VALDOSTA, Ga. – In a matchup of the two unbeaten teams in Gulf South Conference play, the top-ranked Valdosta State football team held off a furious second half rally from No. 20 West Florida to clinch at least a share of the 2019 Gulf South Conference title with a 26-21 victory Saturday evening at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
 
The Blazers (9-0, 7-0 GSC) ran their winning streak to a GSC record 24 games, surpassing the previous best of 23-straight victories held by North Alabama in 1994-95.  VSU also won its 13^th-staright home victory and 20^th-straight regular season win.  VSU put its name on the conference championship for the eighth time and in back-to-back seasons with the win Saturday.  The Blazers close the regular season next weekend at rival West Georgia, while West Florida entertains West Alabama.  
 
The victory was no easy game in the second matchup of ranked teams for the Blazers this season.  VSU took the opening kickoff and moved right down the field on the GSC's top-ranked defense for a 10-play, 76-yard drive using 5:04 off the clock.  Sophomore running back Seth McGill scored from two yards out for a 7-0 lead for the only score of the quarter.   In the first quarter, VSU held the ball for 11:39 minutes and had 22 plays for 187 yards, while UWF had just eight plays for 16 yards.  
 
VSU quarterback Rogan Wells hit sophomore running back Jamar Thompkins on a 22-yard pass on 3^rd and 6 from the UWF 22 for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 13:20 left in the first half.  Following a punt from the Argonauts, Wells got the Blazers out of a 3^rd and nine at the VSU 37 with a great 22-yard run, but had to settle for a field goal on a 13 play 84-yard drive and a 17-0 lead.  
 
The Blazer "D" kept the high-powered UWF offense in check and forced another punt from Dawson Hamlin, his fourth of the half, as VSU took over with 1:52 left.  VSU settled for another field goal from sophomore Fernando Ramirez for a 20-0 lead at intermission.  
 
VSU absolutely dominated the first half to the tune of 402 yards of offense on 45 plays, while UWF had just 20 plays for 62 yards.  VSU held a 19-4 lead in first downs, while Wells was 18 of 25 passing for 283 yards and touchdown.  
 
The Argos came out of halftime with a renewed vigor as they used a 10 play, 79-yard drive for 5:12 on the clock as Shomari Mason scored from four yards out for a 20-7 score with 9:40 left in the third quarter.  VSU fumbled on its next possession, as UWF quickly turned the miscue into points with quarterback Austin Reed hitting Quentin Randolph for eight yards and a score for a 20-14 margin with 4:11 left in the quarter.  
 
With the momentum clearly in favor of UWF, Wells came up with a big pickup of ten yards on a 3^rd and five to avoid a three-and-out on the ensuing drive.  Wells then converted another third down with his feet and McGill scored his second rushing touchdown of the game early in the fourth for a 26-14 score as VSU failed the two-point conversion.  
 
Following punts by both teams, UWF took over at its own 33.  The offense continued to click in the second half for the visitors as Mason rushed on the first four carries for 41 yards.  Following two incomplete passes, Reed hit Tate Lehtio for 16-yards on a 4^th and 9 from the VSU 31 and then found Randolph for nine yards.  Mason scored from six yards out for a 26-21 score with 5:41 left. 
 
Penalties started mounting for the Blazers as they had to punt from their own six, but redshirt freshman Tyson Shaw got off a 40-yarder with the Argos getting great field possession at the VSU 46.  Mason had an initial run of seven yards, but the Blazer "D" got great pressure and threw off Reed's timing with three-straight incomplete passes, along with a big holding penalty on the Argos.  
 
On 4^th and 20 from the UWF 44, the Argos punted with 3:33 left.  McGill came up huge for the Blazers with a 24-yard run on 3^rd and 2, while Thompkins scampered seven yards on 1^st and 20 after a penalty on the Blazers.  UWF had one timeout left and took it with 1:43 remaining as VSU was able to run the clock out for the victory. 
 
For the game, VSU tallied 538 yards of offense, bust just 136 in the second half, while UWF had 282 total yards and 220 in the second half.  VSU had 181 yards rushing, while holding UWF to 92 yards on the ground.  VSU went 27 of 37 passing for 357 yards, while UWF was 19 of 32 for 190 yards passing.  
 
Entering the game, UWF was second nationally in scoring defense at 11.0 points allowed per game, while it was tenth in total defense, holding teams to just 264.3 yards per game.  
 
Wells was 26 of 36 for 350 yards and a score, while running the ball ten times for 63 yards.  Thompkins had 65 yards on the ground, while McGill had 13 carries for 53 yards and two scores.  Junior wide receiver Brian Saunds had some big catches in the game with four for a team-high 98 yards, while Thomkins had three catches for 53 yards and a score.  
 
Defensively, VSU had two sacks for 12 yards and four tackles for loss for 14 yards, while it harassed Reed for five quarterback hurries and five pass breakups.  Junior Cory Roberts paced the team with seven tackles, while junior Ja'Davien Williams had three solo tackles, two sacks for 12 yards and two tackles for loss.  
 
Reed was 19 of 32 passing for 190 yard and a score as Lehtio had eight catches for 103 yards and Mason had 12 runs for 87 yards and two touchdowns.  Chanler Ferguson and D'Anthony Bell each had 12 tackles, while Ferguson tallied three tackles for loss for seven yards and two hurries.