THE BASICS:
Score: Valdosta State 55, Fort Valley State 6
Records: Valdosta State 2-0, Fort Valley State 0-2
Location: Waycross, Ga. (Ware County Memorial Stadium)
THE LEAD: For the second week in a row, the Valdosta State football team came out on fire as it scored three touchdowns on its first four possessions in the first quarter of the 2018 Okefenokee Classic Saturday evening in Waycross, Ga. The Blazers bookend two outstanding offensive quarters in a 55-6 win over Fort Valley State and added 28 points in the fourth quarter in the rout.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Blazers marched right down the field using a five play, 69-yard drive as sophomore quarterback Rogan Wells found senior fullback Stewart Spence for 43 yards and, on third and five from the 26, Wells hooked up with junior Darrell Myers over the middle for a 26-yard strike and a 7-0 lead.
- The VSU defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing drive as a huge 12-yard sack from freshman Jameon Gaskin and a sack from senior Iseoluwapo Jegede forced the Wildcats to punt.
- Following punts by both teams, the Blazers made quick work offensively again as Robles hooked up with sophomore Brian Saunds for a 13-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 lead with 7:34 left in the first quarter.
- Following a three-and-out by the Wildcats, VSU turned a third and 20 into a first down at the goal line as Wells found junior Bryndan McCoy for 28 yards. Wells tallied his third passing touchdown of the quarter as he hit sophomore Kenny Benjamin out of the slot for a 21-0 lead with 3:04 left in the quarter.
- The Blazers tallied the first turnover of the game as FVSU quarterback Slade Jarman was intercepted by redshirt freshman Taurus Dotson, but the Blazers were unable to score on a 34-yard missed field goal from senior Andrew Gray early in the second quarter.
- FVSU used a long drive of 16 plays for 75 yards, using 8:20 on the clock and kicked a 22-yard field goal as Jarman couldn't find a man in the end zone on third down from the five of VSU.
- VSU moved at will in the next drive, but Gray missed his second field goal of the quarter from 40-yards.
- In the third, the Wildcats had a promising drive to begin the frame, but stalled at the VSU 16 as Jarman's pass sailed wide on third down.
- VSU's senior Rori Blair then blocked the 33-yard field goal by Abisai Gutierrez.
- The Blazers took over and marched down the field for a 26-yard field goal from Gray and a 24-3 lead.
- FVSU answered with a field goal on the ensuing drive for a 24-6 score and Gray tallied another field goal from 24-yards for a 27-6 score at the end of three quarters.
- The Blazer offense found new life in the fourth as the team used an eight play, 50-yard drive for 3:05 on the clock as Wells found senior Stewart Spence for his first career touchdown and a 34-6 lead.
- The Wildcats muffed the punt on the ensuing drive as VSU took over at the FVSU eight and freshman Seth McGill scored his first touchdown of his career and a 41-6 lead with 8:59 left.
- VSU freshman quarterback Ivory Durham entered after a FVSU punt and rattled off a quick 40-yard run and scored from nine yards out for a 48-6 lead.
- The Blazer added one more touchdown late in the game for a 55-6 score as redshirt sophomore Isaiah Johnson scored on the ground from 14-yards out.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- The first two quarters were completely different as the Blazers racked up 180 yards of offense in the first quarter with three touchdown passes as Wells was 7 of 11 for 114 yards.
- VSU held FVSU no yards of total offense in the quarter and holding the Wildcats to -12 yards rushing.
- The second quarter, VSU managed 79 yards of offense, but missed two field goals.
- FVSU tallied 60 yards in the quarter and a field goal.
- For the half, VSU racked up 259 yards of offense on 33 plays, while running the ball 14 times for 111 yards and passing for 148 yards.
- Wells was 12 of 19 for 148 yards and three scores, while running seven times for a team-high 46 yards.
- The VSU "D" held FVSU to -9 yards rushing for the half and 69 yards passing, while sacking the Wildcats four times for 34 yards and recorded five tackles for loss for 36 yards.
- The Blazers rushed for a season-high 294 yards on 32 attempts for an impressive 9.2 average, while throwing for 243 yards on 21 of 38 with one interception and tallied a season-high 537 yards of offense in the game.
- Wells rushed for a career-high 97 yards on 11 carries to lead the team, while throwing a career-high four touchdowns on 20 of 36 for a season-high 227 yards as four different receivers caught touchdowns.
- The Blazers were all over the field defensively, holding FVSU to just 14 first downs and 153 yards of offense, including 158 yards passing and minus-5 yards rushing as FVSU punted eight times in the game.
- Individually, the Blazers were led by freshman Jameon Gaskin who had nine tackles, four solo, one huge sack for 12 yards and one tackle for loss.
- VSU racked up a season-high six sacks for 47 yards and 12 tackles for loss for 57 yards, while forcing two turnovers.
UP NEXT:
- VSU is scheduled to play its first true road game next Saturday at 7 p.m. ET at nationally ranked West Alabama to open Gulf South Conference play.
- The Blazers then return to Bazemore-Hyder Stadium Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. versus Shorter.
