The Gulf South Conference kept us entertained last week. In a season that can make one delirious by it's repetitive nature, the GSC gave us something to pay attention to. With four of the five team in the conference facing off with each other we were reminded that any team in the GSC can make it interesting and old rivalries run deep.

Delta State is undeniably the number one team in the conference and the country. They have now taken down their biggest conference foes in consecutive weeks and appear to be the team to beat nationwide. Nobody is less confident of the security on this throne than Delta State fans.

For two straight years now, I have mentioned in every column that Ron Roberts and company are playing with fire. Almost every week has been a heart-wrencher and at some point something has got to give.

But they keep getting away with it. Either they are just slightly smarter than everyone else or they're more physically gifted than everyone else but don't care to utilize it all game. I am going to keep believing that these close games are going to catch up with them at some point, but when?

They took down Valdosta State once again last week. For the sake of my alma mater I may quit this position with D2Football.com. Since I began following and covering VSU games, the Blazers have yet to beat the Statesmen. With Valdosta State leading early in the fourth quarter, I texted a few friends who were also watching and said

Can't wait to see them blow this...I'm confident they'll blow it...that wasn't sarcasm

Before Blazer Nation gets its fire crotch panties in a bunch and start to call me a traitor I will tell you to do less. That means calm it down. What has happened in the last five years of football to make you think Valdosta State was going to hold that lead? Against any team in the country, hell over every FCS school in the land I would allow you to let your imagination to run wild. But against Delta State, be real.

They own you. They are your daddy. That giant headed Statesmen mascot should wear a leather outfit and bend Blazer the match stick over the bench and spank him like a good master next time they meet.

Did you know that West Alabama and West Georgia also played this past week? Yea I had almost forgotten too. It was a sloppy, boring game in my opinion. It was especially tough for me to keep focused when it was also the best night in television with Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League and Jersey Shore all on the tube.

If one of those teams could have done something entertaining I would have cared more, but that game blew...plain and simple. Someone needed to step up in that game and be somebody. Not beat, be...be something special, be the change in the game, step it up. It was a brutal Thursday night contest that had me bored more than a stripper in calculus.

If West Georgia is winning a game at half time, chances are it is ugly.

But anyway, Matt Willis dominated the game as usual. He's a beast. He has become my man crush. Willis went for 132 yards and two touchdowns and has become the best between the tackles, pure running back I have ever seen in my time covering this conference.
West Georgia proved a lot in last week's game but I am seeing something that scares me. Emmanuel Taylor reminds me too much of a school yard quarterback. He's so talented it's scary. But he's not an efficient passer and prefers to run. That doesn't get you far at this level.

Too much has to break down and go wrong for rushing quarterbacks to be successful. In doing so, you take so many key cogs out of plays and limit their chances and their attention span.

Like a strikeout pitcher in baseball a running quarterback can have the players behind/with him fail him in big spots. The pitcher is rolling through a lineup and the defense behind him will fall asleep and go innings without chances. And then the moment comes when they are needed to turn a big double play and the ball is bobbled.

A rushing quarterback spends so much time scrambling that his offensive line needs to be on the move, or his down field receivers turn into blockers. Then that moment comes when he needs a receiver to make a catch for a crucial third down and he drops it, or the pocket breaks down.

I think West Georgia is in an odd place. Emmanuel Taylor is capable of being a star. He gives them the best chance to win. But his style can also be part of what holds them back from consistency on offense.

The first NCAA Regional Rankings of the season were released this week. They can be found here: http://www.d2football.com/regionalrankings/13/

The GSC is well represented and for the first time ever I have zero qualms with how things look right now. Delta State and North Alabama are one and two respectively. Valdosta State's tough schedule has them rightfully third with West Alabama following Mars Hill, North Greenville and Albany State at seven.

Things should play out with at least three GSC teams making the playoffs and I still believe North Alabama will take it all.

The big you know what in the shower may have gotten an ego check, but after some soul searching I expect them to walk around proud and tall...without a towel.

This week we get the gift of in state rivalries. The two Alabama schools face off while the peach basket is on the line between the Georgia programs.

Thursday 8 pm North Alabama at West Alabama

North Alabama has had a week off to lick their wounds for two weeks. They have had time to get over their loss to DSU and have spent the entire time preparing for West Alabama, who had one less week to prepare.

Like a Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion, expect a lot of clawing and scratching from these in state neighbors.

At this point in the season I don't have to tell you what these two teams do best. You already know.

UWA will come out trying to run the ball on offense and limit big plays on defense. North Alabama will be looking to make big plays on offense and force turnovers on defense. UWA's greatest strength is that they can control the tempo, the momentum and clock with Matt Willis. UNA is allowing 155 yards per game on the ground. You might as well pencil Willis in for that right now.

If the Tigers are going to win it's because they don't give the Lions chances to make things happen. If freshman Kyle Caldwell is asked to win this game, it won't happen. He's got the guts to be successful in college football, but last year he was facing high school teams; this week has an SEC secondary. If he has to throw it 25 times or more it will get ugly.

UWA's defense will keep them in this game. They thrive on emotion and can flock to the ball sideline to sideline. This is the smartest defense in the GSC this year. They know where to be and when to be there. Lee Chapple is susceptible to a mistake or two every game. UWA absolutely has to make him pay for any miscues or UNA will run away with it.

In the end it is just bad timing for this match up. Three weeks ago I believed the Tigers had a chance. UNA has had a week off to dwell and make changes. That little purple man in charge of this program won't let them make the same mistakes twice.

The Lions diversity on offense is what separates these two teams. Whatever UWA tries to key in on, UNA has an answer with the other route. Stop the run and they'll pick you apart in the air. Drop into coverage and their power running game will bruise you to death.

UNA will make UWA one dimensional at some point and completely take away their passing game. Matt Willis can only do so much on the ground especially if the Tigers are playing from behind.

Prediction: UNA over UWA 33-17

Saturday 2 pm West Georgia at Valdosta State

The single most hideous up for grab sports item in the world will make an appearance this week as West Georgia and Valdosta State battle for the peach basket.

Like UNA, VSU is hurting after a dramatic defeat at the hands of Delta State. They return home this week and welcome a team they love to beat. For as long as it's been since VSU has beaten DSU, it has been that same amount of time since UWG has taken down VSU.

If Cayden Cochrane can do anything similar to what he did against DSU last week, this will be a cake walk for VSU. Forget about the interception on the screen in the fourth quarter, that dude made a lot of big plays in crucial spots last week against an intimidating defense. His ability to both pass and run will cause headaches for the Wolves,

Keep in mind UWG just played UWA very close a week ago. They've had a few extra days to prepare for VSU so their defensive game plan should be solid. The problem is, as I pointed out at the beginning of this piece, Emmanuel Taylor's style could hold UWG back from consistency on offense.

This week he is dealing with an elite secondary and pass rush. He may be forced to instead of scramble, step up in the pocket and throw. Does he have the accuracy to pick apart this defense?

The problem with the Wolves right now is Taylor is the offense. Their deep stable of running backs are underused in my opinion and Taylor just does his thing. You can do that against weaker defenses but not against a defense like VSU.

If UWG tries to get James Kennebrew and company involved I like their odds to make a game of it. But if Taylor tries to do it all, he will be taken out of the game (figuratively, not literally).

There is one match up that is oddly intriguing here. UWG's Denarius Appling leads the GSC in punt returns and VSU's Jack Fulford is tops in punting. Does the veteran Fulford let Appling run one back on him? Will he pin him too deep to do anything? Could this match up win this game?

Prediction: Valdosta State over West Georgia 31-21


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