MCKINNEY, Texas – The Valdosta State football team was unable to overcome an early deficit falling 49-14 Saturday afternoon to Ferris State in the NCAA Division II National Championship Game at McKinney ISD Stadium.
The Blazers, who were playing in their seventh national championship game, finished the season 13-1 under third year head coach
Tremaine Jackson. VSU now stands at 4-3 all-time in national championship games and has played in three title games in the past six years all versus Ferris State. Ferris State finished 14-1 on the year and won its third national title.
For the game, VSU finished with 311 yards of offense with 190 passing and 121 rushing, but were unable to get the big plays and also on defense get the big stops. FSU finished with 214 yards passing and 251 on the ground for 465 for the game.
Blazer senior quarterback and All-America selection
Sammy Edwards finished 25 of 42 passing for 190 yards and two touchdowns, while senior
Alfonso Franklin finished with 14 carries for 102 yards finishing with 960 yards and a team-high 17 rushing touchdowns. Graduate student
Blake Hester finished with 11 carries for 37 yards as he capped his season with a team-high 1,018 yards on the ground. Hester also had four receptions for 21 yards and recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.
Senior
Tyler Ajiero finished with five receptions for 57 yards and one touchdown. Graduate student and multiple All-America selection
Larry Elder finished with a game-high 14 tackles finishing the season with 107 total tackles this season to lead the team.
The Bulldogs were led by Trinidad Chambliss who went 11 of 20 passing for 153 yards and three touchdowns, while he had 13 carries for 78 yards and two scores. Cam Underwood finished with three receptions for 86 yards and two scores.
VSU took the opening possession and had a promising start to the drive, but a sack on Edwards forced the Blazers into a 3
rd and 22 from the VSU 49. An incomplete pass and a punt started the Bulldogs at their own 19. On the first play from scrimmage, Chambliss went 43 yards to the VSU 38. FSU got to the VSU one for a first and goal. The Blazer "D" stopped the Bulldogs on first and second down, forcing a third down, but Chambliss crossed the goal line for a 7-0 lead. The Blazers punted on their next possession and then a halfback toss-and-pass for 61-yards to Underwood made the score 14-0 with 3:51 left in the first.
The Blazers had a strong drive going moving into FSU territory with a nice pass to junior
Harrison Hamsley for a 2
nd and 3 at the FSU 35 as the first quarter ended. VSU went for it on a 4
th and 3 from the 35, but were unable to convert.
A big pass interference penalty on the Blazers on the ensuing drive moved FSU into Blazer territory and then Chambliss hit Kannon Katzer for 30-yards and a touchdown for a 21-0 lead with 12:32 remaining in the first half.
Edwards had a 4
th and 9 from the FSU 38 later in the quarter and he found Ajiero open for a fade route and a 38-yard touchdown pass getting VSU on the board at 21-7. VSU looked as if it had gotten off the field late in the half, but a costly offsides penalty on a 4
th and 4 and then a face mask penalty on the Blazers on a 3
rd and 8 at the VSU 47 gave FSU a fresh set of downs. Chambliss hit Emari O'Brien for 32-yard on a 4
th and 5 for a 28-7 lead with nine seconds left in the half. The touchdown there proved to be a backbreaker for the Blazers as they were still within striking distance before the late score.
The Bulldogs scored on its opening possession of the second half and a 35-7 lead, but VSU came back with a strong drive as Edwards hit Hamsley who fumbled the ball at the one into the end zone where Hester fell on it for the score and a 35-14 score with seven minutes left in the third.
FSU added another touchdown in the third and one in the fourth for the final margin. Despite the loss, the Blazers finished one of the best seasons in program history with a 13-1 record and overcame adversity with Hurricane Helene, a week in Atlanta for practice due to the storm and winning 13-striaght games prior to Saturday.
VSU won its 11
th Gulf South Conference title this season and had Edwards, Elder, and graduate center
Will Flowers earn All-America honors, while the team finished near the top of the country in numerous statistical categories. Edwards finished fourth in the Harlon Hill in 2024, after finishing third in 2023. VSU now is 35-15 all-time in the NCAA postseason.
The Blazers have a D2-recrord five different coaches reach the national title game as Chris Hatcher went 1-1 in the title game, while David Dean was 2-0. Kerwin Bell went 1-0, while Gary Goff and Jackson each reaching the title game.
