GSC Week Seven Preview and Picks

October 16th, 2024 8:30am

Week Seven GSC Preview & Picks

There are just two Gulf South Conference teams remaining in the D2Football.com Top 25 with Valdosta State at No. 3 overall and West Alabama rising to No. 12 in the rankings after Delta State was upset by West Florida a week ago. This week, The Argo have a chance to keep the momentum moving forward, while West Alabama goes on the road against a hungry Statesmen squad that has had its ups and downs through the first half of the year.

Week Six Results (home team in bold)

Chowan 31, Shorter 27
No. 3 Valdosta State 32, North Greenville 24
No. 13 West Alabama 26, Mississippi College 0
West Florida 40, No. 25 Delta State 28

Week Six Schedule (all times Eastern)
*indicates Gulf South Conference game

West Florida (3-2, 2-1 GSC) at Chowan (2-3, 1-1 GSC)*
Saturday, Oct. 19 | 2:00 pm | Murfreesboro, N.C. | Stats | Video

West Florida is knocking on the door of the Top 25 after last week’s dominating win over then-No. 25 Delta State at home. The Argos put up 40 points on 529 total yards as quarterback Marcus Stokes announced himself to the college football world with 326 passing yards, 52 rushing yards and five total touchdowns. The defensive unit continues to show its strength and is holding opponents to a paltry 92.7 yards per game on the ground and 184.2 yards per game through the air while forcing 17 turnovers in just five games.

The Hawks picked up a hard-fought victory last week over future Conference Carolinas league-mate Shorter behind a 400-yard offensive performance. Chowan secured the win with a 14-0 advantage in the fourth quarter of play as quarterback Maurice Smith finished 17-for-21 with 218 yards and two touchdowns, adding 76 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground. Jakobe Lane (30 receptions, 385 yards, four touchdowns, 139 rushing yards) is the team’s main weapon on offense and CU tries to get the ball in his hands as much as possible.

The Argo offense is finally starting to balance out the defense and this week provides another opportunity for consistency. UWF should come away with an easy win in this one with a stifling defense that is almost guaranteed to force a turnover or two.

My pick: West Florida

Erskine (1-3, 0-1 GSC) at North Greenville (2-3, 1-1 GSC)*
Saturday, Oct. 19 | 2:00 pm | Tigerville, S.C. | Stats | Video

Erskine has been absent from competition from the past two weekends as they continue to recover from damages caused by Hurricane Helene. However, the team is ready to be back in action this week on the road after hosting four consecutive home games to open the season. It has been a rough go for the defense as the Flying Fleet are giving up 31 points and 331 yards per game, including 162.5 yards per game on the ground. The offense has been held scoreless in the last two games, being outscored 93-0 before the unexpected break in the schedule.

The Trailblazers made some noise last week in a narrow defeat to No. 3 Valdosta State, holding a 24-16 edge at intermission before being shutout in the second half. NGU had 320 total yards of offense, playing without receiver Ahmari Coats, but running back Jacob Walker had his best outing of the year with 87 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

North Greenville played some of its best football last weekend despite the loss. NGU is the far superior team in this one, both in talent and experience. A few weeks off may have provided Erskine a chance to get healthy but there will undoubtedly be some rust that needs to be knocked off to avoid a total blowout.

My pick: North Greenville

It was another underwhelming week for the Mississippi College offense, totaling just 143 yards as running back Preston Williams lined up under center in this contest and attempted just two passes without a completion. The only saving grace for the Choctaws was that they did face a West Alabama defense that is ranked among the best units in the country. Through six games, MC is averaging just 7.3 points and 220.3 yards per game, ranking among the worst offenses in Division II.

The Blazers overcame a halftime deficit on the road last week to defeat North Greenville, outsourcing the Trailblazers 16-0 in the second half to remain undefeated on the year. The backfield duo of Blake Hester and Alfonso Franklin provided 160 yards on 29 carries with two scores as Franklin also contributed a 44-yard touchdown catch. Valdosta State is still among the nation’s elite on both sides of the ball and have another chance to assert dominance this weekend.

My gut feeling is that this one may be over by the end of the first quarter. VSU is too talented across the board for Mississippi College to pull an upset, and without a competent offense on the field the Choctaws are most likely looking at another scoreless Saturday.

My pick: No. 3 Valdosta State

West Alabama continues to roll and last week the Tigers’ defensive prowess was on full display. UWA is holding the opposition to 14.2 points and 269 yards per game, while the offense does a great job taking care of the ball with just three turnovers on the season. Quarterback Spencer Arceneaux has seven touchdown passes to just one interception, while nine different players have scored at least one touchdown for the Tigers through five games.

The Statesmen put up a fight last weekend against West Florida, but a slow start was tough to overcome in an eventual 40-28 road loss. Running back Kelvin Smith continues to produce during his senior year, totaling 425 rushing yards, 67 receiving yards, and seven total touchdowns in six games. The defense has a bit of a “bend don’t break” feel to it, allowing 346.8 yards per contest while also forcing eight turnovers.

I have a feeling we could see a close game in this one if Delta State is able to control the clock on offense, however, the West Alabama defense is the best unit DSU has faced all year and they’ll put the pressure on Cole Kirk to deliver. Give me the Tigers to pull this one out on the road and possibly move in the Top 10 of the national poll.

My pick: No. 12 West Alabama