VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State senior running back Alfonso Franklin was named Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday.  This is Franklin's first weekly honor of the season and he is the fourth different Blazer to earn league weekly honors this season. 
 
Franklin, a native of Saint Petersburg, Fla., had his best game to date as a Blazer, rushing for three touchdowns and 131 yards on the ground on ten carries, helping lead the No. 3 Blazers to a record-setting 73-0 at Erskine in the GSC-opener for both teams on Saturday.  Franklin scored three-straight touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters with the final one going for 38 yards as VSU set the new single-game scoring record with 73 points.  He averaged 13.1 yards per carry in the game as the Blazers racked up a season-high 293 yards on the ground in the contest.
 
He joins senior quarterback Sammy Edwards, graduate student running back Blake Hester and graduate student linebacker Larry Elder as Blazers who have earned league honors this season.  West Alabama's defensive back Lamar Gray, along with teammate Elijah Guyton earned defensive and special teams players of the week, respectively, this week and North Greenville freshman wide receiver Tyshon Mansell earned Freshman of the Week accolades.
 
The No. 3-ranked Blazers host No. 17-ranked West Alabama in a key Gulf South Conference matchup at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m.  Both teams enter the game at 4-0 and is the first ranked versus ranked game of the season for the Blazers.  
 
Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com on the football schedule page.