2018 Valdosta State Blazers football team

Last updated

2018 Valdosta State Blazers football
Valdosta State Blazers logo.svg
NCAA Division II champion
GSC champion
Conference Gulf South Conference
Ranking
AFCANo. 1
Record14–0 (8–0 GSC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Kade Bell (1st as OC, 3rd overall season)
Defensive coordinator Danny Verpaele (2nd season)
Home stadium Bazemore–Hyder Stadium
Seasons
←  2017
2019  →
2018 Gulf South Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 1 Valdosta State $^  8 –0   14 –0  
No. 16 West Georgia ^  7 –1   10 –2  
Florida Tech ^  5 –3   8 –4  
West Alabama ^  5 –3   8 –4  
West Florida  4 –4   6 –5  
North Greenville  3 –4   4 –6  
Delta State  2 –6   2 –8  
Mississippi College  1 –6   3 –7  
Shorter  0 –8   0 –11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

The 2018 Valdosta State Blazers football team represented Valdosta State University as a member of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) during the 2018 NCAA Division II football season. They were led by third-year head coach Kerwin Bell, who also served as offensive coordinator. The Blazers played their home games at Bazemore–Hyder Stadium in Valdosta, Georgia. Valdosta State compiled an overall record of 14–0 with a conference mark of 8–0, winning the GSC title. They beat Ferris State in the NCAA Division II Championship Game to win the program's fourth national title.

Contents

Preseason

Gulf South Conference coaches poll

On August 2, 2018, the Gulf South Conference released their preseason coaches poll with the Blazers predicted to finish in fifth place in the conference. [1]

Predicted finishTeamVotes (1st place)
1West Alabama62 (6)
2West Florida59 (3)
3West Georgia44
4Delta State41
5Valdosta State38
6Florida Tech32
7North Greenville24
8Mississippi College16
9Shorter8

Preseason All-Gulf South Conference Team

The Blazers had five players at five positions selected to the preseason all-Gulf South Conference team. [2]

Schedule

Valdosta State's 2018 regular season football schedule consisted of five home games, four away games, and one neutral site game. The Blazers hosted GSC foes Delta State, North Greenville, Shorter, and West Georgia, and traveled to Florida Tech, Mississippi College, West Alabama, and West Florida. [3] Three games were broadcast on ESPN3, as part of the Gulf South Conference Game of the Week. [4]

The Blazers hosted non-conference foe Albany State from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and competed in the Okefenokee Classic against Fort Valley State, also from the (SIAC).

After an undefeated regular season, the Blazers were the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 17:00 p.m. Albany State *
W 45–146,770
September 87:00 p.m.vs. Fort Valley State *
 ESPN3 W 55–63,107
September 157:00 p.m.at No. 8 West Alabama
W 58–243,285
September 227:00 p.m. Shorter No. 16
  • Bazemore–Hyder Stadium
  • Valdosta, GA
W 52–05,130
September 298:00 p.m.at Mississippi College No. 13
W 63–422,654
October 61:00 p.m. Delta State No. 10
  • Bazemore–Hyder Stadium
  • Valdosta, GA
W 59–282,036
October 131:00 p.m.at Florida Tech No. 8
W 51–213,679
October 203:00 p.m. North Greenville Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 7
  • Bazemore–Hyder Stadium
  • Valdosta, GA
W 44–215,514
November 35:00 p.m.at West Florida No. 7
ESPN3W 48–215,893
November 107:00 p.m.No. 3 West Georgia No. 5
  • Bazemore–Hyder Stadium
  • Valdosta, GA (rivalry)
ESPN3W 47–3110,558
November 241:00 pmNo. 25 Bowie State No. 3
W 66–162,467
December 11:00 pmNo. 17 Lenoir–Rhyne No. 3
  • Bazemore–Hyder Stadium
  • Valdosta, GA (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal)
W 61–211,999
December 812:00 pmNo. 11 Notre Dame (OH) No. 3
  • Bazemore–Hyder Stadium
  • Valdosta, GA (NCAA Division II Semifinal)
ESPN3W 30–244,672
December 154:00 p.m.vs. No. 2 Ferris State No. 3
 ESPNU W 49–474,306
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[5]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011Final
AFCA RVRVRV1613108777531

Game summaries

Albany State

1234Total
Rams0001414
Blazers141410745

Fort Valley State

1234Total
Wildcats03306
Blazers21062855

At West Alabama

1234Total
Blazers2114101358
Tigers777324

Shorter

1234Total
Hawks00000
Blazers100212152

At Mississippi College

1234Total
Blazers73514763
Choctaws71414742

Delta State

1234Total
Statesmen14140028
Blazers1414171459

At Florida Tech

1234Total
Blazers141002751
Panthers0071421

North Greenville

1234Total
Crusaders0071421
Blazers131071444

At West Florida

1234Total
Blazers14372448
Argonauts0147021

West Georgia

1234Total
Wolves7147331
Blazers102431047

Bowie State

1234Total
Bulldogs790016
Blazers021172866

Lenoir-Rhyne

1234Total
Bears077721
Blazers1024131461

Notre Dame (OH)

1234Total
Falcons0107724
Blazers9021030

Ferris State

1234Total
Bulldogs101414947
Blazers72114749

Players drafted into the NFL

RoundPickPlayerPositionNFL Club
7238 Stephen Denmark CB Chicago Bears

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References

  1. ↑ "West Alabama Tops GSC Football Preseason Poll". Gulf South Conference. August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Gulf South Conference" (PDF). s3.amazonaws.com. 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Okefenofee Classic among games on VSU's 2018-19 football schedule" (Press release). Valdosta Daily Times. February 14, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  4. ↑ "GSC Announces 2018 Football Game of the Week Schedule". Gulf South Conference. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  5. ↑ "2018 Valdosta State Blazers Football Schedule". Valdosta State University of Athletics. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
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