VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State football team made its return to the field for the first time since March as it had a fall scrimmage Saturday at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.  The Red Team posted a thrilling 49-48 victory over the Black Team. 
 
"This was fun today," head coach Gary Goff said.  "This was as close as we could get to game reps so I was pleased, as it was our only game of the fall.  I wanted to make it very difficult for the Black Team, which is primarily our starters. I wanted to put them under pressure situations and we did that today."

In front of a "social distanced," but raucous crowd, the Red Team was spotted 14 points before the game began. The format for the scrimmage had the first and third quarters with a continuous running clock and the second and fourth quarters were normal rules.
 
Red Team quarterback Ivory Durham, who had a big day, used a 28-yard scramble and then hit Council Allen getting into the red zone. Durham then scored from one yard out for a 21-0 Red Team lead with 7:25 left in the first quarter.  Later in the frame, Black Team quarterback Rogan Well hit Lio'undre Gallimore for a five-yard score and a 21-7 margin at the end of the quarter.
 
"It felt great to be out there today with my brothers," Durham said.  "We are just glad to be together and out there playing some live action football."
 
The Red Team continued to come up big defensively early on as Terrance Lovett picked off a Wells pass at the Black Team 33.  Gifted with good field position, the Red Team scored again with passes to Isaiah Flowers and Tanjuatco Gellin scored for a 28-7 lead with 9:18 left in the half.  After a Red Team punt, the Black Team moved down the field and Seth McGill scored from one yard out for a 28-14 deficit with 4:57 left. 
 
Using interceptions on back-to-back plays for the Red Team, including a pick-six from Marcel Williams and the Jaylen Wilson INT set the Red Team up with good field position with less than two minutes in the half. Durham hit Jaheim Jerry in the back of the end zone for a 42-14 lead with 1:08 left in the half.
 
The Black Team came out of halftime and methodically moved down field following a punt by the red team.  On the drive, big runs from McGill and Jenkins set up Khiari McCoy for a 25-yard scamper up the middle for a 42-28 deficit with 7:30 left in the quarter. 
 
Durham continued his outstanding play with both his arm and feet and hit TJ Gordon for a 37-yard strike to the four. Durham scrambled once again on third and goal for a score and a 49-28 lead with 3:06 left in the quarter.
 
"It was a lot of fun and great weather," Wells said.  "Coming out here with our fans showing up and the band here it was exciting."   
 
The Black Team found its groove in the fourth quarter as Wells and Brian Saunds connected for some good catches, while McCoy showed off great moves on a big catch and run down to the Red Team one-yard line.  Wells called his own number early in the fourth for a 49-35 deficit.  Wells and Saunds hooked up once again for a 49-42 score on an 18-yard touchdown with 10:54 left.
 
Things got very interesting late in the game as the Black Team, still trailing 49-42 began at its own 16 and found openings on the ground with McGill, while Saunds and Mike Henderson each had big catches getting down to the Red 31.  A big pass interference penalty put the Black Team in business at the 10 with 1:12 left.  McCoy pulled the Black Team within 49-48 with 38 seconds left.  The Black Team went for two and the lead and converted with Wells, but a penalty pushed the try back and Wells' pass sailed high.
 
The Blazers concluded fall practice with the scrimmage Saturday.