McLaughlin's teammate Marvelle Ross is 11th nationally in receiving yards (1,125), while ranking 30th in receiving yards per game at 86.5. Ross is 38th nationally in receptions per game at 5.5, while ranking 28th nationally in combined kick returns (659).
Ross and McLaughlin have combined for a NCAA record 4,314 all-purpose yards by two teammates in one season. McLaughlin became the first back in Mountain East Conference history to break 2,000 yards rushing and Ross became the second individual to break 1,000 receiving yards, while both handle return duties for the Falcons. McLaughlin was named American Football Coaches Association First Team All-America.
VSU has won its last 13 games dating back to last season and is tied with Notre Dame and Minnesota State for the second longest current winning streak in the country behind Ferris State who has won its last 14 games.
All four of the remaining teams have the top current winning streaks in the NCAA Division II and are the only remaining undefeated teams in Division II. Overall, with the four in D2, there are a total of 13 undefeated teams left in the NCAA, with four in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), two in Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and three in Division III.

INSIDE THE SERIES:

This is the first meeting on the gridiron between the two schools.
This also marks the first meeting for VSU against a current member of the Mountain East Conference and the first meeting against a team from the State of Ohio.

MEET THE COACHES:

VSU head coach Kerwin Bellis in his third season at the helm of the Blazers. Bell is 25-7 at VSU and is 91-42 overall in 12 seasons of coaching, including nine seasons at the University of Jacksonville, where he went 66-35. He was named GSC Co-Coach of the Year with former VSU head coach and current West Georgia head coach David Dean.
Notre Dame College head coach Mike Jacobs is in his third season at NDC as he is 30-5 there. He was hired in 2016, after serving the previous two years as Defensive Line Coach and Defensive Coordinator. Jacobs played collegiately at Ohio State for both John Cooper and Jim Tressell on the offensive line, from 1997-2001, playing in two Sugar Bowls.

A WIN OVER NOTRE DAME COLLEGE WOULD . . .

Give VSU a 13-0 record for the season and run its winning streak to 14 games dating back to the 2017 season as VSU enters tied for the second-longest current winning streak in NCAA Division II (13 games) behind Ferris State (14).
Give VSU its 25th win in the NCAA postseason (24-12) as VSU is sixth all-time in D2 in NCAA wins, while fourth among current D2 members.
Mark the first national championship appearance for the Blazers since 2012 when they won their third national championship.
Be the 293rd win in program history (292-126-4)
Give Coach Kerwin Bell his 26th win at VSU (25-7) and 92nd overall (91-42).
Be the fifth win over a ranked team this season (4-0) and the 62nd in program history (61-59-2).
Be the third win on Dec. 8 in program history (2-0), as the previous two times (2007, 2012) VSU went on to win the national championship.
Give the Blazers a 11-2 record all-time in December and a 17-6 mark all-time in the playoffs at home.
Be the third time VSU has won 13 games in a season (2004, 2007).

BLAZER BITS:

The Blazers are looking for their fifth appearance in the NCAA National Championship since 2000 as they were runner-up in 2002, while winning in 2004, 2007 and 2012.
In the postseason, the Blazers are averaging 63.5 points per game, while allowing just 18.5. VSU has recorded 670 yards on the ground (335.0 per game and 6.9 per carry) and 470 through the air. The Blazers are 39 of 56 passing for an 8.5 average per pass, while recording 238 yards per game passing. VSU has nine rushing touchdowns and seven passing in the postseason.
Defensively, VSU has allowed just 125 yards on the ground for the postseason and 2.3 yards per carry, while teams have thrown for 504 yards on 32 of 63 passing with four interceptions as VSU has scored 31 points off six turnovers. The Blazers haven't turned the ball over in the postseason and since Nov. 10 in the 47-31 win over West Georgia.
Thompkins has 21 carries for 162 yards and two scores, while McGill has 124 yards on 21 carries with three scores to lead the rushing attack in the postseason. Wells is 31 of 47 for 373 yards and four touchdown passes, while running 22 times for 110 yards and two rushing scores.
VSU won its seventh Gulf South Conference title with a 47-31 win over then-No. 3 West Georgia on Nov. 10, and its first league title since sharing the crown in 2010. It was the first outright title since 2004.
The Blazers are the top team in NCAA Division II in yards per carry this season at 7.7.
Of the 103 offensive scoring drives this season, 19 of them have come on drives of less than a minute, and six of them have been of one play.
Fast starts have been the theme for the Blazers this season as they have scored on the first possession nine of the 12 games this season (also received the opening kick in every game this season). In six of the last seven games, VSU has scored on its opening possession. VSU has outscored the opposition 54-28 on the opening possession this season.
Conversely, both VSU and the opposition have struggled to open the second half, but the Blazers did score a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half against Bowie State (Nov. 24), marking the first opening drive score for VSU since Oct. 6 versus Delta State. VSU has outscored the opposition 31-0 in opening drives of the second half.
VSU leads the nation in scoring at 54.1 points per game and has scored 44 or more points in all 12 games this season, marking the only team in all three divisions of the NCAA to achieve that feat. VSU has scored 60 or more points three times this season and each of the last two games.
The Blazers have been outstanding on third down this season as they are 17th nationally and lead the GSC at a .465 clip, while ranking 21st nationally and holding teams to a .302 clip for third down defense.
VSU is tied with GSC foe Florida Tech with six defensive touchdowns to lead the nation. Senior Stephen Denmark picked off Bowie State quarterback Amir Hall for a 28-yard return giving VSU a 14-10 lead it would never relinquish Nov. 24 in the second quarter. That score was part of a 66-6 run the Blazers had over the final three quarters after being outscored 10-0 in the first quarter against the Bulldogs.
When the Blazers get into the red zone...they score and also prevent the other team from scoring. VSU leads the nation in red zone offense at .922, while holding teams to a .629 clip in the red zone for eighth nationally. Notre Dame College leads the nation in red zone defense at .514.
Just as the offense has been outstanding this year, so has the defense as the Blazers rank fifth nationally in team sacks at a 3.58 clip, while the team ranks 18th nationally in team tackles for loss at 8.3 per game.
VSU is second nationally in total offense at a 542.4 clip, as Colorado School of Mines leads at 556.8.
Senior kicker Andrew Gray ranks seventh nationally in field goals per game as he is 17 of 22 on the season for a 1.42 clip and is eighth nationally in scoring at 11.1 points per game with 133 points. He broke the school single-season scoring record of 126 last week in the win over Lenoir-Rhyne. Gray has 317 career points as he is one point shy of the school career scoring record of 318 set by Aaron Jenkins (2000-03).
Sophomore wide receiver and return specialist Brian Saunds is 21st nationally in punt returns at 12.0 per return, while is 21st in receiving touchdowns with 10.
VSU's 649 points scored this season set the Gulf South Conference record for points in a season surpassing the Blazers' previous GSC mark of 617 set in 2001 in 13 games.

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Players Mentioned

#10 Stephen Denmark: CB; 6' 4"; Junior

#41 Andrew Gray: K; 6' 0"; Junior

#3 Rogan Wells: QB; 6' 3"; Freshman

#83 Brian Saunds: WR; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#10 Stephen Denmark
: 6' 4"; Junior
: CB

#41 Andrew Gray
: 6' 0"; Junior
: K

#3 Rogan Wells
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: QB

#83 Brian Saunds
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: WR