The No. 12 Valdosta State football team dug deep and turned back Clark Atlanta 31-28 Saturday afternoon at Historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala., for the inaugural Week Zero Labor Day Classic.
The teams played to a 28-28 score through three quarters with VSU tying the game at 28 with 14 seconds left in the third. On the ensuing kickoff, CAU fumbled as junior
picked up the ball at the CAU 29 for the first Panther turnover of the game. VSU had to punt from the CAU 36 as junior
pinned the Panthers at the two. Walter finished with two punts for 81 yards, a long of 47 and both were inside the 20.
The Blazer "D" stood tall again and not letting CAU out as the Panthers punted from the end zone with VSU taking over at the CAU 26. VSU moved to the Panther ten, but was stalled as freshman
kicked a 24-yard field goal for a 31-28 lead with 7:53 remaining. Rolader finished 1 of 2 in field goals in his collegiate debut.
CAU began its ensuing drive at the five as VSU corralled the Panthers inside the ten on the kickoff with a great kick from junior
into the end zone. CAU made some big plays to move into VSU territory, but a delay of game at the VSU 27 moved the Panthers to the 32. A big incomplete pass on third down forced a fourth down and the Blazers came up with the block on a 48-yard attempt from CAU with 1:40 to play. VSU took two knees to run out the clock for the win.
For the game, the Blazers tallied 423 yards of offense with 235 passing yards and 188 on the ground. VSU quarterback
Harris Boyd was 14 of 24 passing for 235 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Junior
Corey Reddick, Jr., finished with 10 carries for 72 yards and a score, while junior
Tyler Morehead had 12 total tackles to lead the team defensively.
CAU finished with 355 yards with 234 yards through the air as Zy McDonald was 14 of 30 passing with two touchdowns and no interceptions. The Panthers had 121 yards on the ground, while both teams had 18 first downs in the game. McDonald also had 56 yards on the ground on seven carries and one score.
The Blazers took the ball on the opening possession after CAU deferred and had a fourth and three at the VSU 44. The Blazers used a great fake punt as junior
Bo Tallevast scampered 23 yards to the CAU 33. Reddick made some nifty moves and rushed 30 yards to the CAU three and then he scored on the ground for a 7-0 lead with 11:50 remaining in the first quarter.
CAU came back with a nice drive of its own, converting a fourth and one and using an 11-yard pass McDonald to David Martin for 11-yards and a first down on a third and nine from the VSU 14. Jalen Samuels rushed up the middle for the score and a 7-7 ball game with 6:13 remaining in the quarter.
The Blazers would convert two fourth downs on their next possession, including an offside penalty on CAU on fourth down and Boyd hit Curry for nine yards to the CAU 30 on a fourth and five as time expired in the quarter.
Early in the second quarter, the Blazers missed a 46-yard field goal Rolader, but forced the Panthers into a punt on the next drive. VSU then pinned CAU at its own four with a great 47-yard punt from Walter with 10:23 left in the half.
Following a Clark Atlanta punt, the Blazers made quick work of their next drive as Boyd hit senior
Armani Hayes as the CAU defender fell down for a 49-yard touchdown pass and a 14-7 lead with 5:28 remaining in the half. The Blazers forced CAU to punt, once again late in the half and it looked as if VSU was going to go up 21-7 with a beautiful acrobatic catch from graduate
Tyler Ajiero in the back of the end zone, but the Blazers were called for holding. Later in the drive, Boyd's pass was picked off by Eric Searcy at the 50.
The Panthers moved down to the VSU 21 with 16 seconds remaining as McDonald hit David Martin for a 21-yard touchdown pass to tie the game 14-14 at intermission.
For the half, the Blazers had 21 carries for 142 yards on the ground, while Boyd was 6 of 12 passing for 86 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception. CAU finished the half with 16 carries for 73 yards and was 6 of 16 passing for 84 yards.
VSU held a 228-157 advantage in total offense for the half. Reddick had eight carries for 61 yards and a score for the Blazers on the ground, while Hayes had one catch for 49 yards and a score. CAU was 5 of 9 on third down for the half, while VSU was 1 of 6.
Following the fourth punt of the game by CAU, the Blazers took over at their 30 for the first possession of the second half. VSU went for it again on fourth down, but came up short as CAU took over at the CAU 49.
McDonald hit David Martin for 29 yards and then found Darren Stephens for a 22-yard touchdown pass and CAU'S first lead of the game with 9:22 left in the third quarter. On a second five from the VSU 14, KJ Roberson hauled in a 71-yard catch and run to the CAU 15. Senior running back
Eric Watts moved the Blazers to the two with a nice catch and a rush and then called his own number for a 21-21 score with 6:39 to play in the quarter. CAU's lead was just 2:33 of game time.
The Panters came right back with a long pass play to the VSU 14 for 47 yards to Canaan Johnson. A pass interference penalty on VSU moved the ball to the two. McDonald called his own number from one yard out for a 28-21 CAU lead and 4:14 left in the quarter.
The Blazers found success on the next possession through the air with a nice catch from junior Rickey Ilarraza and Ajiero had another big gain, before Watts went off the left end moving VSU to the CAU eight. Junior
Jamontez Woods scored from two yards out on the ground for a 28-28 score with 14 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Blazers won their season-opener for the seventh-straight season and 31
st in program history. VSU improved to 4-0 all-time against Clark Atlanta and VSU improved to 3-1 all-time on Aug. 30. VSU won its 347
th game in program history and improved to 347-138-4 all-time. Head coach
Graham Craig became the seventh Blazer head coach to win his first game as head coach.
VSU heads to Charlotte, N.C., next Saturday at 12 p.m. for a matchup with Johnson C. Smith. The Blazers open the 2025 home slate on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium versus UNC Pembroke.
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