This Week In Gulf South Conference Football, Oct. 7

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Another Top 25 league matchup headlines Week Six’s four-game slate that includes three Conference games and one non-conference contest.

Game Four of the Florida’s Space Coast GSC-TV on ESPN3 package features the Battle For The Peach Basket as No. 2 West Georgia hosts instate rival No. 21 Valdosta State.

Both squads entertain the GSC-TV audience for the first time this season.

The game is exclusive to ESPN3 and can be accessed atwww.gscsports.org/ESPN3.

Shorter returns home for the first time since its season-opener, hosting Homecoming and No. 17 Delta State. SU has reeled off two consecutive wins, while DSU seeks to bounce back from a loss in last week’s GSC opener.

Florida Tech defends its home turf for the first time in four weeks when West Alabama comes to Melbourne. FIT upset Delta State on the road last Saturday, while UWA is motivated to rebound from its first setback of the season.

No. 6 North Alabama travels nearly 2,500 miles west to play Great Northeast Athletic Conference member Western Oregon. The Lions play in the Beaver State for just the second time after a 1993 NCAA Playoff win at Portland State.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10

#17 Delta State (4-1, 0-1 GSC) @ Shorter (2-2, 1-0 GSC), 1:30 p.m. ET (Homecoming)
Location: Baron Stadium, Rome, Ga.
Series: DSU leads 2-1
Last Meeting: @ DSU 35, SU 20 (2014)

Shorter steps foot inside Baron Stadium for the first time in five games, hosting Homecoming and No. 17 Delta State.

SU seeks to move to 2-0 in GSC play for the first time ever, while DSU hopes to avoid a 0-2 league start for the first time since 2002. The Statesmen own a 2-1 edge in the all-time series thanks to back-to-back triumphs over the Hawks. Delta State posted a 38-17 win in Rome, Ga. in 2013, followed by a 35-20 home win a year ago. Shorter opened the series with a home victory in 2012, 32-21. DSU hits the road for the second time this year since posting a 51-44 come-back-win victory at Texas A&M-Commerce. SU opened 2015 with an exhibition win in Rome, Ga. over University of Faith.

“FLORIDA’S SPACE COAST GSC-TV ON ESPN3”
#21 Valdosta State (3-1, 0-1 GSC) @ #2 West Georgia (5-0, 1-0 GSC), 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: University Stadium, Carrollton, Ga.
Series: VSU leads 22-10
Last Meeting: @ VSU 40, UWG 6 (2014); UWG 31, @ VSU 17 (2014, NCAA Playoffs)

Florida’s Space Coast GSC-TV on ESPN3 features an instate rivalry for the first time this season when No. 2 West Georgia hosts No. 21 Valdosta State.

The rival’s matchup for the third time in two years after facing off twice in 2014. VSU recorded a 40-6 home victory in last year’s regular season game, only to see UWG return the favor in the NCAA Playoffs in Valdosta, 31-17.

Before 2014, the Wolves hosted the Battle for the Peach Basket four out the past five seasons. The Blazers are 10-6 all-time in Carrollton, Ga. with West Georgia’s last win coming in 2011.

UWG seeks to move to 6-0 for the first time since 2000 and open GSC play at 2-0 for the first time since 2005. VSU hopes to avoid its second consecutive 0-2 league start. The Blazers are 14-11 all-time in GSC-TV action, while the Wolves hold an 8-12 mark.

#6 North Alabama (4-0) @ Western Oregon (2-3), 1:00 pm PST
Location: McArthur Field, Salem, Ore.
Series: UNA leads 1-0
Last Meeting: @ UNA 30, WOU 10 (2014)

No. 6 North Alabama journeys to The Beaver State for the first time since 1993, going to Great Northwest Athletic Conference member Western Oregon.

The teams face off for the second straight season after UNA claimed the series opener at home a year ago, 30-10. The Lions can move to 3-0 all-time versus teams from Oregon after they topped Portland State in the NCAA Playoffs in 1993. North Alabama has won 29 of its last 32 regular season games against non-Gulf South Conference schools and can jump to 5-0 for the second consecutive year.

West Alabama (4-1, 0-1 GSC) @ Florida Tech (2-3, 1-1 GSC), 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Florida Tech Panther Stadium, Melbourne, Fla.
Series: Tied 1-1
Last Meeting: FIT 33, @ UWA 32 (2014)

The brief series lead is up for grabs when West Alabama travels to Florida Tech.

The road team has celebrated victory in the previous two meetings. UWA cruised to a 45-3 win in Melbourne in 2013 and FIT recorded a thrilling, 33-32 decision in Livingston last season. The Tigers make their second long road trip in three weeks after going to Texas A&M-Kingsville on September 26, while the Panthers entertain their home crowd for the first time since September 19. Florida Tech earned its second-ever win over a ranked DII squad last week, topping Delta State in GSC-TV play. West Alabama seeks to rebound from its setback versus No. 2 West Georgia in its league opener.

GSC FOOTBALL–WEEK IN REVIEW

The number of undefeated GSC squads was cut in half after the first full week of Conference action on Saturday.

No. 2 West Georgia and No. 8 North Alabama survived Week Five thanks to impressive road wins in the two battles of unbeaten teams.

UWG used a dominate first-half effort in its 32-14 victory at West Alabama, scoring all 32 of its points in the half, while holding the Tigers scoreless through 45 minutes of action. The Wolves racked up 211 yards on the ground in the first half and lit the scoreboard on offense, defense and special teams.

UNA kept the road success in its series versus No. 9 Valdosta State going, by topping the Blazers in Valdosta, 34-12. The Lions gave the road team the eighth win in the last nine games in the series.

North Alabama took control early, scoring on four of its first five offensive possessions while the defense held VSU to six points until the final three minutes. The triumph gave Bobby Wallace the most coaching wins in school history (110).

The second time was the charm for Florida Tech in Game Three of the Florida’s Space Coast GSC-TV on ESPN3 package. FIT played its second consecutive road GSC-TV contest, recording its first-ever GSC-TV win, 41-37 over No. 5 Delta State.

The Panthers recorded points in all three phases of the contest, led by Gary Holmes who registered the school’s first-ever kickoff return for a touchdown when he took back the second half’s opening kick 100 yards for six points.

Shorter capped its fourth consecutive road game by earning a triumph in its GSC opener, 42-23 at Mississippi College. SU upped its winning streak to two, as the Hawks ran for more than 300 yards for the second straight game. Sophomore quarterback Aaron Bryant tied a school record with four touchdowns on the ground.

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