CLEVELAND, Miss. — The Gulf South Conference championship comes down to one game Saturday, when No. 12/13 Valdosta State travels to Delta State with both teams unbeaten in league play.

The Blazers (7-1, 1-0 GSC) and Statesmen (5-3, 1-0 GSC) kick off at 2 p.m. EST (1 p.m. CST) at McCool Stadium, and the winner claims the conference crown. Valdosta State is going for its fourth straight GSC title.

The game also carries playoff stakes. The GSC champion does not receive an automatic bid, so Valdosta State's postseason hopes depend on the NPI, where the Blazers rank third in Super Region 2 with one game left. A win would help protect that spot. The Blazers are ranked 13th in the American Football Coaches Association poll, 12th by D2Football.com and 11th by FloCollege.

Standing in the Blazers' way is a familiar face. Delta State is led by David Dean, who is in his first season with the Statesmen. Dean guided Valdosta State from 2007 to 2015, a stretch that included Division II national championships in 2007 and 2012. He entered the season with 127 career wins, second among GSC coaches.

The teams met last November with the title race on the line, and Valdosta State won 27-23 when Jameson Holcomb threw a touchdown pass to Jaheim Arnold with 9 seconds left.

Valdosta State has one of Division II's most productive offenses, ranking seventh nationally at 43.8 points per game and averaging 444.5 yards per game. The Blazers run for 244 yards per game at 6.3 yards per carry and have 30 rushing touchdowns. Sophomore running back Shawn Paschall leads them with 593 yards and 10 touchdowns at 7.8 yards per carry, and he has three of the GSC's seven 100-yard rushing games this season. Quarterback Champ Harris has thrown for 1,418 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions and has run for 386 yards and six scores. Arnold has 346 receiving yards and five touchdowns, averaging 24.7 yards per catch.

The Blazers' defense ranks second in Division II in pass efficiency defense, third with 16 interceptions and third in fewest first downs allowed, with 138. Opponents are completing 48.7% of their passes, with seven touchdown passes, and averaging 3.5 yards per carry. Valdosta State is plus-12 in turnover margin, an average of 1.50 per game that is tied for second nationally, and is tied for 11th in defensive touchdowns.

Defensive back Curtis Janvier is tied for fifth in Division II with four interceptions and has two defensive touchdowns. Linebacker Jayden Bethea leads the team with 49 tackles, eight for loss. Devin Ross was named D2Football.com's national special teams player of the week after returning a blocked kick 66 yards for a touchdown in last week's win over North Greenville.

Scouting the Statesmen

Delta State has turned its season around since a rough September. The Statesmen opened 0-3 and have won five straight since, allowing 13.4 points per game during the streak. Jordan Bradley, also tied for fifth nationally with four interceptions, has returned one 88 yards for a touchdown. Linebacker Tavian Moore leads the Statesmen with 58 tackles.

Delta State's offense averages 18.8 points per game. Running back Nick Clark has 564 rushing yards, including 178 in the Statesmen's 37-33 win over West Alabama, and quarterback Emile Picarella III has thrown for 815 yards.

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