SETTING THE SCENE
The top-ranked Valdosta State football team (12-0, 6-0 GSC) hosts RV Minnesota State (11-3, 7-3 NSIC) in the NCAA Division II Semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 12 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.  The Blazers come off a dominating 49-14 win over No. 25 Virginia Union, while Minnesota State won 27-23 over Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) foe Bemidji State.    
 
CALLING THE GAME
TALK 92.1 FM will broadcast the Blazer games all season long, both home and away, with Wade Beale and Scott James having the call on the radio.  This game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Doug Sherman and Charles Arbuckle having the call.  
 
WATCH ON ESPN+
The NCAA Division II Football Playoffs this season will be streamed on ESPN+ this season as a subscription to ESPN+ is required. Plans for ESPN+ start at $11.99/mo or are $119.99/yr.  There are bundling options also.  
 
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The winner of this game will earn a berth in the NCAA National Championship Game scheduled for Dec. 21, 2024, in McKinney, Texas, at McKinney ISD Stadium.  The Blazers are seeking their seventh trip to the national championship game as they have four national titles (2004, 2007, 2012, 2018), while Minnesota State is seeking its third trip to the title game and first title. 
 
BREAKING DOWN THE SEMIFINALS
The Blazers earned the top overall seed in the semifinals, while Minnesota State is the No. 4-seed.  No. 2-Seed Ferris State (Mich.) will host No. 3-seed Slippery Rock (Pa.) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET also on ESPN+.  The Blazers own a 33-15 record in the NCAA postseason with a 4-2 mark in the championship game in 20 postseason appearances, while Minnesota State is 18-14 making its 15th trip and is 0-2 in the title game, losing most recently to Gulf South Conference foe West Florida in 2019.  Ferris State is making its 15th trip to the postseason and is 28-12 and is 2-1 in the national title game, while it has split a pair of meetings with Valdosta State in the championship.  Slippery Rock is making its 13th appearance in the postseason and is 15-12 all-time, while it is seeking its first trip to the title game.  The four teams have won a combined six national titles and are 6-5 in the title game, while the teams have a combined 63 appearances in the postseason and a combined 94-53 record.  
 
RECAPPING THE QUARTERFINALS
In an exciting third week of the playoffs, the Blazers dominated No. 25 Virginia Union in all facets of the game as they outgained the Panthers 560-227 for the game and rushed for 223 yards, while throwing for 337.  The 560 yards allowed by VUU was the most it allowed all season.  More impressively is how the Blazer defense shutout the high-powered offense of the Panthers, holding VUU to just 88 yards passing and keeping Harlon Hill finalist running back Jada Byers relatively in check as he had just 109 yards on 22 carries with one touchdown.  Byers rushed for 185 yards and two scores in the second round last week at Lenoir-Rhyne.  Blazer senior quarterback Sammy Edwards was 13 of 19 passing for 302 yards and four touchdowns, while senior wide receiver Rodney Bullard had a career-high 158 yards on five receptions with three touchdowns.  Blazer running back duo of senior Alfonso Franklin and graduate Blake Hester combined for 26 carries and 125 yards with two rushing scores from Franklin.  The Blazer "D" held the Panthers to the 227 yards as VUU entered averaging 474.5 yards per game for sixth nationally.  VSU held the Panthers to just 139 yards on the ground as VUU entered seventh nationally at 245.5.  VSU also recovered two fumbles by the Panthers leading to a touchdown with three seconds remaining in the first half giving VSU a commanding 28-7 lead at the break.  No. 2 Ferris State handed Harding a 41-7 loss as it held the Bison to just 193 yards of offense and 130 yards rushing as Harding entered leading the nation in rushing at 435.8 yards per game.  Minnesota State used a goal line stand to fend off Bemidji State with two huge pass breakups, including one on fourth down, at the MSU 4 with six seconds remaining, for a 27-23 victory.  MSU quarterback Hayden Ekern went 8 of 15 passing for 135 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while he had 18 carries for 62 yards and two rushing scores, including the go ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter.  MSU had 48 rushes for 237 yards and three rushing scores in the game.    
 
LAST MEETING WITH MINNESOTA STATE
The Blazers and Mavericks have met once in series history and it came on Dec. 8, 2012, in Mankato, Minn., in the semifinal round of the playoffs.  VSU trailed 10-0 early in the second quarter and then turned up the heat, outscoring the Mavericks 35-9 the rest of the way handing MSU its only loss of the season.  Blazer quarterback Cayden Cochran went 16 of 28 passing for 278 yards and two scores and had 12 carries for 40 yards and two scores on the ground.  Austin Scott had 21 carries for 158 yards and a score, while Seantavious Jones had four receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown.  The temperature was 28 degrees for the game.  The Blazers went on to defeat Winston-Salem State 35-7 in the national title game for the program's third football championship to that point.
 
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS
Minnesota State enters with an 11-3 record after going 7-3 in the NSIC this season. The Mavericks have played three playoff games decided by a combined eight points with a 20-19 win over Augustana (S.D.), a 26-23 win at No. 7 Colorado State-Pueblo and then the 27-23 win over Bemidji State last Saturday.  MSU used a goal line stand and a blocked extra-point to prevail in the game.  This season, the Mavericks are playing their 97th season of football and are 517-403-27 (.561) all-time in 974 games since the program's inception in 1922 as a varsity sport.  The Mavericks are in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and are 146-25 (.853) in 16 seasons in the league.  The Mavericks had three players earn D2CCA Super Region Four honors in linebacker Antonio Alzheimer, offensive lineman Marshall Forerner and defensive back Khai West.  Alzheimer leads the team with 102 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss for 10 yards and 1.5 sacks for five yards.  West is second on the team in tackles with 69 and has four tackles for loss two interceptions and one blocked kick.  All three earned All-NSIC honors, along with running back Sam Backer and wide receiver/return specialist TreShawn Watson.  Maven Kretche along with West and Alzheimer earned first team honors on defense, while the Mavericks had six second team selections.  Backer leads the team on the ground with 908 yards and five scores, while Christian Vasser has tallied 532 yards on the ground and five scores.  Under center, quarterback Hayden Ekern has registered 483 yards on the ground and 14 touchdowns, while hehas thrown for 2,995 yards and 23 touchdown passes.  Watson leads the team with 777 yards and nine receiving scores, while Grant Guyett has 574 receiving yards and six scores.  The defense allows 23.4 points per game and 352.1 yards per contest, along with 141.4 yards allowed on the ground.  Head coach Todd Hoffner is 142-36 at the helm of the Mavericks including seven league titles and tne trips to the NCAA tournament, including a national runner-up finish in 2019 versus Gulf South Conference rival West Florida.
 
EDWARDS NAMED HARLON HILL TROPHY FINALIST FOR A SECOND-STRAIGHT SEASON 
VSU senior quarterback Sammy Edwards is one of eight finalists for the prestigious Harlon Hill Trophy, which will go to the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year.  Edwards and Virginia Union's Jada Byers represent Super Region Two on the national ballot.  Edwards, along with Slippery Rock quarterback Brayden Long and Ferris State quarterback Trinidad Chambliss are still competing in the playoffs, while Virginia Union running back Jada Byers, Charleston's (W.Va.) running back Chavon Wright, Central Missouri's Zach Zebrowski, Colorado State-Pueblo wide receiver Reggie Retzlaff and Angelo State (Texas) quarterback Braeden Fuller complete the finalists.  The NCAA Division II sports information directors selected the finalists through a round of regional voting. The eight finalists will now be placed on the national ballot where all 177 of the division's school and conference SIDs will select the award's 38th winner and will be announced on Dec. 20, 2024, prior to the national championship game the next day.  Edwards finished third in the national voting last season.  
 
SIX BLAZERS EARN D2CCA ALL-REGION HONORS
A total of six Blazers were named to the D2CCA All-Super Region Two teams which were announced last week.  Senior quarterback Sammy Edwards, along with graduate offensive lineman Will Flowers and graduate safety Larry Elder earned first team honors and move onto the national ballot for All-America consideration, while junior offensive linemen Jeremiah Mawali and Kenley-Mary Asse and junior linebacker Sterling Roberts were second team honorees.  This marks the second-straight year Edwards was named first team all-region, while this marks the first all-region honors for Elder, Flowers, Asse, Mawali and Roberts. 
 
AS THE #1
VSU is 34-7 all-time as the No. 1 team in the country. VSU is 21-4 at home as the top team, while it is 11-3 on the road and 2-0 in neutral site games.  In addition to being the No. 1-ranked team in the country, VSU also has had success as the No. 1-team in the region.  The Blazers earned the top spot in 2018, 2019, 2021 and now 2024, where the team went a combined 5-1 in the regional rounds of those playoffs.   
 
EDWARDS AND BULLARD NAMED STEEL'S JEWELRY BLAZER ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
VSU senior quarterback Sammy Edwards and graduate wide receiver Rodney Bullard were named Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week for their efforts in the blowout win last week versus No. 25 Virginia Union.  Edwards Edwards continued to be a force to be reckoned with at the quarterback position, helping lead the Blazer football team to a definitive 49-14 Quarterfinal playoff victory over Virginia Union at Bazemore-Hyder last Saturday. The Harlon-Hill award finalist finished the contest with 302 passing yards with 13 completions on 19 attempts while also lighting up the scoreboard with four total touchdowns. The St. Augustine, Fla. native connected with six different targets in the game including sophomore Samuel Curry who went deep for a 62-yard touchdown strike for Edwards' longest completion of the afternoon. Edwards also rushed for 21 yards on four carries on the day, proving to utilize his legs when necessary.  Edwards' most consistent and reliable target in the 49-14 victory was none other than Rodney Bullard, who blew past VUU defenders for 158 total receiving yards on just five receptions. Three of five said receptions were good for touchdowns, marking the most times in a game Bullard has reached the end zone since the 73-0 shutout at Erskine on Sept. 21. The Albany, Ga. native's biggest grab came near the tail-end of the third quarter when the speedy receiver pulled in a 47-yard lob from Edwards to extend the Blazers' lead to 35, 42-7.
 
VERSUS THE NORTHERN SUN
Minnesota State is the only team from the Northern Sun Valdosta State has played in program history, while Minnesota State is 0-2 against the GSC with the losses to VSU and UWF.
 
WINNING STREAKS
VSU owns a 12-game winning streak which is the longest current winning streak in the country.  In fact prior to last Saturday, VSU is one of just 13 institutions from all levels of football who still are undefeated and the only undefeated team in NCAA Division II.
 
DECEMBER FOOTBALL
This marks the 20th game in program history in December for the Blazers and the first since the 2021 national championship game against Ferris State in 2021.  VSU is 15-4 all-time in December.  Since 2018, the Blazers are 6-1 in December and 5-0 at home and 1-1 in McKinney.
 
AGAINST RANKED TEAMS
The Blazers 74-66-2 and 41-29-1 at home against ranked foes in program history.  VSU is 4-6 in its last ten meetings versus ranked teams.  Prior to that, the Blazers had been 13-2 in the previous 15.  Last Saturday versus Virginia Union marked the third game this season against a ranked team (3-0).  
     
HOME FOR THE PLAYOFFS
The Blazers are 23-8 all-time at home in the playoffs and 33-15 overall.  Since 2018, the Blazers are 9-2 in the playoffs at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium and 1-0 on the road with a win at Delta State in 2023, 38-31.  Overall in the playoffs the team is 11-3 with two national championship game appearances and one title (2018) since 2018.  
 
PROTECTING THE ROCK
The Blazers lead the nation in fewest turnovers (4) and are fifth nationally in turnover margin at a 1.42 clip and they have 21 turnovers forced this season.  
 
SOLID TOTALS
The Blazers are ninth nationally in both total offense (465.4) and eighth in total defense holding teams to 248.6 yards per game.  In addition, the Blazers are seventh nationally in scoring offense at 42.8 points per game, while they are tied for the nation's lead in scoring defense, allowing just 10.2 points per contest with a school-record three shutouts and have held seven opponents to ten or fewer points this season.
 
EDWARDS NAMED GSC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Edwards, a native of Saint Augustine, Fla., also earned first team all-league honors as he was a second team selection in 2023.  This season, he is 12-0 as a starter for the top-ranked Blazers and is 24-2 all-time as a starting quarterback in two seasons.  Edwards currently 11th nationally in completion percentage at a 0.662 clip, while he is third nationally in passing efficiency at a 179.2 clip.  Edwards has thrown 28 touchdown passes this season for eighth nationally, while he is 12th nationally in passing yards (2,929) and 16th nationally in passing yards per game at a 244.1 clip.  He is 12th nationally in passing yards per completion at a 14.94 clip, while he is 20th nationally in total offense at a 260.5 average.  He 
 
JACKSON TABBED AFCA REGION TWO COACH OF THE YEAR; NAMED CO-GSC COACH OF THE YEAR
Blazer head coach Tremaine Jackson is 39-11 overall in five seasons of coaching at both Valdosta State and Colorado Mesa, while he is 29-8 and in his third season as head coach of the Blazers.  In 2024, he has guided the team to a 12-0 record and 6-0 mark in Gulf South Conference play this season winning the program's 11th GSC title.  The Blazers went 10-0 in the regular season, marking the fifth time in program history the team has had an undefeated regular season and the first time since 2019.   He became the fourth Blazer head coach to earn AFCA Region Coach of the Year honors as Hal Mumme earned the honor in 1996, while Chris Hatcher was awarded twice in 2001 and 2002 and David Dean in 2010.  Hatcher was named AFCA National Coach of the Year in 2004, while Dean earned national honors in 2007 and 2012.  Jackson earning GSC Co-Coach of the Year marks VSU's eighth Coach of the Year honor in school history for second-most in league history overall, and the most among current institutions.  West Alabama is tied with Delta State for second behind the Blazers (among current members) with seven as UWA head coach Brett Gilliland shared the honor with Jackson this season, as he guided UWA to a 9-2 record overall and a 5-1 mark in GSC play and lost in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.  Hatcher was named Coach of the Year three times, while David Dean and Gary Goff each have earned the honor twice, along with Hal Mumme (1996) and Kerwin Bell (2018).  
 
ELDER EARNS CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS
Elder, a native of Richmond, Va., has had an outstanding season for the red and black as he has helped the team to an undefeated season, while leading the team in tackles with 84 and 47 solo stops also earning first team all-league honors.  Elder has 11 tackles for loss for 52 yards to lead the team, while he has 3.5 sacks for 26 yards.  He has one interception this season with three pass breakups, one fumble return and four forced fumbles.  He was named GSC Defensive Player of the Week three times, while registering double-digit tackles twice this season with a season-high 12 tackles at Delta State (11/09).  Elder is the first Blazer to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors since Larry Dean in 2010.  Elder joins, Dean, Jessie Tuggle (1986), Antonio Edwards (1992), Antonio Speed (1998 & 1999) and Dewayne Smith to become the sixth different Blazer to earn the honor. 
 
STRONG SHOWING FOR BLAZERS ON ALL-GSC TEAMS
Including Edwards and Elder, VSU had an outstanding showing on the all-conference teams with 17 total selections with nine first team honorees and eight second.  The Blazers had seven selections on the first team on offense including Edwards along with graduate running back Blake Hester, graduate all-purpose back Alfonso Franklin, senior wide receiver Rodney Bullard, graduate center Will Flowers, senior guard Kenley-Mary Asse and gradate tackle Jeremiah Mawali.  Along with Elder, junior linebacker Sterling Roberts earned first team honors on defense.  The second team consisted of five on offense, two on defense and one on special teams.  Graduate tight end Noah Gillan earned second team honors for the second-straight season, while graduate wide receivers Tyler Ajiero and Graeson Malashevich each were second team honorees, along with senior guard James Robinson and tackle graduate Fred Norman.  On defense, senior defensive lineman J'Quan Hicks earned a spot along with junior defensive back Rance Conner and junior long snapper Reid Brass for special teams. 
 
BLAZERS REMAIN 1-2 IN NATIONAL POLLS
For the third-straight week, the Blazers are the No. 1-ranked team in the country in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25.  Ferris State is second in the AFCA poll, followed by Kutztown, Harding and Grand Valley State rounds out the top five.  Charleston (W.Va.) is sixth, followed by Colorado State-Pueblo, Central Oklahoma and Ouachita Baptist is ninth, while Western Colorado is tenth as the same from last week.  Slippery Rock, West Alabama, Pittsburg State and Indianapolis remained 11-14, respectively, while Lenoir-Rhyne jumped from 20th to 15th this week.  In the D2Football.com Top 25, Ferris State remains the top team, followed by Valdosta State, Kutztown, Grand Valley and Harding rounded out the top five.  West Alabama is 13th and West Florida fell out of the poll.  The final top 25 polls will be announced following the National Championship on Dec. 21.  
 
5 ON THE GROUND
This season, the Blazers have registered five rushing touchdowns in four different games, including two of the last three.  VSU has 38 rushing touchdowns this season in 12 games.  The school record is 40 rushing touchdowns set in 2018.  
 
ROAD WARRIORS
Coming off the 49-20 win at Delta State on Nov. 9, the Blazers won their 12th-straight road game for the longest current road winning streak in Division II.  Colorado State-Pueblo is second winning its last nine road contests.  Since 2018, the Blazers have gone 26-3 on the road. 
 
BLANKING BLAZERS
The Blazers registered their third shutout of the season in the 52-0 win over Chowan on Nov. 2.  It marked the first time in program history the Blazers have had three shutouts in the same season.  It also was the 29th shutout in program history.  On the other end of the spectrum, the Blazers have not been shutout 390 games dating back to a 12-0 loss to Central Florida on Sept. 14, 1991, for the longest consecutive streak of no shutouts in NCAA Division II.  In addition to not allowing points, the Blazers have held an additional two teams (Shorter, West Florida) to single-digit points this season.
 
ROCKIN' RUNNING GAME
The Blazers registered a season-high 339 yards on the ground on Nov. 2 versus Chowan on 31 carries for a staggering 10.9 average per carry.  Graduate students Blake Hester and Alfonso Franklin, each had over 100 yards on the ground.  Hester finished with 12 carries for 121 yards and three touchdowns, while Franklin had 116 yards on just six carries and a touchdown.  VSU amassed five rushing touchdowns for the game marking the third time this season of rushing for five touchdowns to that point.     
 
A VICTORY OVER MINNESOTA STATE WOULD . . .