CARROLLTON, Ga. –  The top-ranked Valdosta State football team completed its second-straight undefeated regular season with a 42-14 victory at West Georgia Saturday evening in the annual Peach Basket Game.  The Blazers won their eighth Gulf South Conference title and secured back-to-back league championships for the first time since 2001-02.
 
VSU tallied 519 yards of offense in the game as it improved to 10-0 overall and 8-0 in GSC play.  The Blazers had 325 yards on the ground for the fourth time this season of over 300 yards rushing.  VSU had 194 yards through the air, while the Blazer "D" tallied a season-high six sacks for 37 yards and seven tackles for loss for 39 yards, holding UWG to 390 yards and 374 through the air and just 16 rushing yards.  More impressively, the Blazers held UWG to 0 of 4 in the red zone and 5 of 15 on third down.
 
Individually, VSU sophomore running back Jamar Thompkins had nine rushes for 129 yards and three rushing touchdowns for the second time this season.  He averaged a blistering 14.3 yards per carry, while junior quarterback Rogan Wells was 11 of 23 passing for 194 yards and a touchdown.  He also had 12 rushes for 117 yards, making big play after big play in the game.
 
Defensively, the Blazers were all over the field as junior Cory Roberts had a team-high seven tackles with five solo stops, but sophomores Thomas Incoom and Jackson Bull created havoc in the backfield as they combined for 11 tackles, 4.5 sacks for 32 yards and five tackles for loss for 33 yards.  Incoom had two forced fumbles in the game, while redshirt freshman Jaylen Jackson had a late interception as the Blazers forced three turnovers in the game.
 
With the win, VSU won its 25^th-straight game and moved into a tie for 11^th for the longest winning streak in the history of NCAA Division II and a tie for eighth among current D2 schools.  The Blazers improved to 26-13 all-time against UWG and won in Carrollton for the first time since 2013.  It also marked the 200^th Gulf South Conference victory for the Blazers in program history (200-87-3). 
 
Following an opening drive punt from the Wolves, Wells hit junior Lio'undre Gallimore for 45 yards on the first play from scrimmage and Thompkins scampered 26 yards on his first touch for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead in just 37 seconds.
 
After a punt from UWG, Wells used both his legs and arm in the ensuing drive as he ran 31 yards on one play and then hit junior Kenny Benjamin, who returned tonight from an injury for a 20-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 lead with 6:32 left in the first quarter.  It was Benjamin's first action since the Mississippi College game on Oct. 5.
 
UWG countered with a quick drive of its own as quarterback Willie Candler hit Thomas Lester for a 43-yard strike and then found John Hurst for 27 yards and a touchdown for a 14-7 Blazer lead with 5:27 left in the first quarter. 
 
On a fourth and eight from the UWG 23, VSU switched out of a field goal attempt as redshirt freshman punter/kicker Tyson Shaw tried to find senior Travis Taylor in the end zone, but Latrell Gibbs stepped in front of the pass and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown on the pick-six for a 14-14 score.
 
The tie lasted just 1:21 as the Blazers responded quickly with another long rush from Wells for 29 yards and a pair of Thompkins rushes for his second touchdown and a 21-14 score.  Following punts by both teams, UWG moved to the VSU six courtesy of a 12-play drive, but kicker Omar Cervantes missed a 23-yard field goal wide right with 6:16 left in the half. 
 
UWG tried to regain the momentum out of halftime as it began the half with a great onside kick getting the ball at the UWG 46.  The Wolves moved down to the VSU 10, but a huge unsportsmanlike penalty on Candler cost the Wolves 15 yards on fourth and seven.  Cervantes missed his second field goal of the game.
 
The Blazers made the Wolves pay for the mistake as Wells hit Gallimore on 3^rd and 10 for 15 yards and then found senior Darrell Myers for 37 yards on 3^rd and 5.  Thompkins scored his third touchdown of the game for a 28-14 lead with 10:34 left in the third. 
 
VSU turned the Wolves over on downs on 4^th and goal from the VSU 20 and then Blazer sophomore Seth McGill scored on the ensuing drive for a 35-14 lead with 3:31 left in the third.
 
Senior Kahlil Welsh and Incoom came up with big plays defensively in the fourth, forcing and recovering two fumbles early in the frame and then senior Quahlin Patterson scored on the ground from four yards out for a 42-14 lead.  VSU redshirt freshman Jaylen Jackson came up with his first interception late in the game.
 
VSU will no await the 2019 NCAA Division II Football Selection Show, scheduled for Sunday evening at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.  The Blazers have a good chance to earn the coveted first round bye as they entered the week as the top ranked team in the final public Super Region rankings. 
Check back with vstateblazers.com for complete information on the NCAA postseason following the announcement Sunday evening.