VALDOSTA – Valdosta State head coach Tremaine Jackson announced the 2022 Blazer Football schedule on Friday, featuring five exciting home games.

Coming off a national runner-up finish in 2021, which was the sixth appearance for VSU in the national title game, the Blazers open the 2022 schedule with Keiser University (Fla.) on Thurs., Sept. 1 at 7 p.m., at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. It marks the first Thursday game for VSU since Oct. 22, 2015, with a 37-22 victory at Shorter and the first time opening the season on a Thursday night since Sept. 2, 1993, in a 65-0 victory over Mount Senario (Wis.).

Keiser is a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school in West Palm Beach, Fla. The Seahawks went 9-3 last season and 5-1 in the Sun Conference, reaching the NAIA Quarterfinals.This will be the first meeting between the two teams.

Following that game, VSU continues at home on Sept. 10 versus Virginia Union at 5 p.m., in the return game from last season. It also is Family Weekend for VSU. The Blazers won at Virginia Union 51-7 in the first meeting on the gridiron between the two teams in 2021. VUU finished the season with a 6-4 record and a 5-2 mark in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).

“We are extremely excited about our schedule,” Jackson said. “We know we will have our work cut out for us this upcoming season, starting with two great non-conference opponents like Keiser and Virginia Union. The Gulf South Conference will be a huge challenge as it is every year. I’m excited to continue the preparation for this season throughout the spring and summer.”

Following a bye week on Sept. 17, the Blazers open three-time defending Gulf South Conference, champion Blazers open league play on Sept. 24 at Shorter at 12 p.m., to close the first month of the season.  VSU opens the month of October at Delta State on Oct. 1, before returning home to host West Alabama on Oct. 8 and Mississippi College for Homecoming on Oct. 15.

Trips to West Georgia (Oct. 22) and North Greenville (Oct. 29), close out the month of October as VSU opens November with rival and 2021 GSC Co-Champion West Florida at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium on Nov. 5.  Following the game, the regular season concludes with the new GSC Regional Game that will have VSU face a conference member for the second time in an effort to aid to resumes for postseason consideration across the league.  That game will be announced on Nov. 6 and scheduled to be played Nov. 12.

The NCAA Division II playoffs are scheduled to begin on Nov. 19, with the title game scheduled for Dec. 17 at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas.

Jackson, who was hired in January as the 11th head coach in program history, has the Blazers in the middle of spring practice.  The team returns to the practice fields on Tuesday, Mar. 22, to begin the final nine practices, culminating with the annual spring game, scheduled for Apr. 8 at 7 p.m., at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.  The spring practices are open to the public, but dates, times and locations of practice are subject to change without notice.

2022 Blazer Spring Football

Mar. 22 – 8:05 a.m. (Shells)

Mar. 24 – 8:05 a.m. (Shells)

Mar. 26 – 11:15 a.m. (Full Pads)

Mar. 29 – 8:05 a.m. (Shells)

Mar. 31 – 8:05 a.m. (Shells)

Apr. 2 – 11:15 a.m. (Full Pads)

Apr. 5 – 8:05 a.m. (Shells)

Apr. 7 – 8:05 a.m. (Helmets)

Apr. 8 – 7 p.m. (Full Pads) at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium