VALDOSTA, Ga. – A total of 49 points were scored in the fourth quarter as Valdosta State built a 24-7 lead at halftime only to see No. 21 West Alabama rally to within three twice in the final stanza, before the Blazers used a scoop-and-score fumble return from senior Dallas Robinson for a 45-35 victory Saturday afternoon at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.

With the win, the Blazers improved to 4-4 on the year and 1-0 in Gulf South Conference play, while West Alabama dropped its third-straight game, falling to 5-3 overall and 0-3 in Gulf South Conference play.  VSU improved to 37-6 all-time against UWA. 
 
The chaotic and one of the wildest final frames in recent memory, began after neither team scored in the third quarter.  UWA had the ball at the VSU 28 to start the fourth as wide receiver Dearrius Nelson rushed for a 28-yard touchdown run on the first play of the quarter trimming the VSU lead to 24-14.  VSU used a great pass to senior Council Allen from junior quarterback Jameson Holcomb for 23 yards and then junior Corey Reddick, Jr., went 43-yards up the middle for a touchdown and a 31-14 lead with 12:40 to play. 
 
The Tigers would respond as quarterback Spencer Arceneaux scrambled for 36-yards to the VSU 16 and then Brayden Jenkins would score from four-yards out for a 31-21 score.  A muffed punt return by the Blazers led to a touchdown as UWA pulled with 7:37 remaining. 
 
From there, the Blazers kept their composure and moved down the field and, on third and nine from the VSU 39, the Blazers dialed up some trickeration as Holcomb lateraled the ball to Allen who tossed a beautiful rainbow pass to a wide-open sophomore Joel Houedenou for a 36-yard touchdown pushing the lead back to ten at 38-28 with 6:01 to play.
 
The Tigers would not go quietly, however, as Arceneaux found Tyrek Williams for 35 yards and Tyler Smith rushed for a 17-yard touchdown and trimming the VSU lead back to 38-35 with 4:03 to play.  Blazer junior punter Devin Walter had another outstanding punt as he pinned the Tigers at their own seven with a 48-yarder.  Walter had six punts for a 49.3 average and a long of 55 on the day and four over 50 yards.
On the first play from scrimmage, Arceneaux found Nelson for eight yards, but he was stripped by senior Josh Brown and Robinson recovered on the scoop-and-score sealing the victory with 1:59 to play at 45-35.  VSU junior kickoff man Ethan Eddins hit a short kickoff as it ricocheted off a UWA player and the Blazers recovered and kneeled the ball to run the clock out. 
 
UWA held a staggering 552-395 advantage in total yards in the game, while the Tigers rushed for 329 yards and the Blazers 141.  VSU had 254 yards passing from Holcomb and Allen went a combined 19 of 29 passing with three touchdowns and no interceptions.  Arceneaux was 22 of 34 passing for UWA for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception. 
 
The Blazers had rushing touchdowns from senior Eric Watts and Reddick, Jr., as Watts had 82 yards on three carries and junior Corey Reddick, Jr., had 15 carries for 65 yards.  UWA had 100-yard rushes from Brayden Jenkins on 24 carries for 127 yards and a score, while Arceneaux had seven carries for 104 yards.   Allen had eight carries for 136 yards and a touchdown, while throwing his first touchdown of his career in high school or college for VSU.
 
The "Black Shirt" defense of the Blazers had three players with double-digit tackles in graduate Jaden Dawkins and senior Mark Robinson each with 11, while Robinson had a fumble recovery, while redshirt freshman LaBarryon Moore had ten tackles and one forced fumble.  Senior Rance Conner had seven tackles and two tackles for loss for six yards, while Robinson had four tackles and the fumble recovery for a touchdown.  Brown finished with a forced fumble, a tackle for loss and one interception. 
 
he Blazer defense came up with a huge interception from Brown as he picked off Spencer Arceneaux's pass on a 2^nd and 19 from the UWA 40 just 1:40 into the contest. With a short field, the Blazers used some nice passes from junior Jameson Holcomb and a rush from Reddick, Jr., on a 4^th and 7 from the UWA 44 for eight yards to move the chains.  Holcomb found Allen for a 26-yard catch and run for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 9:59 left in the first quarter.  It marked the second-straight week VSU has scored on its opening possession and third of the season. 
 
Following punts by both teams, the Tigers had their best drive of the half as Arceneaux found Houston Johnson for 17 yards on a 3^rd and 8 from the UWA 17.  Later in the drive Brayden Jenkins rushed for four yards on a 4^th and 3 from the VSU 31 and Tyler Smith rushed for 18 yards to the VSU nine.  Smith would score the equalizer for a 7-7 score with 1:43 left in the quarter.
 
Early in the second, the Blazers forced UWA into a fourth and four from the VSU and Arceneaux's pass was incomplete for a turnover on downs with 12:11 remaining in the half.  From there, the Blazers moved down to the UWA 35.  VSU had a 4^th and 15, but a huge delay of game penalty on UWA moved the ball to the UWA 30 and, instead of punting, VSU called on freshman kicker Matt Rolader who made a 47-yard field goal for a 10-7 score with 8:25 to play in the half.  It was Rolader's long field goal of the season. 
 
The Blazers came up big once again on defense forcing UWA to punt and Watts scampered 80-yards for a touchdown run for a 17-7 lead with 6:02 to play in the first half on the first play from scrimmage on the drive.  On  VSU's next drive following another punt from the Tigers, Watts had a big 24-yard run to the UWA 27 on a third and three.  Holcomb then found  junior Andre Hall, Jr., for 16 yards and connected with graduate Xyre Wilson in the end zone for a 24-7 score with 1:17 remaining in the half. 
 
Arceneaux hit Johnson for 36 yards to the VSU 24, but Arceneaux was stripped by Moore and M. Robinson recovered his second fumble in as many games with two seconds remaining in the half on a challenge by the Blazers.  Arceneaux had been ruled down on a five-yard run with two seconds remaining in the half at the VSU 19.   Blazer head coach Graham Craig challenged the ruling and the call was overturned to the fumble basically ending the half. 
 
The Blazers close out the 2025 home slate next Saturday at 4 p.m., at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium versus Delta State for Senior Day. 
 
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