CFB-D2: Gulf South Conference (GSC) Week 2 Release and Previews

SATURDAY IS GAMEDAY
After going 4-4 in Week 1 of the regular season, including three mid-week games, Week 3 of the GSC schedule has seven Saturday games. North Greenville will kick-off the slate of action when it visits The Citadel (Division-I FCS) at noon ET, while Mississippi College hosts Texas A&M-Kingsville at 6 pm CT.

REGION 2 CLASHES
Five of the seven GSC games this week will be against Super Region 2 teams. GSC teams will have home-field advantage in four games as Erskine hosts Elizabeth City State, Chowan welcomes Barton, West Alabama faces Limestone, and Valdosta State entertains Fayetteville State. Meanwhile, Delta State travels to take on Wingate. Since 2015, the GSC is a combined 102-33 (.756) against Super Region 2  teams during the regular season and postseason match-ups.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
The GSC is 8-4 this season in non-conference games. Since 2016, its has a combined 104-56 (.650) record in the 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). 

POINTS RESPONSIBLE FOR
Valdosta State’s Sammy Edwards and Delta State’s Cole Kirk are tied-second among Division II leaders in total points responsible for (48). Both quarterbacks are also among the top-15 in passing yards, passing efficiency and within the top-10 in passing touchdowns.

RUNNING STATESMEN
Delta State QB Cole Kirk is ranked 22nd among D2 leaders in rushing yards (170) while RB Kelvin Smith is 38th overall (139). West Alabama QB Spencer Arceneaux is among the top 100 at 98 yards.

SEE THE BALL, CATCH THE BALL
Delta State WR Jaylen Green (11th; 193 yds) and West Alabama WR Tyler Walker (28th; 145 yds) among are top 30 in D2 leaders in total receiving yards. North Greenville WR Ahmari Coats meanwhile is 26th in D2 in receiving yards per game (105). Five GSC players are among the top 20 in receptions per game. 

HIT MACHINES
Chowan’s Joshua Gonleh is ranked second in D2 in sacks (2.0), while Delta State’s Chris Bonner is 13th (1.5) … West Florida’s Ralph Ortiz is ranked 15th nationally in solo tackles (7.0) and sixth in tackles for loss (3.0) …  North Greenville LB De’Iveon Donald is 5th in D2 in total tackles (14.0). Chowan’s Omari Kinsler and Samuel Tagg as tied 14th, while UWF’s Ortiz is 24th.

GSC TEAMS IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
Three GSC teams are among the AFCA’s first regular season poll of 2024 – No. 6 Valdosta State, No. 12 West Florida and No. 17 Delta State … In the D2Football.com rankings, Valdosta State leads the trio at No. 5, followed by No. 12 Delta State and No. 14 West Florida … The GSC has had at least one team appear in 302 of 305 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, 284 times. The GSC team has been among the top-five 210 times including 66 weeks at No. 1.

THIRD DOWN OFFENSE
North Greenville leads a trio of GSC teams ranked inside the top-10 among D2 leaders on third down conversions. The Trailblazers are third overall (.706), followed by Valdosta State (4th/.692) and Delta State (6th/.571).

FOURTH DOWN SUCCESS
The Delta State offense leads Division II in fourth down conversions (1.000). Erskine and Valdosta State co-lead D2 in fourth down defense (.000).

PASSING THE BALL
Delta State is sixth in D2 in passing offense averaging 322.5 per game. The Statesmen have thrown for a total of 645 yards this season, fourth most in D2, while completing 38-of-58 passes. DSU is also 11th in passing efficiency … The Chowan (9th/65.0) and Erskine (20th/102.0) defenses are among the top-20 in passing yards allowed.