GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE FOOTBALL WEEKLY RELEASE Week Three Preview | September 14, 2016
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GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE FOOTBALL WEEKLY RELEASE Week Three Preview | September 14, 2016 Contact: Nick Moeller, Assistant Commissioner for Sports Information | [email protected] Phone: (205) 991-9880 | Fax: (205) 437-0505 | Twitter: @GulfSouth | Facebook: The Gulf South Conference | Instagram: gscsports GSC STANDINGS (through 09/14/16) Conference Overall A/D2 Team W L Pct. PF PA W L Pct PF PA Home Away Neutral *Streak 19/25 Florida Tech 1 0 1.000 41 0 2 0 1.000 83 28 1-0 1-0 0-0 W-2 West Florida 0 0 .000 0 0 2 0 1.000 90 28 1-0 1-0 0-0 W-2 3/2 West Georgia 0 0 .000 0 0 2 0 1.000 52 3 1-0 1-0 0-0 W-2 22/18 Valdosta State 0 0 .000 0 0 1 0 1.000 16 7 1-0 0-0 0-0 W-1 Delta State 0 0 .000 0 0 1 1 0.500 78 69 1-1 0-0 0-0 L-1 Mississippi College 0 1 .000 0 0 1 1 0.500 28 57 1-0 0-1 0-0 L-1 20/9 North Alabama 0 0 .000 0 0 0 1 .000 12 31 0-0 0-1 0-0 L-2 Shorter 0 0 .000 0 0 0 2 .000 21 94 0-0 0-2 0-0 L-8 West Alabama 0 0 .000 0 0 0 2 .000 47 54 0-0 0-2 0-0 L-2 A--AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll (released every Monday); D2--D2Football.com Poll (released every Tuesday); *--Streaks carried over from 2015 THIS WEEK’S GAMES WEEK TWO RECAP After two weeks of play in the Gulf South Conference, the GSC has four teams ranked in Top September 17 (Saturday) 25 of the AFCA Poll. Last week, the conference went 3-3 and four unbeaten teams remain. *Delta State @ West Georgia 2:00 pm West Florida @ Chowan 6:00 pm Conference favorites West Georgia again had a dominant performance that was spearheaded by its defense. The Wolves traveled to Miles and earned a 29-0 win. The Wolves returned an *Valdosta State @ North Alabama 6:00 pm interception for a touchdown in the game, meaning that the defense has scored more points *West Alabama @ Mississippi College 7:00 pm than it has allowed this season. *Florida Tech @ Shorter 7:00 pm In the first conference clash of the 2016 season, Florida Tech also earned a shutout, beating the Choctaws of Mississippi College, 41-0. The defense held MC to just 228 total yards in All Times are Local; GSC teams in BOLD; Division the game, while the FIT offense put up 524 yards. Two Panthers (Antwuan Hayes and Gary I-FCS opponents in Italics; *Conference game Holmes) rushed for more than 100 yards in the game. In front of a sold out crowd that was ready to celebrate the first home game in UWF history, NEXT WEEK’S GAMES the Argonauts did not disappoint. West Florida continued to impress on offense and beat September 24 (Saturday) Missouri S&T, 45-28. Quarterback Kaleb Nobles threw for over 500 yards and six touchdowns in the win, earning conference player of the week honors. *Shorter @ Delta State 2:00 pm *North Alabama @ West Alabama 6:00 pm Shorter fell in overtime to Mars Hill, but freshman quarterback Tyler Pullum was named the Cumberland @ 7:00 pm GSC Freshman of the Week after throwing for more than 200 yards with two touchdowns and Mississippi College no interceptions. *West Florida @ Valdosta State 7:00 pm West Georgia @ Albany State 7:00 pm West Alabama gave Division I-FCS Stephen F. Austin all it could handle, but was unable to get the win, falling on the road by just six points. Florida Tech @ Presbyterian 7:00 pm Delta State hosted Texas A&M Commerce, a Top 10 team in the country. The Statesmen were All Times are Local; GSC teams in BOLD; Division unable to upend the Lions, despite two more rushing touchdowns for Chris Robinson. I-FCS opponents in Italics; *Conference game WEEK THREE PREVIEW This week is the first full slate of conference matchups, as four of the five games will pit GSC teams against one another. Delta State will face another one of the nation’s top teams, this time on the road, as the Statesmen travel to Carrolton to take on West Georgia. West Florida will have to wait one more week for its first ever conference game. The Argonauts will face Chowan out of the CIAA this weekend, looking to remain unbeaten. Old rivals and perennial powers North Alabama and Valdosta State will square off in Florence after each team had a bye week last weekend. West Alabama will play its third straight road game, this time in Clinton, Mississippi against the Choctaws. UWA has lost two games by a combined seven points, but will be looking to start its GSC slate 1-0. In the GSC Game of the Week, Florida Tech will travel to Shorter. This game can be seen on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. FIT is currently ranked 19th in the nation, the best ranking in school history. After a tough overtime loss last week, the Hawks will be looking to rebound with their first home game of the season. 2016 GSC Football Weekly Release 1 www.gscsports.org GSC FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK West Florida QB Kaleb Nobles Nobles was dominant in the first ever home game for the Argonauts. He threw for career-highs of 503 yards and 6 TDs in the 45-28 win over Missouri S&T. The yardage was the ninth highest in a single game in GSC history and the TDs are tied for seventh most. He completed passes to eight different receivers, with three hauling in more than 100 yards. He had 283 yards and 4 TDs in the first half to help build a 31-20 lead. His 503 yards through the air is the second most in Division II this season. Through two weeks, he leads the GSC in passing yards, TDs, and passing efficiency. He is tied for the lead in the country in touchdown passes and ranks fifth in total passing yards. DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Florida Tech DL Adonis Davis Davis led the Panther defense that held the Choctaws scoreless in the 41-0 conference win. He had four solo tackles on the day, two of which were behind the line of scrimmage. He also recorded an eight-yard sack and forced a fumble. As a team, FIT never allowed Mississippi College to enter the red zone on its way to recording the first shutout in school history against a Division II opponent. SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK West Florida K Austin Peffers Peffers was 6-for-6 on PATs and 1-for-2 on field goals as UWF improved to 2-0 with the win over Missouri S&T in the first home game in school history. His made FG was from 36 yards on the opening drive of the game, giving the Argonauts a 3-0 lead and putting his name in the record books with the first points ever scored at home for UWF. His missed FG bounced off the crossbar from 47 yards. He is now 12-of-12 on PATs and 2-for-3 on FGs this season. He also kicked off eight times and had one touchback. FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK Shorter QB Tyler Pullum Pullum was almost able to get the first victory of the season for Shorter, but the Hawks fell in overtime to Mars Hill. Pullum went 23-for-38 in the game, throwing for 216 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He had no interceptions in the game. The freshman QB spread the ball around, completing a pass to nine different receivers. Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week: Antwuan Hayes (Florida Tech, RB) Also nominated for Defensive Player of the Week: Jordan Jones (West Alabama, LB); Chris Sakamoto (West Florida, LB); Dylan Donahue (West Georgia, DE) Also nominated for Special Teams Player of the Week: N/A Also nominated for Freshman of the Week: Patrick Banks (Florida Tech, DB) 2016 GSC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Week OFFENSE DEFENSE SPECIAL TEAMS FRESHMAN 09/05/16 RB-Chris Robinson, DSU LB-Dante Robinson, VSU P-Thomas Boone, DSU RB-Tim Bellinger, UWF 09/12/16 QB-Kaleb Nobles, UWF DL-Adonis Davis, FIT K-Austin Peffers, UWF QB-Tyler Pullum, SU 2016 GSC Football Weekly Release 2 www.gscsports.org 2016 GSC FOOTBALL--THE WEEK AHEAD Delta State Statesmen (1-1, 0-0 Gulf South) West Florida Argonauts (2-0, 0-0 Gulf South) at #3 West Georgia Wolves (2-0, 0-0 Gulf South) at Chowan Hawks (1-1, 0-0 CIAA) Saturday, September 17 | 2:00 p.m. ET Saturday, September 17 | 6:00 p.m. ET University Stadium, Carrollton, Ga. Garrison Stadium, Murfreesboro, N.C. Series Record: .................................................................DSU leads 18-12 Series Record: ........................................................................First Meeting Last Meeting: .....................................................@DSU 7, UWG 28 (2015) Last Meeting: .........................................................................................N/A Delta State’s Last Game: ................Lost to Texas A&M Commerce, 28-40 UWF’s Last Game: .......................................Defeated Missouri S&T, 45-28 West Georgia’s Last Game: �������������������������������������� Defeated Miles, 29-0 Chowan’s Last Game: .......................................... Lost to Campbell, 47-14 Game Breakdown Game Breakdown After a tough loss to a Top 10 team last weekend, Delta State’s schedule West Florida has had an impressive start to its inaugural season, ranking does not get any easier, going on the road and facing the West Georgia second in the conference in both total offense and total defense.