Venue & Game Details
Kickoff Time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
Venue: Parker Field at McCool Stadium, Cleveland, Mississippi
Event: 40th Annual Pig Pickin’ Game — Delta State’s signature homecoming-style event
Broadcast: FloCollege (video), Statesmen Sports Network (radio)
Weather Forecast (Cleveland, MS)
Conditions: Mostly clear skies into the evening
Temperature at Kickoff: ~85°F (29°C)
Wind: 5–8 mph from the south
Impact: Warm and humid — hydration and depth will be factors, but wind should have minimal effect on the passing game.
Injury & Availability Report
Delta State Statesmen
Questionable: RB2 (ankle soreness)
Out: None reported
Notable: QB Cole Kirk healthy after 376 total yards (281 passing, 95 rushing) and 2 TDs in Week 1 win over #22 Central Missouri; WR Curtis Rearden (3 rec, 123 yds) is a deep threat; LB William Carter and LB Tye Holsey each had 9 tackles in opener.
North Greenville Crusaders
Questionable: WR2 (hamstring tightness)
Out: None reported
Notable: QB Dylan Ramirez — 2024 All-GSC Second Team — returns after career-high 2,424 yards and 18 TDs last season; first-year head coach Nate Garner making his GSC debut.
Recent Form & Trends
Delta State: Opened 2025 with a statement win over a ranked Central Missouri squad, piling up 420 yards of offense and holding off a late rally. Kirk’s dual-threat ability and an aggressive defense set the tone.
North Greenville: Coming off a winning 2024 season but under new leadership. Ramirez leads a veteran offense, but the defense must improve after allowing 27+ points in 6 games last year.
Series History
All-Time Series: Delta State leads 5–3
Last Meeting: 2024 — North Greenville won 47–45 in 4OT, one of the most thrilling games in GSC history
Trend: The last two meetings have been decided by one score; home team has won 4 of the last 5.
Key Player Matchups
QB Cole Kirk (DSU) vs. NGU Secondary – Kirk’s ability to extend plays with his legs will test a Crusaders pass defense that struggled against mobile QBs in 2024.
QB Dylan Ramirez (NGU) vs. DSU Pass Rush – Ramirez must get the ball out quickly against a Statesmen front that generated multiple TFLs and sacks in Week 1.
WR Curtis Rearden (DSU) vs. NGU CB1 – Rearden’s big-play ability (41.0 YPC in opener) could be a game-breaker if NGU can’t contain him over the top.
Betting Trends
Delta State is 8-2 SU in its last 10 home games.
North Greenville is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 road games.
The Over has hit in 4 of the last 5 meetings between these teams.
Game Odds
North Greenville Crusaders 53
Delta State Statesmen – 14.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 5, 2025
