August 28th, 2025 7:00am
The wait is over — Gulf South Conference football is back on the field in Week Zero! One of the nation’s premier Division II leagues launches the season with high-stakes matchups, new coaching eras, and national contenders looking to make an early statement. This opening weekend of football is sure to deliver a showcase of why the GSC remains a must-watch force on the national stage.
Must-See Matchup
No. 14 Lenoir-Rhyne at No. 11 West Florida | Friday, Aug. 29 | Pensacola, Fla. | 7:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
A Top-15 showdown to open the 2025 slate is on tap for West Florida as the Argos host defending SAC Champion Lenoir-Rhyne under Friday night lights at PenAir Field. This meeting is a rematch of their 2019 D-II national quarterfinal thriller—won by UWF 43-38—marking the first time the two sides have met since that postseason shootout.
Lenoir-Rhyne enters as the preseason pick to top the SAC, bringing a high-octane rushing attack and a decade of consistent success—including a 10-win 2024 season and playoff push under veteran coach Doug Socha. Meanwhile, West Florida reloaded with Gulf South Conference firepower: returning star QB Marcus Stokes (1,540 yards, 14 TDs in '24 across eight games), dynamic WRs Corey Scott and Javon Swinton, and a stout front seven on defense loaded with preseason All-GSC selections.
My pick: No. 11 West Florida
Week 0 Schedule at a Glance
*all times Eastern
Thursday, Aug. 28
No. 24 Central Missouri at Delta State | Cleveland, Miss. | 7:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
The Statesmen kick off their 2025 campaign with an attention-grabbing Week 0 showdown against the nationally ranked No. 22 Central Missouri Mules at home. Opening the season inside McCool Stadium for the first time since 2021, Delta State and Central Missouri matchup for the first time as DSU returns 15 starters and a host of All-Gulf South Conference defensive stars. The defending Heritage Bowl Champion Mules feature 11 returning starters and elite talent like All-MIAA standouts Jack Pospisil (WR), LaAngelo Bell (RB), and linebacker Austin Bressler.
My pick: Delta State
Saturday, Aug. 30
No. 17 Valdosta State vs Clark Atlanta | Birmingham, Ala. | 1:15 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Valdosta State University ushers in an exciting new chapter under first-year head coach Graham Craig, the program’s 12th leader and former offensive coordinator, as the Blazers head to Legion Field for this year's Week Zero Labor Day Classic, where they face off against the Clark Atlanta Panthers in a high-energy opener. The Blazers are riding the momentum of an electrifying offense that ranked 11th nationally in total yards and led the Gulf South Conference in scoring at 40.1 points per game last season under Craig’s leadership. Spearheaded by dynamic QB David Wright III, who tossed over 2,400 yards and 24 TDs last season, the Panthers operate an SIAC-leading aerial attack, but the defense gave way to over 32 points per game, leaving much to be desired when Clark Atlanta doesn’t have the ball.
My pick: No. 17 Valdosta State
No. 23 West Alabama vs Fort Valley State | Birmingham, Ala. | 5:15 p.m. | Live Video
The West Alabama Tigers launch their 2025 season under brand-new leadership with Scott Cochran, a decorated former S&C and special teams coach for Alabama, Georgia, and LSU, at the helm—his first head coaching role in college football. On the other sideline, Fort Valley State awaits in the second game of the Week Zero Labor Day Classic after a 6-4 record a year ago. The Tigers, fresh off a 2024 playoff appearance and 9-2 record, return a host of All-GSC performers on both sides of the ball and will no doubt lean on their traditionally stout defense to provide opportunities for quarterback Spencer Arceneaux and the UWA offense.
My pick: No. 23 West Alabama
Players to Watch
Spencer Arceneaux, West Alabama, Sr., QB – The former Nebraska Cornhusker was a key cog in last year’s UWA offense, throwing for 1,729 yards and 16 touchdowns, while contributing 313 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Arceneaux doesn’t turn the ball over much, which will be paramount to securing a season-opening win over an opportunistic Fort Valley defense.
Cole Kirk, Delta State, Sr., QB – A true dual-threat in the backfield, Kirk totaled 2,052 passing yards, 415 rushing yards and 25 combined touchdowns last year for DSU. One of the preseason GSC favorites for league player of the year accolades, the Statesmen will go as far as Kirk takes them this year.
Corey Scott, West Florida, r-So., WR – A preseason All-GSC honoree and 2024 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year, Scott is back on the field after a year that saw him finish with 34 catches for 629 yards and five touchdowns. UWF has big expectations for the 6-1, 180-pound Scott and he has all the ability to live up to the hype on a big stage to open the new season.