GSC/Conference Carolinas Week Eight Preview & Picks

October 22nd, 2026 4:00am

Saturday’s slate brings plenty of excitement to the table, including two games with plenty at stake. In Conference Carolinas play, Chowan, which is currently unbeaten at 3-0 and atop the standings, travels to UNC Pembroke, which sits at 3-1 in league play, in a game that could go a long way toward deciding who reaches the league title game. The race is tight behind them, with multiple teams within striking distance of the top two spots. In the Gulf South Conference, West Alabama and Delta State both open league play as the Tigers are looking to bounce back from a 37-3 loss at West Florida, while the Statesmen bring a three-game winning streak after starting 0-3. Here’s what’s on tap.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS (home team in bold)
*Chowan 37, Erskine 7
Delta State 24, Ferrum 7
*No. 22 North Greenville 31, Shorter 3
West Florida 37, West Alabama 3
*UNC Pembroke 59, Barton 0

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)
*denotes Conference Carolinas contest
^denotes Gulf South contest

Saturday, Oct. 24

North Greenville got back on track in a big way, routing Shorter 31-3 on Homecoming after the loss to Chowan, rushing for 242 yards and four touchdowns while a smothering defense held the Hawks to 114 total yards and eight first downs, with three sacks, nine tackles for loss and a pair of sacks and a half from Isaac Hawkins. Kam Montgomery remains the heart of the attack at 6-1 overall, producing 536 rushing yards and 1,325 passing yards for 19 touchdowns, with Maurice Anderson (five rushing scores), Sam Washam (265 receiving yards) and Jonathan Manley (238) filling out an offense that has converted 21-of-26 red-zone trips into touchdowns and is averaging 33.3 points per game. Another added piece of the puzzle this week is a return to Wilson for NGU running back Jackson Parrish, who spent two seasons a Bulldog where he totaled over 1,600 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground.On defense, Jamie Downing Jr. (54 tackles) and Brannon Teamer (52) lead a unit allowing 21.9 points per game, with Kaliber Hoey’s three interceptions pacing a secondary that has come up with ten.

Barton is looking to end a four-game skid and score for the first time since September when it hosts North Greenville on Saturday, coming off a 59-0 loss to UNC Pembroke in which the Bulldogs finished with just 63 total yards, 24 on the ground and 39 through the air on 9-of-30 passing, though the defense made four tackles for loss, and recovered two fumbles. Barton has managed seven points over its last four games and is averaging 10.4 per game for the season, with Jayden Brown’s 249 rushing yards, Tyler Davis’s 18 catches for 260 yards and three touchdowns, and Jaidan Lee’s team-high 25 receptions as the few bright spots. The defense has been far more productive than the offense, with Sean-Jacob Bethea (41 tackles), Cameron Royal (37) and Emmanuel Miller (three sacks) anchoring a unit with 46 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.

Prediction: No. 19 North Greenville

*Ferrum (2-5, 2-1 CC) at Erskine (2-5, 0-3 CC) | Due West, S.C. | 3:00 PM | STATS | VIDEO

Ferrum went into last Saturday’s 24-7 home loss to Delta State looking to extend a two-game winning streak, and the offense never found a rhythm, scoring a season-low seven points. Ferrum outgained Delta State 312 yards to 298 and had more first downs (20 to 15), but two interceptions and a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown late in the first half undid the Panthers. Through seven games, Ferrum is averaging 15.1 points and 331.6 yards while giving up 25.3 points and 408.9 yards. The offense runs through quarterback Eli Foutz, who has thrown for 1,286 yards and six touchdowns, run for four more scores, and totaled 1,447 yards of offense, though he has been intercepted eight times. Jycen Anciso leads the ground game with 494 yards, and Omarza Gray is the top target with 35 catches for 418 yards, to go with 919 all-purpose yards, thanks in part to a kickoff return unit that leads the conference at 26.1 yards per return. The defense has forced seven interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, and has nine sacks. It has struggled against the run, allowing 5.4 yards per carry.

Erskine is still looking for its first Conference Carolinas win, and it will try to find it Saturday inside Henry C. Oates Stadium against Ferrum, after a 37-7 loss at Chowan in the rain. The Flying Fleet ran for 126 yards on 39 carries, led by Montrevious Baker’s 44, but managed only 39 passing yards on 4-of-14 attempts from Ben Black, whose 12-yard touchdown to Jo Burson was the team’s lone score. For the season, Erskine is averaging 21.0 points and 244.0 yards per game while giving up 31.1 points and 412.6 yards, with Burson (24 catches, 421 yards, six touchdowns), Siah Mack (18 catches, 211 yards) and Marquies Lattner (172 rushing yards) leading the offense. Ryan Killmer’s 851 passing yards and nine touchdowns came over the first five games, and kicker Alessandro Santana Jr. has made all seven of his field goal attempts. The Flying Fleet has scored on 17 of 23 red-zone trips, but it has not yet won since a 62-3 rout of Thomas on Sept. 12, and its current losing streak is five games.

Prediction: Ferrum

*Chowan (4-3, 3-0 CC) at UNC Pembroke (6-2, 3-1 CC) | Pembroke, N.C. | 3:00 PM | STATS | VIDEO

Chowan stayed perfect in Conference Carolinas play with a 37-7 win over Erskine, its second straight victory, following the 16-13 upset at North Greenville the week before. The Hawks piled up 424 yards, 361 through the air, as Tyler Adkins went 23-of-35 for three touchdowns and Amir Alexander caught eight passes for 170 yards and all three scores, while Lane Roberts led the ground game with 72 yards and a touchdown. The defense held Erskine to 165 total yards, with six tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception by Jerrel Howard, and eight tackles from Darian Whitaker. Chowan is averaging 25.7 points and 353.7 yards per game while allowing 22.7 points and 307.4 yards, and the Hawks have scored on 22 of 27 red-zone trips. Adkins has thrown for 2,022 yards and 15 touchdowns against just three interceptions, with Alexander (41 catches, 740 yards, six touchdowns) and Dezmond Randolph (26 catches, 471 yards, four touchdowns) as his top targets. Whitaker leads a defense that has 16 sacks and seven interceptions with 59 tackles and 3.5 sacks; Malachi Howell has seven tackles for loss, and Jimmy Lacy has two interceptions. Now the Hawks are looking to hold on to their place atop the Conference Carolinas standings when they travel to UNC Pembroke, and the game could be pivotal in deciding which teams earn a spot in the league title game.

UNC Pembroke rolled to a 59-0 win at Barton in the rain, with 571 total yards, 361 of them passing, six touchdown passes and 27 first downs, while holding the Bulldogs to 63 yards of offense a week ago. Quarterback Josh Ehrlich was 18-of-28 for 278 yards and five touchdowns; Jake Davids had 99 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries; Malik Brown caught seven passes for 80 yards and two scores; and Jared Navidad hit a 42-yard field goal and all eight extra points. The defense recorded four sacks, two of them from Fred Giles, who also forced and recovered a fumble. The Braves are averaging 33.9 points and 407.9 yards per game while allowing 17.4 points and 284.8 yards, and they have scored on 24-of-28 red-zone trips. Ehrlich has thrown for 1,711 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions and run for 608 yards and six scores, giving him 2,319 yards of total offense, while Davids is averaging 6.8 yards per carry on 405 rushing yards and Brown has 32 catches for 595 yards and nine touchdowns, including two on kick returns. The defense has 22 sacks and six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

Prediction: UNC Pembroke

Shorter (2-5) at No. 13 Valdosta State (4-1) | Valdosta, Ga. | 3:00 PM | STATS | VIDEO

Shorter has now lost three straight, including a 31-3 defeat last Saturday at then-No. 22 North Greenville, and has scored just 13 points over the course of the current losing streak after opening the year with a 65-6 rout of Andrew. The Hawks, who step out of conference play to face another ranked opponent in No. 13 Valdosta State, are averaging 21.9 points and 345.4 yards per game, led by a ground game built around David Hill (676 yards, 5.1 per carry) and a quarterback in Jeb Walls (1,086 yards, 10 touchdowns) whose turnovers (seven interceptions) have hurt. Silas Hinson (22 catches, 305 yards) and Dennis Sims (25 catches, 272 yards) are his top targets. The defense has been the steadier unit, allowing 22.3 points and 254.9 yards per game, with just 3.8 yards per rushing attempt against. Christian Benson, with six tackles for loss and three sacks in six games, has been a driving force up front.

Valdosta State returns from a two-week layoff Saturday at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium for Homecoming against Shorter, having last played on Oct. 3, a 56-0 rout of Erskine in which the Blazers rolled up 474 total yards, ran for 289 yards and six touchdowns, and held Erskine to 118 yards, with four interceptions, six sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Valdosta State is averaging 46.4 points and 448.0 yards per game while allowing just 14.6 points. Shawn Paschall has seven rushing touchdowns, including three against Erskine, and has run for more than 440 yards. The defense has nine interceptions, 12 sacks, and 36 tackles for loss on the season

Prediction: No. 13 Valdosta State

West Alabama opens Gulf South Conference play Saturday at Delta State coming off a 37-3 loss at NCAA Division I foe West Florida in which the Tigers managed just 29 total yards, finishing with minus-16 rushing yards, 45 passing yards and an 0-for-13 mark on third down. At 5-2, West Alabama has won its games on defense and in the turnover battle, forcing 18 takeaways (eight interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries) for a margin of plus-seven, even as the offense averages 21.1 points and 319.4 yards per game and the defense gives up 22.4 points. Quarterback Luther Richesson has thrown for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns, with TD Parker (18 catches, 268 yards, three touchdowns) and Madixx Morris (13 catches, 274 yards) among his top targets, while Brayden Jenkins leads the ground game with 359 yards. Joseph Harper (41 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss) and KC Bradford (40 tackles) lead the defense, and Kebian Gilmore and Issaiah Parrish each have two interceptions.

Delta State GSC opener also serves as its Homecoming game, riding a three-game winning streak after a 0-3 start in which it was outscored 147-23. Since then, the Statesmen have beaten Mississippi Valley State, Shorter and Ferrum while allowing just 13 total points. Their most recent win, a 24-7 triumph at Ferrum, featured a punt return touchdown and two blocked kicks, along with 199 rushing yards, three sacks, and two interceptions from the defense. DSU is averaging 15.2 points and 216.7 yards per game while giving up 26.7 points, though the offense has scored 68 points during the winning streak. The ground game does most of the work, with Nick Clark running for 351 yards and Qualon Farrar adding 211, and quarterback Emile Picarella has thrown for 426 yards and four touchdowns, but also has four interceptions. Tavian Moore (47 tackles) and Alonzo Jackson II (46) lead the defense; Barrett Newman has 3.5 tackles for loss, and Jordan Bradley has two interceptions.

Prediction: West Alabama

Columnist Picks
Last week: 5-0
2026 season: 34-9