STORYLINES
Familiar adversaries and in-state rivals are the theme in the Gulf South schedule for Week 9. With three games remaining, teams with postseason aspirations continue to try and improve their resumes.
- LIVE FROM TIGERVILLE – Following a gritty win last week against West Alabama, North Greenville will look to build on its good fortune as it host Valdosta State. The Crusaders are 0-3 in the series history look for their first-ever win over the Blazers. Valdosta State meanwhile looks to snap its four-game skid. Despite their struggles, the Blazers continue to be among the Top 20 scoring offenses nationally (18th/35.5 ppg).
- TIGERS AND ARGOS, OH MY! – West Alabama heads to Pensacola this week as to clash with West Florida. The Tigers look to rebound after a tough one-point loss last week to North Greenville. UWF meanwhile have won its last four games including a convincing 45-17 decision against Mississippi College last week. Tied at 3-3, this will be the seventh meeting in series history. UWF though have won the last two meetings, including a 47-7 result last season.
- HWY-27 BATTLE – Shorter heads south this week on Highway 27 as West Georgia entertains the Hawks in Carrollton. This will be the ninth-ever meeting, as UWG dominates the series, 8-0. The Wolves have won their last two games this season and led the league with fewest points allowed this season (147). Shorter meanwhile continues to struggle having loss six-straight to start the week, while being outscored 95-36 in its last two games against Top 25 opponents.
- MAGNOLIA STATE CLASH – Saturday will be the 42nd meeting in the Mississippi College-Delta State rivalry, dating back to 1935, per MC’s records. The Statesmen control the all-time series with a 23-16-2 record, including a 6-1 mark since the match-up returned in 2014. The Choctaws go into the weekend ranked second in the NCAA in rushing offense (342.4 ypg), while DSU is third-nationally in total offense (501.6 ypg) and sixth-overall in scoring offense (43.2 ppg). A Statesmen wins would secure themselves at worst a share of GSC title, their first since 2014.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
- Delta State, (No. 8), West Florida (No. 9) and West Georgia (No. 24) were ranked in the eighth regular season poll of 2022 by the AFCA. As a result, the Gulf South extended its run to 47 consecutive polls, dating back to Dec.18, 2017, with at least one team ranked in the AFCA Division II Top 25.
- A GSC team has been among the Top 10 in the last 41-straight polls, since to the Week 5 (Oct. 1) release in 2018, and eight times in 2022. The league saw its run among the Top 5 come to end as it was part of the last 31-straight polls (Nov. 5, 2018-Sept.5, 2022).
- Prior to the 2022 season, conference teams have been ranked in the AFCA Top 25 a combined 801 times since the start of the 2000 season, including 64 total mentions with a representative at No. 1.
NATIONAL AWARD WATCHLIST
- The GSC has four representatives on the Harlon Hill Watchlist, which is awarded annually to the top player in Division II. Among the list is Ivory Durham (Valdosta State), Harrison Frost (West Georgia), Kyle Morlock (Shorter) and David Durden (West Florida).
- Following stellar back-to-back performance’s Delta State’s Patrick Shegog has been a mid-season addition to the Harlon Hill Watchlist.
- Durden was also a preseason candidate for the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
REGIONAL RANKINGS
The first of three NCAA sponsored regional rankings was released on Monday, with two Gulf South teams under consideration for Super Region 2—Delta State and West Florida. Seven teams from Super Region 2 will advance to the NCAA Postseason. There is no automatic qualification, but there is earned access. The next poll will be released October 31.
ODD & ENDS
- West Florida led the league with eight preseason All-GSC selections, including six offensive nods. Valdosta State followed with six picks and four on offense. North Greenville, West Alabama and UWF each had two defensive selections.
- Delta State’s 703 yards of the offense in Week 5 is tied for the fifth-best single-game performance this season in Division II. Valdosta State’s 700 total yards of offense in Week 3 is sixth-best in the D2 charts.
- Delta State’s eight-game win streak has the Statesmen tied for the third-longest active streak in NCAA D2. DSU are just one of three teams in Super Region 2 who are undefeated this season, as it is joined by Virginia Union (CIAA) and Benedict (SIAC), who both carry 10-game win streaks.
- Mississippi College’s 598 rushing yards in Week 7, was a Division II single-game best this season, and was the second-best performance in GSC-history.
- On Sept. 24, West Georgia head coach David Dean tallied his 37th win with the Wolves, becoming the winningest coach in program-history after a 22-7 victory over West Alabama. Dean, who previously coached Valdosta State from 2007-15, began the season ranked third all-time in GSC history with 113 career wins, trailing Bobby Wallace (152) and John M. Williams (122).
GSC IN THE NFL
Prior to the start of the NFL preseason, the GSC had 12 former football student-athletes competing for spots on the 53-man roster. The number was trimmed down to five at the start of the NFL regular season – Christian Matthew (VSU), Arizona; D’Anthony Bell (UWF) , Cleveland; Kenny Moore (VSU); Indianapolis, Jody Fortson (VSU), Kansas City; and Tyreek Hill (UWA), Miami.