This Week in Gulf South Conference Football, Oct. 21

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – For the first time this year, the Conference will bring two Florida’s Space Coast GSC-TV on ESPN3 contests to the masses led by Saturday’s battle for first-place in the league standings.

Shorter kicks off Week Eight on Thursday night, hosting Peach State rival Valdosta State in Game Six of the GSC-TV package. Saturday starts with a bang when No. 11 North Alabama travels to No. 2 West Georgia in Game Seven. The league lead is on the line in Carrolton, Ga. as both squads enter with 3-0 Conference records. Both games are exclusive to ESPN3 and can be accessed atwww.gscsports.org/ESPN3.

No. 22 Delta State hosts nearby rival West Alabama in a contest that was moved up four hours to 2:00 pm because of potential severe weather in the Cleveland, Miss. area.

The Magnolia State also hosts the final game of the day when Mississippi College celebrates its Homecoming by hosting Florida Tech, which seeks to remain in second place in the standings.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22

“FLORIDA’S SPACE COAST GSC-TV ON ESPN3”
Valdosta State (4-2, 1-2 GSC) @ Shorter (2-4, 1-2 GSC), 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Baron Stadium, Rome, Ga.
Series: VSU leads 3-0
Last Meeting: @ VSU 37, SU 6 (2014)

Shorter defends its home turf inside Barron Stadium for just the third time this season, when the Hawks and in-state foe Valdosta State battle in Thursday night’s Florida’s Space Coast GSC-TV on ESPN3 contest.

The teams entertain a GSC audience for the second time after VSU claimed a 37-6 win in Rome, Ga. in 2012. Overall, the Blazers are 14-11 in GSC-TV action and make their second appearance this year after falling at West Georgia two weeks ago. Shorter is in search of it’s first-ever GSC-TV victory going 0-7 following a loss at West Alabama last Saturday.

Valdosta State is 3-0 all-time against Shorter. VSU’s lone trip to SU came in the 2012 GSC-TV meeting. The Blazers recorded home triumphs the last two years: 41-0 in 2013 and 37-6 in 2014.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
“FLORIDA’S SPACE COAST GSC-TV ON ESPN3”
#11 North Alabama (5-1, 3-0 GSC) @ #2 West Georgia (7-0, 3-0 GSC), 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: University Stadium, Carrollton, Ga.
Series: UNA leads 21-11
Last Meeting: @ UNA 31, UWG 28 (2014)

All eyes will be on University Stadium on Saturday, as No. 2 West Georgia hosts

No. 11 North Alabama in the week’s second GSC-TV game.

GSC-TV also featured the UNA/UWG matchup in 2014 when the Lions clipped the Wolves in Florence, Ala., 31-28. Sole possession of first-place in the Conference standings is on the line, but the clash also has NCAA regional implications as well.

Both teams are perfect in GSC-TV this year. North Alabama claimed the first two TV games at home this year, while West Georgia earned a home win over Valdosta State two weeks ago. UNA is 15-9 all-time in GSC-TV clashes thanks to eight consecutive wins. UWG owns a 9-12 mark with two straight victories.

The Lions have history on their side, winning nine out of the last 10 versus the Wolves led by back-to-back decisions. The squads face off at West Georgia for the first time since 2012 which is also the last time the Wolves posted a win over North Alabama, 38-28. UNA is 9-7 all-time on the UWG campus.

West Alabama (5-2, 1-2) @ #22 Delta State (5-2, 1-2), 2:00 p.m. CT
Location: Parker Field at McCool Stadium, Cleveland, Miss.
Series: DSU leads 35-22-3
Last Meeting: DSU 45, @ UWA 24 (2014)

No. 22 Delta State hosts West Alabama in a game that was moved up four hours due to expected severe weather in the Cleveland, Miss. area.

The teams feature identical win-loss records as both suffered losses to West Georgia and Florida Tech the past three weeks. DSU seeks to return to its winning ways after UWG claimed a win inside McCool Stadium last Saturday, while UWA hopes earn its second straight win after topping Shorter at home.

DSU leads the all-time series, 35-22-3, and is 23-11-1 at home versus the Tigers. The rivals lock horns in Cleveland for the first time since 2012 when West Alabama snapped a five-game skid at DSU, 37-7. The Statesmen posted their first win over UWA in three tries a year ago in Livingston, 45-24.

Florida Tech (4-3, 2-1 GSC) @ Mississippi College (2-4, 0-3 GSC), 3:00 p.m. CT (Homecoming)
Location: Robinson-Hale Stadium, Clinton Miss.
Series: FIT leads 1-0
Last Meeting: @ FIT 44, MC 9 (2014)

Florida Tech makes the journey to Mississippi College for the time ever, seeking to spoil MC’s Homecoming festivities.

FIT enters just one game back of first-place in the GSC standings, while the Choctaws search for their first league win of 2015. The Panthers recorded a 44-9 home win last year in the first-ever meeting in the series. Florida Tech has strung together two straight road triumphs, including last week’s 34-7 win at Fort Valley State. Mississippi College opened the season with two home victories before Shorter won in Clinton four weeks ago.

GSC FOOTBALL–WEEK IN REVIEW
Week Seven of GSC Football resulted in a tie atop the league standings and two more victories versus in-region, non-conference foes.

No. 2 West Georgia moved into a first-place tie with No. 13 North Alabama at 3-0 as UWG won at No. 15 Delta State, 28-7, while UNA breezed past UNC-Pembroke in non-conference play, 62-28. There will be just one team at the top the standings after this week after North Alabama goes to West Georgia on Saturday in Game 7 of the Florida’s Space Coast GSC on ESPN3 package.

Florida Tech found itself in sole possession of second-place after running its winning streak to three via a 34-7 triumph at in-region, non-conference SIAC member Fort Valley State. FIT’s defense held FVSU scoreless until 4:18 in the fourth quarter, while the offense rolled up 477 total yards.

The GSC wrapped its list of non-conference games with 22-6 overall record and a 16-3 mark against Division II teams.

West Alabama capped its Homecoming celebrations at Shorter’s expense, posting a 52-27 victory in Saturday’s GSC-TV contest. UWA running back Javae Swindle became the school’s all-time leading rusher (2,220 yards), while SU’s B.J. McCoy ran for a career-high 210 yards.

Valdosta State put the brakes on a two-game skid thanks to a 34-7 home triumph over Mississippi College. VSU’s first Conference victory of the season was spearheaded by its defense which brought a shutout into the final 15 minutes and allowed just 69 yards through the air.

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