VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 22 Valdosta State football team looks to get back on the winning track as it travels back to North Carolina to battle Chowan on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Murfreesboro, N.C.
 
Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com or on the new Blazer Athletics Mobile App.  The game will be broadcast on 92.1 WDDQ FM in Valdosta with Scott James and Wade Beale having the call.
 
Valdosta State Athletics in partnership with Renasant Bank is thrilled to announce the official launch of the Blazer Athletics Mobile App, available for free on iOS and Android devices via the App Store and Google Play Store.  The new Valdosta State Blazers Athletic App integrates news, team information, gameday notifications gameday notifications for all Blazer athletic events both home and away and schedules, as well as ways to purchase VSU tickets and apparel.  The Valdosta State App offers a user-friendly interface with easy access to many services and features.  Check vstateblazers.com for more information on the new Mobile App.
 
The Blazers (1-1) are coming off a disappointing 28-16 loss at Johnson C. Smith last Saturday, while Chowan (1-1) dropped a 38-28 home decision to then-No. 25 West Alabama.  Against JCS, the Blazers jumped out to a 10-0 lead highlighted by a 75-yard run from senior Eric Watts early in the second quarter.  VSU added a field goal, but JCS used an over nine-minute drive to pull within 10-7 in the closing seconds of the half.  The Golden Bulls converted six third downs on the drive and finished 8 of 17 on third down for the game, while VSU was just 1 of 12 on the pivotal down.  
 
VSU struggled in the second half as JCS outscored the Blazers 21-6, including 14-0 in the third quarter.  The Blazers used a great 65-yard touchdown pass from junior Jameson Holcomb to junior Samuel Curry in the fourth quarter to pull VSU within 21-16.  The Blazers then had a chance to take the lead late in the game with a 3^rd and 1 at the JCS 27, but a big tackle for loss forced a fourth down and an incomplete pass turned the ball over on downs with 3:43 to play.  JCS would move down field and score for the final margin.  
 
Watts finished with 92 yards on five attempts and a touchdown on the ground, while Curry had 92 yards on three receptions and a score.  VSU struggled in the passing game, going 10 of 30 for 154 yards, one touchdown and one interception.  JCS outgained VSU 347-288 for the game and the Blazers had just 18:36 minutes of possession time.
 
Saturday marks the second of four-straight games against teams from The Tar Heel State.  VSU then will open the 2025 home slate on Sept. 27 against UNC Pembroke and host Lenoir-Rhyne on Oct. 4.  
 
This season marks first year of Conference Carolinas sponsoring football in 51 years as it has a definite GSC flavor to some of the teams with Chowan, Erskine Shorter and North Greenville who all were former football members of the GSC and now members of Conference Carolinas.  Along with the four teams mentioned above, UNC Pembroke, Ferrum and Barton comprise the seven-member football league in 2025.  VSU is 23-2 all-time against current teams in Conference Carolinas in football.  Along with Chowan, the Blazers also play UNC Pembroke and North Greenville this season. 
 
VSU is 2-0 all-time against Chowan as the teams played in Murfreesboro in 2023 and Valdosta last season.  In 2023, the Blazers posted a 51-36.  In that game, Chowan opened the scoring with a touchdown on the first possessionbefore VSU rattled off three touchdowns including a 50-yard reception for Watts and Chowan ended the opening frame with a safety for a 21-9 VSU lead.  The Blazers held a 31-29 lead at intermission, before blowing the game open in the second half outscoring Chowan 20-7.  Watts had four rushes for 63 yards and a score, while he caught two passes for 59 yards and a touchdown.  He, along with graduate Tyler Ajiero, senior Council Allen, senior Tyler Morehead and senior Theron Stroops all played in the game.  Last season, VSU posted a 52-0 victory over the Hawks as the Blazers scored two second quarter touchdowns for a 14-0 lead at the break and exploded for 38 points in the second half.  
 
The Hawks were led by Jakobe Lane who hauled in ten passes for 117 yards and quarterback Maurice Smith passed for 217 yards and two touchdowns with 19 completions against UWA last week.  UWA raced out to a 21-0 lead and led 21-7 at halftime.  CU pulled within 31-21 with 5:56 left in the fourth, but UWA used a 33-yard run from Brayden Jenkins just 49 seconds later pushing the lead to 38-21.  Smith threw a. final minute touchdown pass to Dominic Haney for the final margin.  Chowan held a 26-17 advantage in first downs, while UWA held a 379-336 advantage in total yards. UWA had seven sacks in the game to zero for Chowan.
 
Chowan is under the direction of head coach Paul Johnson who is 4-18 in his third season at CU and is 0-2 against VSU.  The Hawks were picked fifth in the Conference Carolinas Football Preseason Poll, while UNC Pembroke and North Greenville tied for the lead in the preseason poll.
 
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