SETTING THE SCENE
The Blazers return to the road this week as they travel to Rome, Ga., for a matchup with Shorter for the Gulf South Conference Game of the Week at 6 p.m. on Saturday evening.  Don Russell and Rick Rhoades will have the call of of the game on ESPN+.  This marks the second home game of the season for Shorter for the GSC Game of the Week, while it's the first of two road games for the Blazers for the GSC Game of the Week.
 
ABOUT ESPN+ 
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LAST TIME OUT FOR THE BLAZERS
The Blazers downed then-No. 20 West Alabama last Saturday in the GSC opener, 44-27, at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.  VSU broke open a tight game late in the second quarter for a 19-7 lead at intermission and then outscored the Tigers 18-13 in the fourth quarter and 25-20 in the second half for the win. VSU forced five UWA miscues, including a pick-six from sophomore Aaron Dawson and held a 17-7 lead in points off turnovers for the game.  Dawson earned GSC Defensive Player of the Week honors, while junior quarterback Rogan Wells tossed two touchdowns, while running for one and catching one to earn GSC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
 
DAWSON AND WELLS EARN WEEKLY HONORS 
VSU sophomore defensive back Aaron Dawson and junior quarterback Rogan Wells were named Gulf South Conference Players of of the Week this week.  It was Dawson's first weekly honor of the season and his career, while it was Wells' second of the season and eighth of his career.
 
DAWSON NAMED STEEL'S JEWELRY BLAZER ATHLETE OF THE WEEK 
For the third week in a row, a VSU football player has been named the Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athlete of the Week as Dawson earned the honor this week.  Dawson had a huge 80-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Blazers' 44-27 win over West Alabama last week.  Dawson finished the game with five total tackles, four solo stops and assisted in a tackle for loss.  He joins sophomore defensive lineman Thomas Incoom, who earned the honor last week and Wells from the week before that.  Check back with vstateblazers.com each Wednesday afternoon for the weekly Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week.
 
POSSESSED
The Blazers held the ball for a season-high 39:07 in the win over West Alabama on Saturday for a season-high in time of possession.  This season, VSU is third nationally in time of possession at 36:23.  The Blazers have had possession for 37:33 in the opener against Albany State and 33:20 in the win over Ohio Dominican.  In the three games this season, the Blazers have had scoring drives of over six minutes six times, while Blazers last season had just two drives of over six minutes all season.   
 
GOOD ON THIRD
The Blazers have been better than 45 percent in each game this season on the pivotal down and are 18 of 32, for the season for a 56.2 clip, ranking eighth nationally and first in the GSC.  VSU is holding teams to 15 of 35 on third down for a 42.9 average.  
 
THE RIGHT TOUCH 
VSU is fourth nationally in completion percentage at a 75.3 clip to lead the conference.  The Blazers are 70 of 93 passing with no interceptions this season and have a passing efficiency of 172.91 for 15th nationally and third in the GSC.  Blazer junior hurler Rogan Wells is fourth nationally in completion percentage at a 77.9 clip, while he is 13th nationally in passing efficiency for a 171.5 clip to lead the GSC.
 
GOOD FOR FIRST
The Blazers have been outstanding this season in both first down offense and first down defense.  VSU is 12th nationally in first down offense, moving the chains 75 times for first in the league.  The Blazers are third in the GSC in first down defense, allowing 50 for 52nd nationally.  
 
WELLS DOING IT ALL
Junior quarterback Rogan Wells had his first game where he tossed a touchdown, ran for one and caught one of his career against West Alabama.  Wells tossed two, while scoring on a pass from junior wide receiver Brian Saunds for a score and running one in late in the game in the 44-27 win last week.  It was Wells' second career catch for a touchdown as he had one in the national championship game last year against Ferris State. 
 
FROM AIR AND GROUND 
Valdosta State is 38th nationally in passing yards allowed at 169.3 per game, while ranking 36th in passing offense at 268.7 yards per game.  On the ground, the Blazers have been strong as they are 19th in rushing offense at 233.0 yards per game to lead the GSC and have held the opposition to just 110.3 yards on the ground for 44th nationally and second in the conference.  
 
IN THE ZONE
The Blazers have had the bend, don't break mentality on defense this season at times, as they are second in the GSC in red zone defense at a .750 clip.    
 
TOTALS SHINE
The Blazers are eighth nationally in total offense at 501.7 yards per game to lead the GSC.  The red and black "D" is 25th nationally and also leads the league, holding teams to just 279.7 yards per game. 
 
WELLS MOVING UP THE CHARTS
Junior quarterback Rogan Wells is tied for fourth in school history in career passing touchdowns with 55 with Willie Copeland (2006-07), while ranking seventh in rushing touchdowns with 21, fourth in total offense (6,525), eighth in passing yards (5,141) and eighth in completions as he is 390 of 658 (59.3) for his career.  Wells earned All-America honors last season as a sophomore, leading one of the most prolific offensive teams in program history.  He is 21-2 all-time as a starter, while playing in 26 games with 23 starts.
 
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME
The Blazers recorded three interceptions and five total turnovers of West Alabama last week, leading to a 17-7 lead in points off turnovers.  Sophomore Aaron Dawson had the first defensive touchdown for the Blazers this season with an 80-yard pick-six, while junior Cory Roberts and senior Stanley Dye also had interceptions.  This season, the Blazers have five interceptions through three games.
 
HOLDING ONTO THE BALL
The Blazers have not allowed an interception all season and are one of ten teams in NCAA Division II to have not allowed a pick yet.  VSU has turned the ball over just twice this season and is 13th nationally in turnover margin at 1.67 to lead the league and eighth in turnovers lost (2), while ranking 32nd in turnovers gained (7).
 
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Saturday marks the first time VSU will play a ranked team this season, but Ohio Dominican and Albany State were both receiving votes when VSU played them.  The Blazers face No. 20 West Alabama Saturday, while Florida Tech is receiving votes along with West Florida and West Georgia is No. 15 this week. 
 
NO SHUTOUT
VSU leads all of NCAA Division II in the most games without being shutout at 331 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 427 games.
 
THE GARY GOFF RADIO SHOW AT SALTY SNAPPER
This season, head coach Gary Goff will have The Gary Goff Radio Show at The Salty Snapper Restaurant in Valdosta each Monday evening from 7-8 p.m.  Matt Malone will be the host of the show as it will be broadcast on Newstalk 105.9 FM.  Come out to The Salty Snapper for prizes and a 15% discount during the show for all The Gary Goff Radio Show guests.  Listen to Goff talk about the 2019 Blazer football season.
 
NEW FACE IN THE BOOTH
Blazer fans will hear a new voice in the radio booth for the football team this season as long time football coach Wade Beale replaces VSU color analyst Scott James this season.  Spencer Van Horn will handle play-by-play duties for the Blazers for the second year in a row, and now will partner with Beale for home and away games on 92.1 WDDQ FM.  Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to broadcasts all season long.
 
THE GARY GOFF SHOW
In addition to The Gary Goff Radio Show, the Blazers will continue the tradition of The Gary Goff Show following each game this season.  The Gary Goff Show will be hosted by Spencer Van Horn following each game and selected players also will appear on the show.  Fans can access The Gary Goff Show each Sunday at vstateblazers.com on the football page.  There also will be links via social media for it each Sunday. Jamie Abbot of Crash & Annie Productions produces The Gary Goff Show following each game.
 
GETTING IN THE END ZONE
Wells has thrown 55 touchdown passes in his career and has played in 26 games.  He threw at least one touchdown pass in all 14 games last season and has a string of 22-straight games with a touchdown pass.  Of his 26 games played, he has only not rushed or passed for a touchdown in one game.  Wells is 21-2 as a starting quarterback for the Blazers.  Wells had his first touchdown reception in the national championship game against Ferris State last December. 
 
ACCURATE PASSERS
VSU junior Rogan Wells and Shorter quarterback Tyler Pullum are two of the top passers in the GSC in completion percentage and completions per game.  Wells is first in the GSC and fourth nationally in completion percentage at a .779 clip, while Pullum is third in the league and 26th nationally at .622.  Wells is 22nd nationally in completions per game at 20.0 to lead the GSC, while Pullum is 30th at 18.67 for fourth in the league. 
 
RAPID RUSHERS
VSU rushing trio of sophomores Jamar Thompkins and Seth McGill, along with senior Quahlin Patterson have had a strong start to the season.  All three had huge years in 2018, but Patterson led the team on the ground in the season-opener combining for 25 of the team's 33 rushes for 135 of the 180 rushing yards against Albany State.  Thompkins leads the team in rushing this season at 74.0 yards per game.  He is 24th in rush yards per carry nationally for second in the GSC at 6.53 yards per carry, while ranking third in the GSC in rushing yards (222) and third in the conference in rushing yards per game. 
 
ABOUT SHORTER
The Hawks are 0-3 on the year and dropped a heartbreaking 30-23 decision at Fort Valley State last week. The Hawks had the early lead at 7-0 in the first quarter and lead 13-3 in the second, but was outscored 20-0 the rest of the frame for a20-13 deficit at intermission.  Despite the loss, the Hawks have been much improved this season as they are 14th nationally and first in the GSC in fewest penalty yards (113) and fewest per game (37.67).  SU is one of 20 teams who have not been stopped in the red zone offensively this season.  SU is third in the GSC in time of possession at 30:49 as VSU leads the league at 36:23.  Christian Da-Silva is second in the GSC in receptions per game at 5.0, while Nicholas Pope is third in the league in field goal percentage (.667) and field goals made per game (.67).  Head coach Zach Morrison is in his second year at the helm of the Hawks. 
  
A VICTORY OVER SHORTER WOULD . . .

• Give VSU a 4-0 record to start the season for the 14th time in program history
• Continue the longest winning streak in school history and currently in NCAA Division II (19 games)
• Give VSU a 5-1 record all-time on Sept. 28
• Give VSU a 22-6 record as the top-ranked team in the country
• Be the 298th win all-time in program history and the 194th in GSC history

 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Blazers lead the all-time series with Shorter 7-0 and have posted three-straight shutouts of the Hawks.  SU has not scored on the Blazers in 12-straight quarters and 188:53 game minutes.  VSU has won the last two games by the score of 52-0 and have scored 37 or more points in each of the seven games and outscored SU 300-34.  VSU is 3-0 against the Hawks in Rome, Ga., while outscoring them 126-28 there.