October 26th, 2023 3:00am
I don't know how much stock you all put into bracket projections or regional rankings, but by those metrics the Gulf South has THREE programs vying for the postseason. Thoe three teams - West Florida, Delta State, and Valdosta State - are also currently among the D2Football.com Top 25 rankings and we've got a Top 25 matchup on the horizon this week between UWF and VSU. Add in some Thursday night football in Georgia and it's another exciting week in stor the Gulf South!
Gulf South Week Eight Results
*denotes Gulf South Conference game
Valdosta State 42, Shorter 14*
No. 13 West Florida 24, No. 6 Delta State 21*
West Georgia 38, North Greenville 14*
Mississippi College 38, Chowan 21*
Gulf South Week Nine Matchups (all times Eastern)
*denotes Gulf South Conference game
West Georgia (5-2, 4-1 GSC) at Shorter (3-5 1-4 GSC)*
Thursday, Oct. 26 at 7:00 PM | Rome, Ga. | Audio | Stats | Video
West Georgia is rolling at the right time, having won four straight contests following last week’s win over North Greenville. Running back Rajaez Mosley earned GSC Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries while also scoring an additional touchdown on a 49-yard touchdown reception. Mosley is the league’s leading rusher with 81.6 yards per game and 7.2 yards per carry. Quarterback Cameran Brown is also coming into form during his freshman season and was named the GSC Freshman of the Week after throwing for 142 and two scores while also rushing for 64 yards. This season, the Byron, Ga. native has thrown for 597 yards, rushed for 367 yards and accounted for 12 total touchdowns in just six games under center.
The Hawks took their lumps in last week’s loss at Valdosta State as the offense continues to struggle. Shorter has scored 20 points or more just three times this season and is averaging 21.1 points and just 322.8 yards per game. Poor quarterback play has been the main culprit as the quarterbacking tandem of Josh Brown and Harold Long have combined for three touchdowns and six interceptions.
Shorter’s strength is along the defensive line where they rank among NCAA Division II’s top half of programs with 5.38 tackles for loss and 1.88 sacks per game. However, this West Georgia rushing attack is no joke and explosive plays are their bread and butter. Look for Mosely, Brown and crew to take advantage of what can be, at times, an overzealous SU defense.
My pick: West Georgia
West Alabama (3-4, 2-3 GSC) at Chowan (0-8, 0-6 GSC)*
Saturday, Oct. 28 at 1:00 PM | Murfreesboro, N.C. | Stats | Video
West Alabama got a well-deserved week off and return to the field after most recently earning a 10-6 victory over then-No. 6 West Florida. The Tigers’ defense is one of the toughest in the nation, accumulating 54 tackles for loss and 15 sacks behind the leadership of lineman Davonta Jackson’s 36 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and eight quarterback hurries. However, the West Alabama offense doesn’t do its counterpart any favors, averaging just a hair over 14 points per game and having 19 turnovers in just seven games thus far.
Chowan put a scare into Mississippi College last week. The Hawks trailed 17-0 at the half but closed the gap to a 24-21 deficit with just six minutes remaining before MC pulled away late. Quarterback Rashad McKee continues to show flashes, throwing for a touchdown and rushing for another, but two interceptions (off dropped passes unfortunately) stalled the offensive momentum. The defense is one of the worst across all NCAA Divisions, allowing over 40 points per contest to the opposition.
Did the bye week give West Alabama time to right the ship at quarterback? We’ll see how they fare against this weak Chowan defensive unit. Whatever the case may be on offense for UWA, the defense should be well-rested and more than capable of keeping the Hawks’ offense grounded.
My pick: West Alabama
Mississippi College (3-4, 2-3 GSC) at North Greenville (3-5, 2-4 GSC)*
Saturday, Oct. 28 at 2:00 PM | Tigerville, S.C. | Stats | Video
The Choctaws picked up a key Homecoming win last week, riding once again on the shoulders of veteran running back Marcus Williams who ran for 110 yards and a score while also scoring an additional touchdown with a 95-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. After a slow start to the season, the junior has averaged 127.6 yards per game over the last three contests, forming a true 1-2 punch with backfield mate RJ Wilson. In the win over Chowan, Wilson ran for 148 yards and two scores as MC’s rushing attack continues to be one of the top schemes in the country, averaging 22.9 yards per game on 4.8 yards per carry.
North Greenville has lost two in a row, albeit to West Georgia and Delta State, but have a chance to right the ship before the end of the season. The NGU defense has been the star of the show for 2023 despite allowing 27.7 points and 388 yards per game. Take into account that the Crusader offense has given the ball away 19 times (13 via interception) and you see that the defensive unit hasn’t had a chance to catch their breath. All-GSC performer De’Iveon Donald continues to be the leader of the defense, totaling 47 tackles, six tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one fumble recovery.
Mississippi College is going in the right direction while it seems the Crusaders may be on a decline. The Homecoming atmosphere in Tigerville will hopefully provide some boost in momentum for the home team, but the Mississippi rushing attack is not one to be taken lightly. Until NGU takes care of the football, they can’t be trusted.
My pick: Mississippi College
No. 24 Valdosta State (7-1, 4-1 GSC) at No. 8 West Florida (6-2, 4-1 GSC)* *Game of the Week*
Saturday, Oct. 28 at 5:00 PM | Pensacola, Fla. | Audio | Stats | Video
Look who is back in the Top 25 after a dominant win over Shorter last week. Valdosta State’s offense is clicking on all cylinders this season, averaging 37.5 points and 458.5 points per game as quarterback Sammy Edwards leads the charge with 2,340 yards and 18 touchdowns. Four different receivers have over 300 yards and 11 different Blazers have caught a touchdown pass, showing that Edwards has full command of the offense and has time to let a play develop thanks to an offensive line that has allowed just 12 sacks in eight games.
The Argos have returned to form and moved into the Top 10 following last week’s upset of then-No. 6 Delta State on the road. West Florida’s defense did the damage in this one, holding DSU scoreless in the second half of play and keeping the Statesmen under 300 yards of total offense. Offensively, PeeWee Jarrett still got his, throwing for three touchdowns including two to John Jiles. Jiles has solidified himself as one of NCAA Division II’s top weapons this season, catching 44 passes for 925 yards and 11 touchdowns ranking second among all qualified receivers in yards and touchdowns.
The outcome of this one depends on which UWF team we see this week. Can the defense, which has allowed just 11.3 points per game over the last three weeks, keep the momentum going? If so, the offense will need to return to form and avoid laying an egg as they did two weeks ago against West Alabama. The Valdosta State offense cannot be stopped, but they can be slowed down if the passing game isn’t on point.
My pick: West Florida