November sixteenth, 2023 3:00am
It is lastly playoff time in Division II and we have three Gulf South program within the postseason! The one draw back is that two convention foes should play one another within the opening spherical as we get a rematch of Delta State and West Florida for a second consecutive 12 months. Try the postseason preview under!
Gulf South Week Eleven Outcomes
*denotes Gulf South Convention sport
West Alabama 28, Shorter 9*
No. 21 West Florida 52, Chowan 6*
No. 11 Delta State 41, Mississippi School 3*
No. 17 Valdosta State 58, West Georgia 28*
NCAA Division II Playoffs – Spherical One (all instances Jap)
Limestone (8-3, 8-1 SAC) at No. 14 Valdosta State (10-1, 7-1 GSC)
Saturday, Nov. 18 at 1:00 PM | Valdosta, Ga. | Audio | Stats
The Saints earned their second straight NCAA Division II Playoff berth after a powerful season within the South Atlantic Convention. Nonetheless, two of the Saints’ three losses got here towards Gulf South Convention opponents and Limestone is 0-9 all-time towards the GSC. Limestone comes into the postseason having gained its final 5 video games, three of which had been determined by seven factors or much less.
This season, Limestone’s offense is averaging only a hair over 29 factors and 443.6 yards per sport below the steerage of fourth-year head coach Mike Furrey. Furrey’s balanced offensive assault is led by senior quarterback Dustin Noller (2,704 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 4 interceptions) and junior operating again Tre Stewart (1,289 speeding yards, 9 touchdowns, 7.3 yards per carry). Noller’s prime goal is senior receiver Jelani Baker who has 70 catches for 1,030 yards and 12 touchdowns. Defensively, the Saints surrender simply 323.9 yards per contest however have a weak spot towards the run the place they’ve surrendered 143.2 yards per sport to the opposition and 15 touchdowns.
Valdosta State has additionally gained its final 5 video games, together with a street win over then-No. 8 West Florida in late-October. The Blazers have outscored opponents by a mean of 16 factors per sport this season as this system is ranked twenty first total in complete offense (441.5 yards per sport) and twenty third in scoring offense (37.2 factors per sport).
The Blazers’ bread and butter is within the passing sport the place they common 315.5 yards per sport, ok for a High 5 rating amongst all Division II items. Junior quarterback Sammy Edwards has taken command of the offense, throwing for 3,389 yards and 25 touchdowns. Edwards spreads the ball round amongst 4 receivers with over 400 yards every, as graduate scholar BK Smith is the highest goal with 57 catches for 859 yards and 5 touchdowns. On protection, VSU tends to surrender yardage (362.5 yards per sport) however not factors (21.18 factors per sport) with a “bend don’t break” mentality. The Blazers present up the place it issues most, holding opponents to a 36.2% conversion charge on third down and forcing 20 complete turnovers. Defensive backs Jacob Harris and Nick Jackson lead the protection with 130 mixed tackles and 5 mixed turnovers.
That is certain to be an thrilling contest with each offenses able to placing factors on the board at any given second. Nonetheless, Limestone hasn’t seen a passing assault like this in 2023 and nobody has proven the power to cease VSU by means of the air simply but. The Blazers’ expertise will finally take over within the second half, however don’t anticipate them to run away early.
My decide: Valdosta State
No. 19 West Florida (8-3, 6-2 GSC) at No. 8 Delta State (9-1, 7-1 GSC)
Saturday, Nov. 18 at 2:00 PM | Cleveland, Miss. | Stats
For the second straight season now we have a daily season rematch between the Argos of West Florida and the Statesmen of Delta State. West Florida got here away with the win on Oct. 21 by a slim 24-21 rating, holding DSU scoreless within the second half in Cleveland.
Delta State held a 21-10 lead at halftime of the primary matchup earlier than the offense stalled in quarters three and 4. DSU quarterback Patrick Shegog had three passing touchdowns within the loss however was extra inaccurate than standard, finishing simply 13-of-33 go makes an attempt. West Florida quarterback PeeWee Jarrett additionally had three touchdowns throws of his personal, together with two to standout receiver John Jiles who completed with seven catches for 108 yards to go together with the scores.
For the season, the Statesmen are averaging 43.2 factors and 464.2 yards per sport, each tops within the Gulf South. West Florida is simply behind with averages of 33.7 factors and 443.3 yards per contest. The Argos do maintain the sting defensively, permitting simply 261.4 yards per contest with 35 complete sacks. Nonetheless, Delta State has given up simply seven sacks as Shegog’s mobility helps tempo a speeding assault that has accounted for 233.8 yards per contest, the ninth greatest mark amongst NCAA Division II applications.
For some odd motive, Delta State is simply 1-4 towards West Florida when enjoying in Mississippi together with a loss within the second spherical of final 12 months’s playoffs. This can be a power vs power matchup between two of the League’s most proficient offenses and two of the League’s most proficient defenses. Final season, the 2 sides traded blows with DSU successful within the common season and UWF taking the victory when it mattered most. In 2023, I imagine that Delta State flips the script and learns from the loss in October to increase its season no less than another week.
My decide: Delta State
