By Valdosta State Athletics

VALDOSTA — The No. 3 Valdosta State football team returns home Saturday for the first time in almost a month to host Mississippi College for Homecoming 2024 at 3 p.m., at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.  VSU enters the game with a 6-0 record overall and 2-0 in Gulf South Conference play, while Mississippi College is 0-6 overall and 0-4 in league play.

It has been a bit of a whirlwind for the Blazer football team over the last month.  VSU was supposed to play West Alabama on Sept. 28, but was cancelled due to Hurricane Helene.  VSU then spent the following week in Atlanta prior to the Shorter game and then back to more of a normal schedule last week before playing at North Greenville on Saturday.  

This will be the third home game for VSU this season as VSU defeated Albany State 42-10 on Aug. 31 and Fayetteville State 34-0 on Sept. 14.  VSU is 32-7 since 2018 at home and are 185-59-1 all-time in home games, while going 176-55-1 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.  

Mississippi College is under the direction of first-year head coach Mike Kershaw this season and have transitioned away from the triple option from previous seasons. 

This season, the Choctaws are led by Eli Anderson at quarterback as he is 65 of 100 passing for 450 yards and five interceptions, while Pete Zamora is 20 of 40 passing for 122 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. On the ground, the Choctaws are led by Marcus Williams with 85 carries for 287 yards and two scores while Preston Godfrey has 37 carries for 149 yards and a score.  

Javier Baptiste leads the team with 13 receptions for 149 yards and a score.  MC has two receiving touchdowns on the year and three rushing scores.  Defensively Jason Bets leads the team with 34 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss for 12 yards and two sacks for 11 yards.  Brennan Blake has a team-high 8.5 tackles for loss for 25 yards and 2.5 sacks for 13 yards.  MC has four interceptions this season by the defense and has recovered five fumbles with three forced fumbles. Mississippi College is averaging 220.3 yards per game and allowing 325.0 per contest this season.   

VSU enters after winning 32-24 over North Greenville. The Blazers erased a 14-0 deficit before finally gaining a lead in the fourth quarter.

 On Saturday, a huge fumble late in the third quarter gave VSU the ball and it scored early in the fourth to take the lead for good.  Another huge defensive stop on a third down from senior Alajujuan Sparks with a tackle in the backfield, and then an incomplete pass on fourth down by NGU gave VSU the ball late up 29-24.  The Blazers methodically drove down the field and kicked a field goal with 13 seconds remaining for the 32-24 lead.  

Senior quarterback Sammy Edwards went 22 of 34 passing for 246 yards and a touchdown, while he ran for a score.  Graduate student Blake Hester had 24 carries for 111 yards and a score.  Defensively, the Blazers held NGU to 320 yards of offense and had five sacks, along with 11 tackles for loss.  Sparks led the team with six total tackles and the huge tackle for loss late in the game.  The win improved VSU to 6-0 all-time against NGU and 3-0 in Tigerville, S.C.

Following this contest, the Blazers have a bye week next week, before opening the final month of the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 2 versus Chowan at 3 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.