SETTING THE SCENE
The No. 14 Valdosta State Blazers earned the No. 3-seed in NCAA Super Region Two and will host Limestone University (S.C.) on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA Division II Football Championship.  The Blazers are making their 19th appearance in the postseason, while Limestone is making its second appearance as it qualified in 2022 for the first time.
 
CALLING THE GAME
TALK 92.1 FM will broadcast the Blazer games all season long with Mike McDowd and Andy Gibbs having the call.  The game also will be streamed live on Hudl (per NCAA) with Dave Garner and Taylor Biddle calling the action.  Fans can access links to the radio broadcast and video broadcast at vstateblazers.com on the football schedule page.
 
NEW STREAMING FOR NCAA POSTSEASON ON HUDL
Hudl has announced an exclusive partnership with the NCAA and NCAA Digital, managed by Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, to stream more than 200 NCAA Division II championship contests in 2023-24. This partnership includes live and on-demand coverage of the Division II Football and Women's Volleyball Championships this fall and the Division II Men's and Women's Basketball Championships this winter.  A new NCAA Championships Pass application will be available on Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and Google TV devices. Fans will have three viewing options: $9.95 per contest, $19.95 for all Division II football games through the quarterfinal round. The Division II football games on the Hudl platform will include all games not distributed by ESPN. The football semifinals and championship game will continue to be broadcast on ESPN platforms.
 
BLAZERS RETURN TO NCAA PLAYOFFS
VSU returns to the NCAA football playoffs for the first time since 2021 when it reached the national championship game, falling to Ferris State.  The Blazers have won four national championships (2004, 2007, 2012, 2018) and competed in six (2002, 2021) with a 29-14 record all-time as this is the 19th trip to the postseason in program history.  The 29 victories in the postseason are good for fifth all-time in NCAA Division II and third-most among current NCAA Division II institutions.  Northwest Missouri State leads the way with 53, followed by Grand Valley State with 37.
 
HOME SWEET HOME IN THE POSTSEASON
Saturday's game versus Limestone will mark the ninth-straight home game (minus national championship game appearances) the Blazers have played in the playoffs. VSU is 6-2 in those games with the only losses being in the first round (last time VSU has played in the first round) in 2016 to UNC-Pembroke (24-21) and in the second round in 2019 in a heartbreaking 38-35 loss to West Florida.  Overall, VSU is 20-7 at home in the playoffs, 5-5 on the road and 4-2 in neutral site matchups.  The Blazers last home game in the playoffs came in 2021 when VSU downed Colorado School of Mines 34-31 on Dec. 11, 2021, in the national semifinals.  
 
THE RED CLAY RIVALRY SERIES AND THE PEACH BASKET
VSU put together arguably its most complete performance of the season in a 58-28 throttling of West Georgia on Saturday night at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. The Blazers amassed 520 yards of offense and arguably played its most complete game of the season against the Wolves (6-4, 5-3 GSC).  The Blazers had 29 carries on the ground for 137 yards as the team found the running game again after sub-100-yard games each of the past two weeks.  The 520 yards of total offense was the most since 542 yards against Keiser (Sept. 16).  VSU also had 30 first downs for the second-most this season behind 31 first downs against Point (Sept. 2) in the season-opener.  The Blazer "D" held UWG to 390 yards for the game, marking the eighth time of allowing a team under 400 yards of offense and just 19 first downs.  The Blazers also picked off the Wolves three times, including a pick-six for the final score of the game, and two fumble recoveries.  VSU regained the Peach Basket forever and pulled within 3-2 in the Red Clay Rivalry Series through the fall.  Blazer junior quarterback Sammy Edwards was 28 of 42 passing for 383 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, while he had six carries for 42 yards.  Sophomore running back Bud Chaney finished with 14 carries for 56 yards and two rushing scores, while he also had one reception for 39 yards.  B.K. Smith had five carries for 88 yards and reigning GSC Freshman of the Week Rodney Bullard had seven receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown.  Thiele went a season-best 3 for 3 in field goals and 7 of 7 in extra-points for 16 points as he surpassed former Blazer standout running back Seth McGill for sixth all-time in school history in scoring with 280 career points.  Defensively, Harris finished with 14 tackles and one tackle for a loss, while three different Blazers had interceptions, including a pick-six from junior Akil Lampley as he returned it 33-yards for a score in the fourth quarter.  It was the first pick-six for VSU since former Blazer Taurus Dotson returned one 47-yards at West Alabama on Oct. 16, 2021. 
 
LOOKING AT NCAA SUPER REGION TWO
With the NCAA Division II football bracket announced this past Sunday, let's examine NCAA Super Region Two a little closer.  Benedict (11-0) and back-to-back winners of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) earned the top spot in the regional this year and earned the "bye" as it will host the winner of No. 4 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) vs. Shepherd (W.Va.) on Nov. 25, in the second round.  Benedict (S.C.) is ranked fourth in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 and sixth in D2Football.com.  The Tigers are making their second trip to the postseason, losing last year to Wingate in the second round after earning the "bye" in 2022.  Delta State is the No. 2-seed in the regional and earned a share of the program's ninth Gulf South Conference title this season, which is good for a third all-time in league history.  The Statesmen host West Florida on Saturday in the first round at 2 p.m. ET.  DSU is making its 11th trip to the postseason and is 16-9 all-time, while West Florida is making its fifth trip and is 12-3.  Lenoir-Rhyne is 8-6 all-time in the playoffs making its seventh appearance, while Shepherd, who normally is in Super Region 1, is 20-14 all-time and making its 15th appearance.  Limestone is 0-1 and making its second appearance as it qualified in 2022.     
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS IN SUPER REGION TWO AND THE ENTIRE FIELD

• SR2 region has a combined six national titles with four from Valdosta State (2004, 2007, 2012, 2018), one each from Delta State (2000) and West Florida (2019).  The region is 85-48 in the postseason with a combined 54 years of postseason experience heading into this tournament.
• As for the rest of the field, SR3 is 101-66 in the postseason with a combined 74 years of postseason experience and has eight national titles with four from Grand Valley State, two from Ferris State and two from Pittsburg State.
• SR4 is 30-35 with 35 years of playoff experience and no national titles.
• SR1 is 27-41 with 41 years of playoff experience with no national titles.
• Grand Valley State has the most playoff wins of the 28-team field (37), while Valdosta State is second with 29 wins and Ferris State and Pittsburg State are tied for third with 26 each.  
• UT Permian Basin is making its first appearance in the postseason as the Falcons began football in 2016, while Benedict, Limestone, Tiffin, Virginia Union and Western Colorado are searching for their first victory in the postseason.

 
NATIONAL COMPARISON (TOP 3 IN THE LEAGUE)

 
VERSUS THE PALMETTO STATE
Limestone is the second team from the Palmetto State the Blazers will face this season as VSU downed North Greenville (Tigerville, S.C.) 28-3 on Sept. 23 in Valdosta.  VSU is 8-1 all-time against teams from South Carolina, 5-0 against North Greenville and 3-1 against Newberry.  Next season, the Erskine (Due West, S.C.) joins the GSC as an affiliate member in football in addition to North Greenville from Tigerville, S.C.   
 
THIELE NAMED STEEL'S JEWELRY BLAZER ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Senior kicker Estin Thiele scored 16 of the Blazers' 58 points on Saturday as the team won a share of its 10th GSC title in program history with a 58-28 victory over West Georgia.  Thiele went a season-best 3 of 3 in field goals (34, 30, 21) and 7 of 7 in extra-points, while he had seven kickoffs (of 11 total) for 437 yards and a 62.4 average with three touchbacks.  The 16 points moved Thiele into sixth-place all-time in VSU history in scoring with 280 career points. This is his first Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athlete of the Week accolade this season.  He joins Rodney Bullard, Sammy Edwards (2), Jacob Harris, G'Mone Wilson, Kennedy Parker, Nick Jackson, B.K. Smith, Noah Botsford and Eric Watts as Steel's Jewelry honorees. 
 
TRIO OF BLAZERS EARN PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Three Blazers earned GSC Player of the Week honors as junior quarterback Sammy Edwards earned the honor for the the second time this season.  The Saint Augustine, Fla., native, put up an impressive stat line this past weekend in the victory over rival West Georgia. The third year QB threw for 414 passing yards, three touchdowns, and completed 67.4% of his passes. Edwards was a vital part of the Blazers offense that is ranked fifth in the nation in passing offense at 315.5 yards per game. He helped lead VSU to a 10-1 record and a share of the 10th GSC Title in Valdosta State's history.  Thiele, a fellow St. Augustine native, accounted for 16 of the Blazers' 58 points, going three for three on field goals and seven for seven on extra points. The graduate student was named Preseason All-GSC Team earlier this season. Thiele earned this award three times last season, as he was also named one of 10 finalists for the 2022 Fred Mitchell Award, which is presented to nation's top place-kicker among FCS, Division II and III, NAIA, and NJCAA football.  Bullard has earned GSC Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week, as the freshman wide receiver/kick returner put up videogame-like numbers in the final Red Clay Rivalry game. The Albany, Ga. native recorded seven catches for 86 yards, including a 29-yard diving touchdown reception in the second quarter. To finish things off, the redshirt freshman took back a 99-yard kickoff for a touchdown to rip the hearts out of the Wolves, helping the Blazers win the final Peach Basket game on Saturday night at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
 
ABOUT LIMESTONE
2023 marks the tenth year of football at Limestone University, located in Gaffney, S.C.  The Saints are receiving votes in the latest AFCA Top 25 and went 8-3 this season and 8-1 in South Atlantic Conference play, losing to league-champion Lenoir-Rhyne, 31-28, on Oct. 7.  The Saints also played West Georgia and West Alabama this season, losing to both in the first two games of the year.  LU then rattled off three-straight wins, before the loss to LR and then has won five-straight since.  Quarterback Dustin Noller earned SAC Offensive Player of the Year honors, while six other Saints earned all-league honors.    He is the first player to earn the honor in program history as he has completed 208 passes for 2,704 yards while adding 26 touchdowns to only four interceptions on the season. He now holds the Limestone football record for most passing yards in a career (6,561), passing yards in a season (2,704), touchdowns in a career (61), touchdowns in a season (26), career completions (491), season completions (208), completion percentage (66%), and passing touchdowns in a game (5).  Noller has thrown for multiple touchdowns in eight of his 10 games played this year and surpassed 300 yards passing on three occasions. He leads the conference in total passing yards per game (270.4) and passing touchdowns while the Limestone offense as a whole leads the SAC in yards per game at 443.4. Senior offensive lineman JJ Martin (Blacksburg, S.C.) and wide receiver Jelani Baker (Snellville, Ga.) along with junior running back Tre Stewart (Winston-Salem, N.C.) were tabbed All-SAC Offense while senior linebacker Chandler Matthews (Dillon, S.C.) earned an All-SAC Defense nod. Senior wide receiver Drew Dixon (Tucson, Ariz.) earned a spot on the All-Piedmont Offensive Team and sophomore defensive lineman Damon Early (Charlotte, N.C.) took home All-Piedmont Defensive Team honors.  Stewart became the first back in history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons after eclipsing more than 1,200 yards this year. Stewart rushed for more than 100 yards in eight of 10 games, including a 225-yard effort at Barton on November 4. Second in the league in rushing yards per game (128.8) and touchdowns (9), Stewart was also a catalyst in the passing game, hauling in 32 catches for 291 yards a pair of touchdowns. Tre sits two yards behind Jerko'ya Patton for the most rushing yards in team history. Baker became the first receiver in team history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in a season, currently sitting at 1,030 yards and 70 catches, both of which lead the team and are new program records. Baker also hauled in a Limestone record 12 touchdowns on the season while leading the conference in that category as well as a 13-catch performance against Catawba on October 21. Baker leads the conference in receptions, receiving yards per game, total yards, and touchdowns.  Head coach Mike Furrey is in his sixth season overall as a head coach and fourth at Limestone.  He is 25-19 at the helm of the Saints and 36-30 overall with two seasons at Kentucky Christian.  
 
GSC TITLES
VSU won a share of its tenth GSC Title this season for the second-most conference titles all-time in GSC history and the most league-crowns among active GSC members.  North Alabama leads the league record book with 13 titles, while VSU has ten and Delta State (who VSU shared the title with) has nine for third.
 
TURNAROUND
The Blazers have won five more games this season thus far than a year ago in Jackson's first year as head coach VSU went 5-6 last season and is 10-1 this year, while the team was 2-5 in league play and 7-1 this season.  The five-game turnaround marks the biggest turnaround since the 2017-18 season when the team went 5-4 in 2017 to 14-0 in 2018 for a 6.5 increase.  VSU was picked fifth in the GSC preseason coaches poll for 2023.
 
IN THE POLLS
Valdosta State moved up to 14th this week in both the AFCA Top 25 and the D2Football.com Top 25, following the 58-28 victory over West Georgia last Saturday.  Colorado School of Mines leads the AFCA Top 25, while Grand Valley State is second, followed by Harding, Benedict and Ferris State is fifth. Delta State sits ninth, while Lenoir-Rhyne is 11th, Virginia Union is 13th, VSU is 14th and West Florida is 23rd.  Limestone is among others receiving votes as are Fayetteville State, Mars Hill and Virginia State.  In the D2Football.com Top 25, Colorado School of Mines leads that poll, while Grand Valley State is second, followed by Ferris State, Harding and Pittsburg State.  Benedict is sixth, while Delta State is eighth, Lenoir-Rhyne is 11th, Valdosta State is 14th, Virginia Union is 17th and West Florida is 19th.    Of the top 25 in the AFCA poll, Minnesota-Duluth (T-17th), Ouachita Baptist (20th) and Davenport (22nd) seasons are complete.  
 
SEVEN BLAZERS EARN ALL-GSC HONORS
A total of seven Valdosta State football players were named to the All-Gulf South Conference football teams, announced Thursday.  Graduate student wide receiver B.K. Smith and graduate student defensive back Jacob Harris were first team selections.  VSU had five selections to the second team including; junior quarterback Sammy Edwards, along with junior wide receiver Council Allen, junior tight end Noah Gillan, graduate student offensive tackle Devin Hannan and graduate student defensive back Kyle Cass. 
 
FORCING THE TURNOVER
The Blazers forced West Georgia into five turnovers on Saturday and held a 24-7 lead in points off turnovers in the game, marking the most all season.  VSU has outscored its opponents 75-55 in points off turnovers and is second in the GSC in turnover margin at a 0.64 clip for 33rd nationally, while the Blazers have forced 20 turnovers for tops in the GSC and 46th nationally, while turning the ball over 13 times for second in the GSC and 32nd nationally.  
 
JACKSON NAMED GSC COACH OF THE YEAR BY OUR COACHING NETWORK
Valdosta State head football coach Tremaine Jackson was named by the organization Our Coaching Network as the 2023 Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year.  Jackson, who is 10-1 this season and 7-1 in Gulf South Conference play, earned a share of the program's tenth Gulf South Conference title this season, which is second-most all-time in GSC history and most among active members.   The ten wins this season are five more than he had last year in his first season, while the Blazers were 2-5 in GSC play in 2022.  
 
SEEING BLUE
Saturday's matchup with Limestone is the ninth game this season against a team with blue as a color.  VSU is 8-0 currently against teams with blue as a color.
 
IN DAY GAMES
The Blazers began a stretch of six-straight games at Chowan (9/30) of games beginning before 6 p.m. local time and running through Nov. 4.  VSU is 6-1 this season in day games (63-10 vs. Point, 51-36 win at Chowan), lost 49-25 at home to Delta State on Oct. 7, won at Mississippi College (21-10) on Oct. 14, won Oct. 21 42-14, won 31-28 at West Florida (Oct. 28) and won 20-14 at West Alabama (Nov. 4).  The Blazers play at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday at West Florida and then on Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. ET at West Alabama.  Since 2018, VSU is 23-5 in day games.  This will be the eighth day game of the season for the Blazers Saturday.
 
BULLET BULLARD
Blazer redshirt freshman wide receiver/kick returner Rodney Bullard registered a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the 58-28 victory over West Georgia on Saturday.  It marked a tie for the second-longest kick return in school history as Billy Poole had a 99-yarder against West Alabama on Oct. 1, 1994.  Ironically, the school-record (100) came also against West Georgia on Nov. 11, 2000.  Bullard has seven returns for 215 yards for the season, while he has 27 catches for 421 yards and four touchdowns. 
 
OFFENSE, DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS SCORES
The Blazers scored touchdowns each of the three ways in the 58-28 victory over West Georgia on Saturday as the offense accounted for five scores, while junior Akil Lampley took a pass 33-yards to the house and Bullard had the 99-yard kick return.  It marked the first time under Tremaine Jackson the Blazers have scored all three ways in a game.
 
THIELE MOVES UP TO SIXTH IN SCORING
VSU junior kicker Estin Thiele moved into sixth all-time in scoring with 16 points on Saturday with 280 career points surpassing former Blazer Seth McGill (2018-22).  Thiele is 37 of 50 all-time in field goals and 169 of 172 in extra-points for his Blazer career.
 
EXCELLENT EDWARDS
Blazer junior quarterback Sammy Edwards is having an outstanding season as he is 10-1 as a starter this season in 11 games played helping lead VSU to a share of the program's tenth Gulf South Conference title.  He is fourth nationally in passing yards at 3,389 to lead the GSC, while he leads the GSC in passing yards per game (308.1), fifth nationally in total offense at 330.1 yards per game for tops in the league and second in passing touchdowns (25) for 14th nationally.  Edwards is 14th nationally in passing efficiency at a 161.7 clip, while he is sixth nationally in completions percentage (.678) and sixth nationally in completions per game (22.73).  He earned second team all-conference honors this season and is 251 of 370 passing for 3,389 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions.  He has 69 rushes for 242 yards and five rushing touchdowns.  Edwards threw for a career-high six touchdowns at Chowan and threw for a career-high 479 yards against Keiser.  He has earned GSC Player of the Week honors twice this season.
 
A FOR ALLEN
Junior wide receiver Council Allen has 47 catches for second on the team, 598 yards receiving and five touchdowns this season.  Allen also is closing in on 1,000 yards as he has 939 yards for his career on 74 receptions. 
 
NO SHUTOUTS
The Blazers lead the nation in the longest streak of not being shutout with 375 games without a shutout dating back to a 12-0 loss at Central Florida to open the 1991 season on Sept. 14.  VSU's last shutout of the opposition came on Oct. 9, 2021, in Valdosta with a 55-0 victory over Delta State for the 26th shutout in program history.
 
BK HAVE IT YOUR WAY
Graduate student B.K. Smith leads the Blazers with 57 receptions for 859 yards and five touchdowns this season.  He has 99 career receptions for the Blazers for 1,585 yards and 11 touchdowns.  This season, Smith's 859 yards are good for second in the GSC and 29th nationally, while he is third in the league in receiving yards per game at a 78.1 clip for 36th nationally and he is second in the league in receptions per game at a 5.1 clip for 37th nationally.  
 
ON THIS DATE
The Blazers are 0-1 all-time on Nov. 18 with a 45-12 loss in the first round of the NCAA playoffs at Delta State in 2000. 
 
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The winner of this game will meet the winner of the No. 2-seed Delta State vs. West Florida game next Saturday.  If the Blazers were to win and Delta State won, VSU would travel to Delta State, while if UWF won and the Blazers won, the Argos would travel to Valdosta.  
 
A VICTORY OVER LIMESTONE WOULD . . .

• Give VSU a 11-1 record this season overall move the Blazers on to the second round of the postseason for the 14th time in program history
• Be the 30th victory all-time in the NCAA postseason for the Blazers (29-14)
• Give VSU a 1-2 record on this date and a 1-1 in the NCAA Tournament on this date
• Give Blazer head coach Tremaine Jackson his 26th career coaching victory (25-10) and his 16 at VSU (15-7)
• Give VSU its 71st victory in November (70-43-3)
• Give VSU its 21st win in the postseason in Valdosta (20-7)
• Give VSU its ninth time of winning 11 or more games in a season in program history