This Week In GSC Football, NCAA Playoff Semifinals
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Birmingham, AL—For the ninth time in 10 seasons, the Gulf South Conference advanced a squad to the NCAA Division II Football Playoff Semi-Finals.
GSC Champion and Super Region Two No. 1 seed Delta State (11-2) moved on to its second consecutive final four by topping No. 3 seed North Greenville at home in the Region Title game, 28-23. DSU rebounded from a 17-14 halftime deficit, opening the fourth quarter with a pair of unanswered, one-yard touchdown runs by Richard Freelon. The Statesmen advanced to their fourth NCAA Semi-Final dating back to 2000. The GSC has now placed a team in the Semi-Finals 28 times since 1975 and seeks to advance a team in the Title game for the second year in a row and 17th overall time.
Next up for Delta State is a trip to Super Region Four Champion and No. 2 seed Pittsburg State (11-1). DSU travels to Pittsburg, KS for Saturday’s 6:05 pm (Central) kick off which will be shown live on ESPN3, ESPN GamePlan, CSS and DeltaFox10 (check your local listings for availability). The DSU/PSU winner will move to the Championship Game versus the victor of the Wayne State (MI) at Winston-Salem State contest. The NCAA Title Game will be held at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, AL and will be televised on ESPN2 at 10:00 a.m.
WEEK IN REVIEW
@ #1 SEED DELTA STATE 28, #3 SEED NORTH GREENVILLE 23 (NCAA QUARTER-FINALS)
GSC Champion and No. 1 seed Delta State (11-2) rallied back from a three-point halftime deficit to return to the NCAA Playoff Semi-Finals for the second year in a row, via a 28-23 home win over No. 3 seed North Greenville (11-3).
Running back Richard Freelon gave DSU a 7-0 lead on its first offensive possession, running for a four-yard touchdown at 7:46 in the first quarter. NGU tied the score at 9:51 in the second frame, only to see Statesmen quarterback Micah Davis post a two-yard TD rush at 4:17. The Crusaders took advantage of a Delta State turnover to knot the score at 14-14 and then entered the locker room with a 17-14 edge via a field goal as time expired in the first half.
North Greenville held the lead entering the fourth quarter, but DSU’s offense found traction in the final 15 minutes, posting 14 unanswered points. Freelon capped a pair of 11-play drives with two one-yard touchdown plunges, the first coming just eight seconds into the quarter and the second at 8:01. NGU added a touchdown pass at 6:51, but Delta State’s offense kept the ball the rest of the game, mounting an 11-play, 55-yard drive that ended at NGU’s 15-yard line.
Freelon ran for a game-high 130 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries, while Davis completed 19-of-26 passes for a game-high tying 192 yards. Delta State successfully defended its Super Region Two Title and moved on to the Semi-Finals for the fourth time in school history. Box scoreTHE WEEK AHEAD
Super Region Two Champion Delta State (11-2) @ Super Region Four Champion Pittsburg State (11-1)
Time: 6:05 p.m. (CST)
Location: Carnie Smith Stadium, Pittsburg, KS
Series: DSU leads 1-0-0
Last Meeting: DSU 44, @ PSU 31 (2005)
Super Region Two Champion Delta State (11-2) seeks to move on to the NCAA Division II Title Game for the second straight season when it journeys west to Super Region Four Champion Pittsburg State (11-1) this Saturday. The game will be shown live on ESPN 3, ESPN GamePlan, CSS and DeltaFox10.
No. 1 seed DSU took home the Regional Title this past weekend, upending No. 3 seed North Greenville at home, 28-23. No. 2 seed PSU returns to the final four for the first time since 2004 after easing past Northwest Missouri State at home, 41-16.
The Statesmen and the Gorillas matchup for just the second time after Delta State claimed a 44-31 triumph in Kansas in the 2005 season opener. Saturday’s contest marks the fifth post-season game between a GSC member and Pittsburg State, but the first in Semi-Final action. The GSC is 4-1 in the previous battles, all of which have taken place in the Title Game. Former member Jacksonville State lost to PSU in the 1991 Title Game, but the league has won three straight since capped by Valdosta State’s 36-31 victory in 2004. JSU earned a revenge win in 1991, while North Alabama won the 1995 Championship over the Gorillas, 27-7.
Delta State makes its fourth Semi-Finals appearance, second in a row after advancing to the 2011 Title Game via a 29-17 home win over Shepherd. DSU hosted a Semi-Final battle in 2000, topping North Dakota State, 34-16, en route to its first-ever NCAA Title and moved on to the Semi-Finals in 2006, suffering a 49-30 loss at Grand Valley State. Overall, the Statesmen hold a 14-5 Playoff record in seven appearances.
Statistical Standouts: Delta State leads the GSC and is 12th in the nation in total offense (463.6). DSU is also tops in the Conference in scoring offense (34.2), total defense (327.9), rushing defense (125.5), sacks (2.8) and tackles for loss (7.1). Pittsburg State is third in the nation in sacks allowed (0.58), sixth in rushing offense (264.9) and eighth in scoring offense (39.9).
Harlon Hill Trophy Finalist quarterback Micah Davis leads the Statesmen’s offense. Davis ranks 15th nationally, first in the Conference, in total offense (277.9) and second in the GSC in passing (263.3) and passing touchdowns (22). DSU features three players in the GSC’s Top 10 rushing list: Brandon Lucas (fifth, 54.9), Richard Freelon (eighth, 50.0) and Brant Botill (10th, 40.2). Wide receiver Chance Dennis is second in touchdown catches (seven), third in receptions (5.3) and fourth in receiving (67.8).
GSC IN NCAA DIVISION II PLAYOFFS
A total of 19 different football-playing schools have belonged to the GSC at some point since 1973 and 12 of those have earned at least one Playoff bid. The GSC has compiled 95 wins during that span along with a .625 winning percentage (95-57). In fact, of the last 24 national champions, 10* have come from the GSC, seven from the North Central Conference, three from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association and three from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The GSC holds the playoff record for different schools to win the championship game (6), championship game appearances (16) and different schools to appear in the championship game (6). *--Mississippi College’s 1989 national championship was vacated for NCAA infractions.
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