GSC OPENS SEASON WITH FOUR GAMES
The 54th season of GSC football opens with four games over a three-day span during Week 0. This is the first time in NCAA Division II history that teams have a Week 0 as the policy was passed in January.
REGION 2 CLASHES
Three of four season opening games for the GSC will be against Super Region 2 opposition. The schedule begins Thursday, Aug. 29 as Delta State visits South Atlantic Conference-foe Mars Hill. Then on Saturday, Aug. 31 West Alabama hosts Miles while Valdosta State plays Albany State, both from the SIAC. Since 2015, the GSC is a combined 97-31 (.758) against Super Region 2 teams during the regular season and postseason match-ups.
WELCOME ERSKINE
Erskine College begins play as a GSC affiliate on Saturday when it hosts NAIA-foe St. Andrews. The Flying Fleet finished 0-11 last season and were 0-9 as a member of the South Atlantic Conference. The team is led by head coach Shap Boyd.
SEASON OPENERS
Since 2012, the GSC is 64-24 during the opening week of the season. GSC teams have collectively notched a .700-or-better record in Week 1 six times during that stretch, the last being in 2022 when they went 6-2 (.750).
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
Since 2016, the GSC has a combined 96-52 record and a .649 winning percentage in regular season non-conference games. The league has tallied 15 or more wins four times (19 in 2021, 16 in 2022, 15 in 2018 and 2016).
GSC ON FLOSPORTS
FloSports and FloFootball will be the exclusive home for all GSC games for the 2024 season. In August, the conference announced the addition of four sports (soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse) to media package. Fans who subscribe through the GSC Landing Page on FloSports will receive a special GSC discounted rate. Additional savings will be offered to fans that subscribe with a .EDU email from a GSC institution (affiliates included). Visit gscsports.org/flosportsFAQ for more info.
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Valdosta State was named the favorite in the GSC Football Preseason Poll, as voted by the league’s head coaches. The Blazers claimed a share of the conference title last season before advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA D2 playoffs.
SIDELINE TABLETS APPROVED
After implementing official sideline review last season, the GSC will permit teams to have tablets on the sideline during the 2024 season. Teams are allowed to have a total of six tablets on the sideline or in the coaching booth. Teams will be limited to only current game video shall have access to the same video angles that are available in the official video replay.
PRESEASON ELITE 100
QB Sammy Edwards (Valdosta State) and P Michael Shine were named to the Elite 100 Second Team by D2Football.com … Five GSC players were named to the Elite 100 Squad: RB Kelvin Smith (DSU), OL Jaelon Brown (DSU), LB Trevon Stanford (UWA), DL Byron Puryear (UWF) and LB Will Breland (UWF).
REESE’S WATCHLIST
Delta State’s Jaylen May was named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist. He was was one of 10 D2 player to be listed.
GSC TRIO LAND ON AFCA PRESEASON TOP 25
Three GSC teams landed in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Preseason Poll, led by Valdosta State (No. 7). West Florida (No. 12) and Delta State (No. 18) followed.
GSC TEAMS IN THE AFCA POLL
The GSC has had at least one team appear in 301 of 304 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 polls, dating back to 2000 when the rankings began. … Two or more teams have been among the D2 Coaches Top 25, 283 times. The GSC team has been among the top-five 210 times including 66 poll releases with a team at No. 1.
