GSC/Conference Carolinas Week Eight Preview & Picks

October 24th, 2025 8:00am

Last week provided the excitement we’ve been looking for across the Gulf South Conference and Conference Carolinas! Fans saw a Top 25 upset, a couple of second half comebacks, and a prime time Top 15 matchup that went down to the wire. This week figures to keep the momentum going as the stars and powerhouse teams are ready to shine.

Last Week’s Results
Home team in bold
*denotes Conference Carolinas game
^denotes Gulf South Conference Game

• North Greenville 20, No. 19 UNC Pembroke 7*

• No. 21 Delta State 51, Ferrum 10

• Erskine 23, Shorter 19*

• Barton 28, Chowan 21*

• No. 4 West Florida 23, No. 13 West Alabama 16^

Must-See Matchup

^No. 19 Delta State (6-1, 0-0 GSC) at No. 17 West Alabama (5-1, 0-1 GSC) | Livingston, Ala. | Oct. 25 | 3:00 p.m. | Stats | Video

Delta State continues to rise up the rankings and are now inside the Top 20 after last week’s 41-point win over Ferrum at home. The Statesmen are thriving on both sides of the ball during their current four-game win streak, allowing just 6.5 points and 214.8 yards per game while putting up 42.2 points and 446.3 yards per contest. Last week’s victory saw the return of starting quarterback Cole Kirk to the tune of 185 passing yards and two total touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) in just one half of play and running back Nick Clark scored his 10th touchdown of the season on the ground. DSU’s defense is particularly stingy against opposing rushing attacks, allowing just 93.4 yards per game and four touchdowns in seven games.

The Tigers had their five-game win streak snapped last week in a narrow 23-16 loss to fourth-ranked West Florida as quarterback Spencer Arceneaux struggled to complete just 16-of-31 pass attempts for 249 yards and two interceptions. West Alabama’s run game was also held in check, producing just 71 yards on 25 attempts (2.84 ypc), the first time all season the attack had been held under 185 yards all year. On the flip side, the UWA secondary was punished to the tune of 332 yards and the front seven got to the quarterback just once.

The Statesmen have certainly had an easy stretch of late in the way of Strength of Schedule metrics, however, there is much to be said for momentum and DSU has plenty of it. West Alabama’s offense may look a little bit better than it did a week ago, but Delta State is for real and I expect them to prove it this week as they open Gulf South Conference play.

My pick: No. 19 Delta State

Week 8 Schedule at a Glance
All times Eastern
*denotes Conference Carolinas game
^denotes Gulf South Conference game

Saturday, Oct. 25 

*Erskine (1-6, 1-2 CC) at Ferrum (2-5, 1-2 CC) | Ferrum, Va. | 1:00 p.m. | Stats | Video

The Flying Fleet collected their first win of the 2025 season last weekend, using a second-half rally to down Shorter on the road. Erskine’s defense pitched a shutout over the final two quarters and collected two interceptions as well as a fumble recovery, while running back Logan Coldren rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and is averaging 98.5 yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry over the last two games. The Fleet offense seems to have found a groove across the last two weeks as the run game has found its footing and the defensive front has four sacks in the same span.

After picking up their first Conference Carolinas victory in Week Five, the Panthers of Ferrum have dropped two straight contests to Barton and then-No. 21 Delta State, respectively. On the season, Ferrum’s defense has struggled to find consistency, allowing just under 35 points per game as opponents have found much success on the ground to the tune of 192.6 rushing yards per contest and 15 total rushing touchdowns.

Erskine’s newfound identity in the run game could prove to be the difference on Saturday. If Coldren can continue to be a workhorse behind an offensive line that has seen improvement, the Flying Fleet could be winners of two in a row. 

My pick: Erskine

*Shorter (1-7, 0-4 CC) at Barton (2-5, 2-1 CC) | Wilson, N.C. | 2:00 p.m. | Stats | Video

Shorter has hit a rough patch in its 2025 schedule, losing four games in a row, including three games by a total of just eight points. Those close games are a byproduct of the Hawks’ clock control via a strong run game, which leads Conference Carolinas with 169.5 yards per game and 16 total touchdowns as Lanear McCrary is the bell cow back with 601 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Defensively, Shorter is Conference Carolinas’ top run defense, with just 124 rushing yards allowed to the opposition. The Hawks’ weakness is an obvious one as quarterback Jeb Wells completes just 52.5 percent of his pass attempts and has 10 interceptions in eight games compared to just five passing touchdowns, making this offense one-dimensional.

The Bulldogs are on a roll, winning two straight contests on the heels of running back Jackson Parrish, who has 439 rushing yards and four touchdowns over the last pair of games against Ferrum and Chowan. Quarterback Al Lee has also shown marked improvement under center, completing 18 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns to keep opposing defenses honest while also scoring twice on the ground in the same span. Defensively, Barton struggles against strong passing teams and hasn’t created much in the way of turnovers this season, with just six takeaways on the year.

Barton has found its groove of late, getting back to its roots with a strong run game. The Bulldogs should continue to find success despite facing off against a strong Shorter run defense as BC wins its third straight on Saturday in front of a capacity crowd during Homecoming Weekend.

My pick: Barton

North Greenville (4-3) at Valdosta State (2-4) | Valdosta, Ga. | 3:00 p.m. | Audio | Stats | Video

The Trailblazers are riding high after last week’s dominating upset of then-No. 19 UNC Pembroke, taking the top spot in the Conference Carolinas standings as they head into this week’s non-conference matchup. A week ago, the NGU defense forced four turnovers, increasing their season total to 15 takeaways (eight interceptions, seven fumble recoveries) and now ranks fourth among all Division II schools with a 1.57 turnover margin. Quarterback Dylan Ramirez is making a statement in his senior year so far, completing 65.3 percent of his passes for 1,756 yards and 15 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions, and has completed a pass to 15 different receivers this season. North Greenville has been in a handful of close games, as evidenced by its +3.3 average scoring margin, which provides the team with a battle-tested mentality heading towards the latter part of the regular season.

Valdosta State has struggled mightily in 2025 as a slew of offseason changes have not proven fruitful for a once-powerful program. The Blazers have lost three straight games and have no semblance of a passing game as quarterback Harris Boyd has thrown for just one touchdown with eight interceptions and did not see the field in the team’s last game against The Citadel. Junior Jameson Holcomb got the start against The Citadel and was serviceable with 147 yards and two touchdowns, so a change under center for VSU may be permanent. Defensively, the Blazers allow just over 201 passing yards per game, but have just 10 sacks on the year and seven takeaways.

Some would call this a “trap game” for the Trailblazers coming off a momentum-shifting win last week, but first-year Head Coach Nate Garner and staff have NGU trending in the right direction. Ramirez will have his team ready to go with a chance to collect the program’s first-ever win over Valdosta State on the line this Saturday.

My pick: North Greenville

West Virginia State (4-3) at No. 4 West Florida (7-0) | Pensacola, Fla. | 3:00 p.m. | Audio | Stats | Video

West Virginia State has had an up-and-down season so far, starting off 4-1 before falling in two of its last three games. Last week’s loss was particularly tough as the Yellow Jackets held a 17-0 lead before squandering their chances at victory in a 24-20 loss at home. WVSU is a balanced offense, scoring 33.1 points per game while averaging 235.1 passing yards and 218 rushing yards per contest as quarterback Kaleb Jackson’s dual-threat abilities (1,646 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, 302 rushing yards, three touchdowns) provide a weekly spark for the unit. The defense has room for improvement as they allow over 430 yards per game, including 5.6 yards per carry to opposing rush attacks. 

West Florida remains among the Top 5 after last week’s narrow road win over then-No. 13 West Alabama. Quarterback Marcus Stokes had 332 passing yards and two touchdowns - his sixth game with multiple touchdown passes this year - while running back TJ Lane continued his 2025 dominance with 101 rushing yards and a touchdown on just 18 carries. The defense continues to be stout against the run, allowing just 41.4 yards per game and 1.6 yards per carry through seven contests, while the secondary is no slouch, giving up only 225.6 yards per game through the air while forcing eight interceptions. UWF does have a tendency to see the yellow flag often, ranking as the third most penalized team in the country with over 100 yards of penalties per game.

One could argue that the Argos are the most complete team in the country, boasting very few holes on offense, defense, or special teams. This game should go easily in West Florida’s favor as they are practically unbeatable at home; however, the flow of the game could get a bit sloppy between two of the nation’s most penalized programs.

My pick: No. 4 West Florida

*UNC Pembroke (6-2, 3-1 CC) at Chowan (2-5, 1-2 CC) | Murfreesboro, N.C. | 6:00 p.m. | Stats | Video

Well, UNC Pembroke’s time in the Top 25 has come to an end after last week’s road loss to North Greenville, where the offense sputtered to just seven points and 306 total yards as quarterback Tre Robinson was benched in the second half after completing just 46.4 percent of his pass attempts with two interceptions. The Braves’ defense has been a constant strength throughout the year, allowing just 17.1 points and 297.4 total yards per game, including a stifling 159.25 passing yards to opposing offenses. Defensive back Donovan Woods is as dangerous as anyone in the country, accounting for four interceptions on the year to go along with five pass breakups, one forced fumble, and 39 total tackles.

Chowan struck first in last week’s contest against Barton, but a subpar second-half effort led to the Hawks’ third straight defeat. Quarterbacks NyJal Johnson and Maurice Smith, Jr. split time under center and accounted for 297 passing yards and two touchdowns, but the defense surrendered over 220 rushing yards to the Bulldogs in the loss. Chowan’s run defense has been its Achilles heel all season long, ranking near the bottom of Division II, allowing 232.9 rushing yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry as opposing ground games have reached the end zone 25 total times.

The Braves will get back on track this Saturday, taking out all frustrations from last week’s loss on the Hawks and returning home with a convincing victory.

My pick: UNC Pembroke

Gulf South Players to Watch

• Nick Clark, Delta State, r-Fr., RB – The Delta State offense goes as the ground game goes and Nick Clark is the clearcut leader out of the backfield. The Alabama native paces the Statesmen in rushing, having accounted for 4.8 yards per carry and 10 total touchdowns on the ground. His efforts will be key this weekend as DSU looks to control the clock against West Alabama on the road.

• Rance Conner, Valdosta State, Sr., DB – Conner has been one of the few bright spots for Valdosta State in an otherwise lackluster season. The experienced defensive back does it all for the Blazers, totaling 18 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, five pass breakups, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. If VSU hopes to pull off an upset this weekend Conner will have to be involved against a talented North Greenville offensive attack.

• TJ Lane, West Florida, r-So., RB – Despite leading the Argos with 484 rushing yards, Lane recorded his first 100-yard rushing game of the year just a week ago. He has six total touchdowns on the year - three rushing and three receiving - and serves as the ultimate weapon for Offensive Coordinator Donny Baker and staff. He figures to play a prominent role on Saturday against West Virginia State, which allows almost 185 rushing yards per game.

Conference Carolinas Players to Watch

• Tyrik Bryant, Ferrum, r-Jr., WR – Last week, Bryant broke out and set Ferrum’s single-game reception record with 12 grabs against a strong Delta State defense. The last two weeks have seen the redshirt-junior collect 19 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown, a trend that figures to continue this week at home against an Erskine secondary that is susceptible to big plays down field.

• Jackson Parrish, Barton, So., RB – Over the last two games, there has been no one in the country more dangerous on the ground than Parrish. The second-year back has 439 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ last two contests, and it's no coincidence that Barton has won both matchups. Parrish faces off against the League’s top run defense in Shorter this weekend, but I expect his workload to lead to another outing that eclipses the century mark.

• Dylan Ramirez, North Greenville, Sr., QB – The most experienced signal caller in Conference Carolinas, Ramirez has the Trailblazer offense on a tear. He has an eye-opening 5:1 touchdowns touchdown-to-interception ratio, throwing 15 touchdown passes, and keeping opposing secondaries in check by completing a pass to 15 different receivers. The senior is also light on his feet when needed, having rushed for almost 700 yards in his collegiate career with 16 touchdowns on the ground.

Conference Carolinas Standings

Gulf South Conference Standings