WEEK 10 SCHEDULE
Saturday, Nov. 9
Time (CT)
12/14 West Alabama at Shorter
(YouTube) 11 am
Mississippi College vs. Northeastern State
(FloFootball) 12 pm
Erskine at Chowan*
(FloFootball) 12 pm
1/3 Valdosta State at Delta State*
(FloFootball) 2 pm
North Greenville at 17/NR West Florida*
(FloFootball) 2 pm
CONFERENCE NOTES
CONFERENCE PLAY IN FULL SWING
• Through seven weeks of conference action, Valdosta State is the only team to remain unbeaten, while West Alabama and West Florida a are all in second with one-loss. • Week 10 of the GSC schedule includes three conference games at Erskine visits Chowan, Delta State hosts top-ranked Valdosta State, while North Greenville heads to Pensacola to take on No. 17 West Florida. • Delta State’s conference-opener at Erskine and the top-25 matchup between Valdosta State and West Alabama from Week 4 were canceled due to the effects of Hurricane Helene and will not be rescheduled. • Due to the impact of Hurricane Helene on Due South, S.C., the Erskine-West Alabama Week 5 matchup was postponed to Week 11, and will now be played in Livingston, Ala. • The GSC champion is awarded to the team with highest win percentage based on regular season league games. If two or more teams have the same winning percentage, each the title of champion will be shared. The GSC title has been shared 12 times in 53 seasons, dating back to 1971.
GSC IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
• Through Week 9 of the 2024 season, the GSC is 15-10 in non-conference games. • Since 2016, the GSC has a110-62 record in the regular season non-conference games and is the fifth its tallied 15 or more wins (19 in 2021, 16 in 2022, 15 in 2018 and 2016). • Since 2015, the GSC is 109-36 (.752) against Super Region 2 teams in all match-ups. • Week 10 will have two teams play non-GSC competition as No. 12 West Alabama visits Shorter and Mississippi College hosts Northeastern State.
THREE TEAMS IN THE COACHES POLL
• The GSC has three teams in the AFCA D2 Coaches Poll this week (Nov. 4)–No. 1 Valdosta State, No. 12 West Alabama and No. 17 West Florida. • This is the 10th consecutive poll of the season with three or more GSC teams listed. • Valdosta State comes in at No. 1 for the second consecutive week. West Alabama climbs three spots for its fifth week of the season among the Top-15. West Florida jumped four spots. • The GSC has had a team appear in 310 of 313 AFCA D2 Top 25 polls, dating back to 2000. Two or more teams have been among the D2 Coaches Top 25, 290 times. A GSC team has spent 68 weeks at No. 1 and among the top-five 218 times.
TWO TEAMS IN THE D2FOOTBALL.com POLL
• Two GSC teams were ranked in the D2Football.com poll this week (Nov. 4)–No. 1 Valdosta State and No. 14 West Alabama.
Offensive Player of the Week:
Tony Bartalo, Jr., QB, West Florida
Bartalo had a career-day leading No. 21 West Florida to a 70-0 road win over Erskine on Saturday. The junior was 15-for-22 through the air with 267 yards, while tossing six touchdown passes. He leads the GSC in single-game touchdown passes this season and tied third among Division II leaders in the same category.
Defensive Player of the Week:
Davonta Jackson, Sr., DL, West Alabama
Jackson had a productive week as No. 18 West Alabama held off North Greenville on Saturday, 17-14. The senior defensive lineman recorded five tackles, four unassisted tackles for loss, a sack and tallied an interception for good measure. With Jackson at helm, the Tigers stifled the Trailblazers ground game hold them to 59 rushing yards. This is Jackson’s second time being named GSC Defensive Player of the Week this season, after winning the award on September 16.
Special Teams Player of the Week:
Virgil Lemons, Sr., RS, West Florida
Lemons had a notable day in the Argonauts big win on Saturday at Erskine. The senior return specialist recorded 198 yards on seven punt returns and highlighted by a 57-yard touchdown, his second of the season. Following that performance, Lemons leads Division II in punt return yards (602) and yards returned per punt (25.1), while ranking second in touchdowns. This is Lemons’ second GSC Special Team Player of the Week award of the season, after winning it on September 9.
Freshman of the Week:
Lorenzo Payne, Fr., DL, West Florida
Payne led the West Florida defense in a dominating win over Erskine. The rookie defensive lineman notched six tackles – 1 solo, 5 assisted – in the effort. He also recorded 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, while he and the Argo defense surrendered just 17 yards of offense, tied for second-fewest in GSC history. Payne is the second honoree from West Florida to claim GSC Freshman of the Week award this season, following teammate Corey Scott on October 14.
