SETTING THE SCENE
The top-ranked Valdosta State football team closes out the 2019 regular season home slate Saturday at 7:05 p.m. against No. 20 West Florida in a battle of Gulf South Conference unbeatens. The winner will earn at least a share of the 2019 Gulf South Conference title. The game is part of the 2019 NCAA Division II Football Showcase.
D2 FOOTBALL SHOWCASE
This marks the seventh time VSU has participated in the D2 Football Showcase and second time this season as VSU downed Ohio Dominican on Sept. 14 in the 2019 home-opener to improve to 3-3 all-time in the showcase. This marks the fifth time the Showcase game has been played in Titletown. The end of the season Showcase games are picked by ESPN and the NCAA highlighting games with NCAA playoff implications over the final few weeks of the season.
STREAKS
VSU is coming off a thrilling 20-15 win at North Greenville on Oct. 26 as it won its 23rd-straight game, tying the Gulf South Conference record for consecutive wins by former league member North Alabama from 1994-1995. With a win Saturday, VSU would move into the top 15 all-time in NCAA Division II for consecutive victories as Northwest Missouri State (1999-00), North Dakota State (1964-66) and Wesleyan (Conn./1945-48) each won 24 games consecutively. Along with the 23-straight wins, VSU has won 12-straight home games with the game last Saturday, which is tied for third in Division II with Lenoir-Rhyne as Tarleton State (Texas) and Notre Dame (Ohio) lead the way with 13-straight home victories. The Blazers also have won 19-straight regular season wins, for third all-time in the GSC. VSU has the most all-time regular season wins in a row in GSC history with 35 from 2000-03.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE BLAZERS
North Greenville gave VSU all it could handle in the 20-15 victory by the Blazers two weeks ago. VSU trailed for a majority of the game (led for just 6:23), but junior quarterback
Rogan Wells scampered 40 yards on a 4th and 2 from the NGU 40 for a touchdown with 49 seconds left and junior
Cory Roberts tallied his second interception of the game on the ensuing NGU drive for the victory. In its lowest game statistically speaking, the Blazers did enough to battle back from a 9-0 deficit at halftime and a 15-14 deficit in the final minute for the victory. It marked the first time VSU hadn't scored 30 or more points in a game since Nov. 4, 2017 for a span of 23 games.
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH WEST FLORIDA
The Blazers own a 3-0 record all-time against the Argos. VSU won the first meeting in 2016 in Valdosta, 40-28, while winning the last two meetings in Pensacola, including a 48-21 victory last season as the Blazers outscored the Argos 31-7 in the second half.
HOW TO CATCH THE GAME
The game will be on ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN App, while radio coverage can be heard in Valdosta on 92.1 WDDQ in Valdosta with Spencer Van Horn and Wade Beale having the call. Fans can access links to live stats and audio/video streaming of the game at vstateblazers.com on the football schedule page.
ON THIS DATE
The Blazers are 4-1 all-time on November 9, and have won their last four meetings this date. VSU is 3-0 at home on this date and 1-1 on the road. The Blazers last played on Nov. 9 in 2006 with a 38-13 victory at West Georgia.
SENIOR NIGHT
Tonight night marks the final regular season home game for 18 seniors who have had outstanding careers for the Blazers, including winning the program's fourth national championship in 2018. The 2019 senior class includes;
Alex Brown, Sage Cobb,
Stanley Dye,
Antonio Howard,
Brandon Kemp,
Bryndan McCoy, Joseph Mozone,
Dalton Mydell,
Darrell Myers,
Alex Norwood,
Jameel Padgett,
Quahlin Patterson,
Adonis Sealey,
Darius Smalls,
Brackin Smith,
Travis Taylor,
Ramone Ward and
Kahlil Welsh. Best of luck to these seniors in their future endeavors.
NORTH GREENVILLE X2
Both VSU and UWF are coming off narrow victories over North Greenville as the Blazers won 20-15 on Oct. 26 in Tigerville, S.C., using 40-yard run and score from junior
Rogan Wells with 49 seconds left for the come-from-behind victory, while West Florida held off a late game rally by the Crusaders at home last week, 17-14. NGU scored its final touchdown with 2:12 left and recovered the onside kick, but the league's top scoring defense stood strong and kept the Crusaders out of field goal range for the win.
RUSHING WELLS
Junior
Rogan Wells tallied his sixth rushing touchdown of the season at North Greenville on Oct. 26 on a 40-yard scamper with less than a minute remaining for the game winning score. Wells has touchdowns on the ground in each of the last three games and has recorded 80 or more yards on the ground in each of the last three contests. Earlier this season, he scampered for a 70-yard run for the final touchdown in the 34-13 win over Delta State on Oct. 12, marking the longest run from scrimmage for a Blazer this season. He then followed that with 69-yard scamper for a score Oct. 19 at Florida Tech. Wells is sixth in the GSC in rushing touchdowns and third on the team. He also has 512 yards rushing for the season for third on the team and sixth in the conference.
6:23
6:23 comprised all of the time VSU led in the win at North Greenville last time out. Prior to that, VSU had trailed just once all season for a span of 4:12 in a 34-13 win at Delta State on Oct. 12. VSU had led for 43 minutes or more in the first seven games of the season. The Blazers had been the final team to trail in game this season in Division II up to the Delta State game.
GOOD ON FOURTH
The Blazers converted the biggest fourth down of the season as Wells found the end zone in the final minute at NGU on Oct. 26. This season, the Blazers are 5 of 7 on fourth down for eighth nationally and a .714 clip.
STREAKS PART II
Not only is the 23-game winning streak an outstanding feat, but it also is tied with Mary-Hardin Baylor for the third-longest winning streak in all divisions of the NCAA. North Dakota State leads the way in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) with 30-straight victories, while Clemson (Football Bowl Subdivision) is second with 24 wins, followed by the Blazers and UMHB with 23 each.
GOOD EYES ROBERTS
Junior defensive back
Cory Roberts tallied two key interceptions in the Blazers' 20-15 win over North Greenville last time out. It was Roberts' third and fourth interceptions of the season to lead the team as he is 20th nationally and second in the GSC in interceptions per game at 0.5. He has five interceptions for his career at VSU.
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY
The Blazers found themselves in unfamiliar territory trailing 9-0 at halftime at North Greenville on Oct. 26. It marked the first time VSU had trailed at the half since the season-opener in 2017, while marking the first time since Oct. 7, 2017, the team hadn't scored in either the first or second half. Despite all of that and a steady rain on-and-off throughout the game, the Blazers dug deep and found a way for the victory.
SAUNDS RECORDS
Valdosta State junior wide receiver
Brian Saunds had a career-high 246 yards receiving on Oct. 19 against Florida Tech, including 194 yards on seven receptions in the first half alone. He broke the previous school-record of 232 yards receiving set by Reggie Mosely on Nov. 11, 2002, versus West Georgia. Saunds' 246 yards marked the tenth-most all-time in GSC history and was the third-most this season in NCAA Division II.
SEASON OF SAUNDS
Saunds leads the GSC in receiving yards with 729 for 36th nationally, while he is first in receiving yards per game at 91.1 for 22nd nationally and is first in the GSC in receptions per game at 5.5 for 41st nationally. He is third in the conference in receiving touchdowns with five.
MILESTONE VICTORY
Not only having the longest winning streak in Division II, VSU also won its 300th game in program history on Oct. 12 at Delta State. VSU now is 301-126-4 (.702) since football began in 1982 for an average of 7.9 wins per year. VSU has won double-digit games ten times and, with the win against DSU, ensured itself of its 30th winning season in program history.
MCGILL SEEING TRIPLE
For the first time in his career, sophomore
Seth McGill had three rushing touchdowns in the 55-28 victory over Florida Tech Oct. 19. He had 12 rushes for 89 yards. McGill is the second VSU running back to have three rushing scores as sophomore
Jamar Thompkins had three rushing TDs against Mississippi College on Oct. 5. It marked McGill's first career game of three rushing scores at VSU and fourth game of multiple rushing touchdowns in his career.
STRONG IN THE SECOND HALF
This season, the Blazers have outscored the opposition 140-54 in the second half and have held the opponents scoreless in the final half twice, including Sept. 28 at Shorter and Albany State in the season-opener Sept. 7. The Blazers have scored 325 points for the season and average 40.6 points per game for 15th nationally and first in the league. Conversely, VSU is 20th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 16.4 points per game for second in the GSC behind West Florida at 11.0 points allowed per game.
EFFICIENT BLAZERS
The Blazers are 11th nationally in passing efficiency at 163.77 for first in the GSC, while holding teams to a 103.28 clip for 18th nationally and second in the league behind West Florida. Wells leads the GSC and is 12th nationally in passing efficiency at 166.6.
GOOD ON THIRD
The Blazers have been better than 45 percent in each game this season on the pivotal down and are 51 of 93 for the season for a 55% clip, ranking fourth nationally and first in the GSC. VSU is holding teams to 32 of 103 on third down for a .311 average for 26th nationally and second in the GSC.
GETTING THE FIRST
The Blazers are 25th nationally in first downs with 198 for first in the GSC, while the Blazers are holding teams to 126 first downs for ninth nationally and second in the GSC behind West Florida.
GROUND ASSAULT
The Blazers have been outstanding this season on the ground as they are eighth nationally in rushing offense at 275.3 yards per game. The Blazers have rushed for over 300 yards three times this season, with a school-record 446 yards at Shorter (Sept. 28) and has over 200 yards on the ground in six of eight games thus far.
CARRYING THE LOAD
Sophomore running back
Jamar Thompkins is fifth nationally in rushing yards per carry at 7.88, while he leads the GSC in rushing yards (678), 47th nationally in rushing yards per game (84.8) to lead the GSC. He is fourth in the conference in rushing touchdowns with seven. Thompkins also leads the league in all-purpose yards at 118.63 for 51st nationally.
RETURN OF THE SAUNDS
Junior punt returner
Brian Saunds is 17th nationally and first in the league averaging 12.2 yards per punt return this season. He has ten returns for 122 yards and long of 26 this season.
STRONG TOTALS
The Blazers are fifth nationally and first in the league in total offense at 523.4 yards per game, while ranking 22nd in total defense, holding teams to just 290.0 yards per game behind West Florida at 264.3. VSU quarterback
Rogan Wells is 17th nationally in total offense at 285.4 yards per game to lead the GSC.
HITTIN' THE TARGET
VSU is third nationally in completion percentage at a 71.7 clip for the season as it is 170 of 237 passing this season. Wells is third nationally in completion percentage at a 74.3 clip for the season, while he is averaging 191.3 completions per game for 26th nationally and first in the GSC. Wells is 153 of 206 passing with four interceptions and tossed 15 touchdowns.
NO SHUTOUT
VSU leads all of NCAA Division II in the most games without being shutout at 336 games. The Blazers last were blanked on Sept. 14 1991, in a 12-0 loss at Central Florida. VSU has been shutout just five times in the history of the program in 432 games.
VICTORY OVER WEST FLORIDA WOULD . . .
- Give VSU a 9-0 record to start the season for the fifth time in program history
- Be the second victory over a ranked team this season (West Alabama)
- Mark the Gulf South Conference record for consecutive victories with the 24th-straight win
- Give VSU a 5-1 record all-time on Nov. 9
- Give VSU a 28-6 record as the top-ranked team in the country and a 65-59-2 record all-time against ranked teams
- Be the 303rd win all-time in program history and the 199th in GSC history
- Give VSU a 4-0 record against West Florida
- Give VSU its 13th-straight home victory and 20th-straight regular season victory.
