West Florida Athletics

Football

GSC Football Weekly Release - NCAA 1st Round

GSC WEEKLY NOTES | GSC FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE
2024 GSC SCHEDULE | NCAA BRACKET


GSC IN THE NCAA PLAYOFFS

  • For the 10th consecutive season, the GSC has two or more teams playing the NCAA Division II Football Championship – Valdosta State and West Alabama.
  • Since 2014, the conference is 39-26 (.600) and has won two national titles (2018, 2019), eight region titles and semifinal appearances, and has advanced to the championship game five times. 
  • Valdosta State is the top-seeded team in Super Region 2 for the first time since 2021 when it reached the national title game. The Blazers are making their fifth NCAA postseason trip since 2018 and 21st appearance all-time, tying the record for most by a GSC member. Valdosta State holds a 31-15 record in the playoffs with six championship game appearances and four titles, the most by any GSC member.
  • West Alabama is the third-seeded in Super Region 2, its highest since being the No. 1-seed in 2017. The Tigers are 4-6 all-time in the playoffs and with the 2024 season being their seventh NCAA appearance all-time and the first since 2018. West Alabama has not reached the national semifinals since 1975. In the modern-era the furthest the Tigers have  advanced was the 2017 national quarterfinals. 

GSC vs. EVERYONE ELSE

  • During the 2024 regular season, the GSC was 17-10 in non-conference games.
  •  Since 2016, the GSC has a 112-62 record in the regular season games and is the fifth with 15 or more wins (19 in 2021, 16 in 2022, 15 in 2018 and 2016). 
  • Since 2015, the GSC is 110-36 (.752) against Super Region 2 teams in all match-ups. 
  • In the playoffs since 2014, GSC teams are 10-2 against South Atlantic Conference (SAC) members with a 3-2 record specifically against Lenoir-Rhyne. 

ANOTHER TITLE FOR TITLETOWN

  • Valdosta State won its second consecutive GSC title and 11th all-time program history with a 28-7 victory over West Florida in the final week of the regular season.
  • Finishing 6-0 in conference play, the Blazers became are the first undefeated GSC champion and first outright title since the 2019 Blazers.

THREE TEAMS IN THE COACHES POLL

  • In the final regular poll of AFCA D2 Coaches Rankings (Nov. 19), the GSC had three teams ranked–No. 1 Valdosta State, No. 12 West Alabama and No. 21 West Florida.
  • This is the 12th consecutive poll of the season with three or more GSC teams listed. 
  • Valdosta State comes in at No. 1 for the fourth straight week. West Alabama is among the Top-15 for the seventh time this season. West Florida fell to five spots. 
  • The GSC has had a team appear in 312 of 315 AFCA D2 Top 25 polls, dating back to 2000. Two or more teams have been among the D2 Coaches Top 25, 292 times. A GSC team has spent 70 weeks at No. 1 and among the top-five 220 times.

THREE TEAMS IN THE D2FOOTBALL.com POLL

  • Three GSC teams were ranked in the D2Football.com poll this week (Nov. 11)–No. 2 Valdosta State, No. 13 West Alabama, and No. 21 West Florida.

GSC POSTSEASON AWARDS

  • Valdosta State quarterback Sammy Edwards was named the GSC Offensive Player of the Year.
  • West Florida defensive lineman Traevon Mitchell and Valdosta State defensive back Larry Elder were voted GSC Co-Defensive Players of the Year.
  • Valdosta State’s Tremaine Jackson and West Alabama’s Brett Gilliland shared Coach of the Year honors.
  • Valdosta State had a conference-best 17 All-GSC selections, followed by 14 by West Alabama. Both teams led the way with nine First Team honorees.  

RUNNING WILD

  • There have been 22 100-yard rushing games this season by GSC players. Mississippi College’s Marcus Williams leads the league with a 189 yards against Northeastern State (11/9). 
  • Valdosta State’s Blake Hester has four 100-yard rushing games (121, 118, 111, 102) the most by any GSC player this season.
  • Delta State’s Cole Kirk is lone quarterback on the list with 115 yards (9/7) and leads the conference with the longest single carry–89 yards (9/7).
SEE THE BALL, CATCH THE BALL
  • There have been 19 100-yard receiving games in the conference this season. North Greenville is the most represented school with six–Dre’ Williams (208, 146), Ahmari Coats (182, 105) and Tyshon Mansell (101, 100).
  • Valdosta State’s Rodney Bullard has a GSC-best three 100-yard games (121, 114, 100).
  • Dre’  Williams is among D2 single-game leaders in receiving yards (15th/208) and touchdowns (2nd/4).