VALDOSTA, Ga. – Following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the No. 3 Valdosta State football team returns to the gridiron Saturday at 12 p.m. at Shorter in a non-conference matchup with the Hawks. 
 
Fans can access links to live stats and audio/video streaming of the game at vstateblazers.com on the football schedule page.  The game will be broadcast on TALK 92.1 FM in Valdosta with Wade Beale and Dave Garner having the call.  Shorter will use YouTube for its stream and is free of charge.
 
VSU enters the game with a 4-0 record overall and a 1-0 mark in Gulf South Conference play, while Shorter is 2-0 on the year and is an independent this season after leaving the GSC following last season.  Shorter will move into the newly created Conference Carolinas Football league in 2025.  The Hawks are a full member of Conference Carolinas this season in their other sports. 
 
The Hurricane has played havoc with football schedules throughout the Southeast as VSU's highly anticipated top 25 matchup with No. 17 West Alabama was cancelled last week, while Shorter's matchup at North Greenville also was cancelled.  Delta State's game versus Erskine also was cancelled last week, while West Alabama moved its matchup with Erskine to the end of the season.  Shorter, who hasn't played since Sept. 21, had a Sept. 14 game Webber International also cancelled for other reasons.
 
VSU is coming off a 73-0 victory on Sept. 21 at Erskine in the GSC opener for both teams.  The Blazers set the school-record for points in a game against the Flying Fleet.  It marked the first time VSU has scored 70 points or more since a 70-6 victory over Edward Waters in 2009 and the third time of scoring 70 points or more in program history.  VSU also registered its second-straight shutout marking the first time in program history of back-to-back shutouts with a 34-0 victory over Fayetteville State on Sept. 21. 
 
VSU amassed a season-high 577 yards of offense in the game with 293 yards on the ground and 284 through the air.  The defense held Erskine (1-3, 0-1 GSC) to just four first downs and 74 yards of total offense with just nine rushing yards allowed and 65 passing yards.  The defense registered six sacks in the game and had 12 tackles for loss and registered four turnovers with two fumble recoveries and two INTs.  In the second half, the Blazer "D" held Erskine to one first down and minus-5 yards of offense.
 
Individually, senior Sammy Edwards went 11 of 16 passing for 257 yards and five touchdown passes, while senior Alfonso Franklin had ten carries for 131 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.  Graduate student Bud Chaney finished with five carries for 33 yards and two touchdowns.  Graduate student Rodney Bullard had three receptions for 114 yards and three touchdowns, while graduate student Graeson Malashevich had four receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns.   The ten touchdowns scored by the Blazers in the game tied the school-record with the last time coming against Edward Waters on Nov. 9, 2009. 
 
The Blazers, who have not trailed all season, continued their streak of starting fast scoring an opening drive touchdown against Erskine for the fourth-straight game of opening with a touchdown.  VSU scored TDs on four of its first five possessions of the game and six of the first eight full possessions in the first half, minus ending the half.
 
The Hawks enter following wins over Mississippi College (29-5) and at Warner University (47-25).  Despite a small sample size, SU enters fifth nationally in 3^rd down conversion defense at a .207 clip, while it is second nationally in completion percentage (.762), fifth in fewest penalties (16) and second in first down defense (36).  SU has not allowed an interception this season and has scored in the red zone all ten times.  The Hawks are allowing 91.5 yards on the ground and 178.5 yards by their offense on the ground, while they are averaging 209.5 yards passing and allowing 215.5 through the air.  SU is averaging 34:12 minutes of possession time for sixth nationally and have not lost a turnover all season. 
 
Individually, the Hawks are led by quarterback Harold Cook who has a .750 completion percentage on 30 of 40 passing with 402 yards and four touchdowns.  On the ground, Charles Alia boasts 172 yards on 27 carries and one score.  Lanear McCrary, Jr., has 45 carries for 201 yards and four touchdowns.  Trevon Dirden leads the team with nine catches for 188 yards and two touchdowns.  Defensively, Trent McCord leads the team with 23 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss on the year.  Tony Bethea has seven tackles, a team-high 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, along with two forced fumbles.
 
Head coach Zach Morrison is in his seventh season at the helm of the Hawks.  He is 14-47 at SU and is 0-7 against Valdosta State during his time in Rome.  The Blazers lead the all-time series with Shorter 12-0 and are 5-0 all-time in Rome.  VSU won last season's meeting 42-14 on Oct. 21, 2023, in Valdosta.
 
In the meeting last season, VSU tallied a total of 445 yards on offense and gave up an opening drive touchdown, but settled down on Homecoming and held a 21-7 lead at halftime.  Edwards went 30 of 45 passing in the game for 279 yards passing, while the team had 170 yards on the ground for 449 yards of offense.  Edwards tossed three touchdowns and the defense held SU to 341 yards of offense in the contest. 
 
VSU is second nationally in 3^rd down conversion percentage at a .653 clip on 32 of 50 this season, while the team is 30^th nationally in 3^rd down percentage defense holding teams to a .291 clip on 16 of 55.  VSU has not allowed a fourth down conversion this season as just one of eight teams to do so (0 of 5).  The Blazers are sixth nationally in passing completion percentage at a .696 clip to lead the GSC, while they are 14^th nationally in first downs gained (100) and tenth in first downs allowed (50).  VSU is 22^nd nationally in passing offense at a 268.5 clip for tops in the league, while it is second nationally in passing yards allowed, holding teams to a 113.3 clip.  The Blazers are tenth nationally in red zone defense holding teams to a .571 clip, while they are 31^st in red zone offense at a .870 average.  VSU is 16^th nationally in rushing offense at 201.0 yards per game for tops in the league, while the defense is holding teams to 92.8 yards per game on the ground for 31^st nationally and second in the league. 
 
VSU is fifth nationally in total defense holding the opposition to just 206.0 yards per game and the team is eighth nationally in total offense at 469.5 yards per game – both tops in the league.  The most intriguing stat is VSU and Shorter are the top two teams in the country in turnovers lost with VSU with just one turnover and Shorter has none. 
 
Individually, Edwards is ninth nationally in completion percentage at a .701 clip on 68 of 98 passing for 1000 yards, 11 touchdowns and no interceptions.  He is third nationally in passing efficiency (194.1), 12^th in passing touchdowns (11), 25^th in passing yards (1,000) and 21^st in passing yards per game (250.0) as all lead the GSC.  Edwards is 23^rd nationally in total offense at 265.5 yards per game for second in the league, while he is fourth nationally in yards per pass attempt at 10.31.
 
Edwards has the luxury of throwing to two of the top three receivers in the league as Bullard is tenth nationally in receiving touchdowns (5) for tops in the league and Malashevich is second in the league with four.  Bullard leads the GSC in receiving yards per game at 80.3 for 38^th nationally, while Malashevich is fifth in the GSC at 64.3.  Malashevich is second in the league in receptions per game (4.8).  On the ground, Hester is 35^th nationally and tops in the GSC in receiving touchdowns with four, while he is fourth in the league in rushing yards with 212 and sixth in rushing yards per game at a 53.0 clip.  Bullard is 11^th nationally in yards per reception at a 22.93 clip to lead the league. 
 
Defensively, graduate student Larry Elder leads the team with 22 tackles, while graduate student Caden Campolieti has a team-high four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.  Junior Dav'Juan Dezeme leads the team with two interceptions. VSU has 29 tackles for loss on the year and 11 sacks.  Dezeme is second in the GSC in interceptions per game at a 0.7 clip for 20^th nationally.