LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The No. 19 Valdosta State football team won 20-14 at West Alabama to improve to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in Gulf South Conference play Saturday afternoon in the final regular season road game of the season.  VSU now will play next weekend for at least a share of the Gulf South Conference title.
 
The stalwart VSU defense made big plays throughout and turned the Tigers over on downs in the final minute of the game to secure the victory.  UWA fell to 4-5 overall and 3-4 in Gulf South Conference play.  The victory marked the 330^th in program history (330-136-4), while the Blazers improved to 36-6 all-time against UWA and gave the Blazers their fifth-straight win in Livingston.
 
The Blazers amassed 403 yards of offense in the game, while UWA had 339.   VSU struggled once again in the running game to just 43 yards on 24 carries, but junior quarterback Sammy Edwards went 26 of 44 passing for 360 yards, one interception and three passing touchdowns in the game.  Junior Council Allen was one of two receivers over 100 yards as he had five catches for 101 yards and two touchdown receptions, while redshirt freshman Rodney Bullard had six catches for 108 yards and a score.  Graduate student B.K. Smith had a team-high eight receptions for 81 yards.  Reigning GSC Special Teams Player of the Week, sophomore Noah Botsford, had eight punts for 343 yards and a 42.9 average with a long of 60, four inside the 20 (two inside the one) and two over 50 yards.
 
Defensively, graduate student Nick Jackson and redshirt sophomore Jordan Billups each had six tackles as Billups had six solo stops to lead the team.  VSU held UWA to 339 yards of offense with 95 on the ground and 244 through the air.  VSU had 310 yards of offense in the first half, while UWA had 156.  Other than two long pass plays, VSU defensively held UWA in check for the rest of the game. 
 
For the Tigers, who celebrated Senior Day prior to the game, quarterback Tucker Melton went 16 of 31 passing for 227 yards and two touchdowns, while Spencer Arceneaux went 2 of 6 for 17 yards.  Wide receiver Darius Nalls had seven catches for 92 yards and a score and Brayden Jenkins had a team-high 13 carries for 71 yards on the ground.  Defensively Trevon Stanford had eight tackles and six solo stops, while Kel Willams had seven solo stops. 
 
The Tigers took the ball after VSU won the toss and, on the first play from scrimmage, Melton went deep to Tyler Walker for 62-yards and a touchdown just 17 seconds into the game.  VSU did not sweat, however, as it put together an eight play, 76-yard drive, converting two third downs, including a third and 8 for B.K. Smith and then, following a holding call, Edwards hit Allen for a score and a tie game with 10:47 left in the quarter. 
 
VSU forced a three-and-out by the Tigers and methodically moved down field, once again, but came up empty handed with a missed field goal.  The Blazer "D" stymied UWA into another three-and-out as VSU took over at the 50.  The Blazers moved down to the 14 and had a 4^th and 2, but the pass to Allen was dropped.  The Blazer "D" forced the third-straight three-and-out and the offense took over at the 48.  On a second and ten from the 48, Edwards found Allen for a 52-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds left in the quarter.   For the opening frame, VSU had 213 yards of offense and 198 passing yards, while holding UWA to 78 yards and minus six on the ground with 84 passing yards and 62 coming on the first play of the game.
 
The Tigers got the offense going early in the second, but Elijah Guyton missed a 42-yard field goal.  Botsford then pinned the Tigers at the 1.  Following a punt by the Tigers, UWA moved down to the thirty, but came up empty with the second missed field goal of the game and 8:48 to play in the half.   After a punt, Edwards was intercepted by Shamar Lewis and he returned it 37 yards setting the Tigers up in good position, but the Blazer defense stiffened as it did all game and came up with a huge sack on 3^rd and 18 from the VSU 40 forcing a punt.  Neither team scored the rest of the half.
 
VSU went for it on 4^th and 2 at the UWA 32 to open the second half and could not convert the first down as UWA then cashed in on a Melton 55-yard touchdown pass to Nalls to tie the game at 14 with 10:32 left in the third.  Late in the quarter, Melton was sacked and fumbled at the VSU 35 as the Blazers recovered.  With renewed momentum, Edwards hit Bullard for a 48-yard touchdown pass on 4^th and 1 from the UWA 48 with 27 seconds left in the quarter.  A high snap forced a two-point conversion which was unsuccessful as VSU held a 20-14 lead through three frames.
 
Midway through the fourth, Botsford flipped field position once again as he put one at the UWA 1 with 8:17 left in the game.  A personal foul on a 3^rd and 1 by the Tigers forced them to punt with 4:03 to play.  UWA's defense got the stop it needed with 2:25 to go. 
 
The Tigers used some good runs from Bry Webb to move down the VSU 28 for a 3^rd and 7.  Melton hit Webb for five yards, but Billups came up with the huge hit and stop two yards short of the first down as VSU took over with 39 seconds left and ran out the clock.
 
VSU went 3 of 15 on third down, while holding UWA to 2 of 16 on the pivotal down.  The Blazers were 1 of 3 on fourth down and the Tigers were 2 of 3.  VSU sacked UWA four times for 34 yards, while UWA had two sacks for nine yards. 
 
VSU returns home to host West Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium for Senior Day and for the last Peach Basket Game.