GSC Week Two Preview & Picks

September 11th, 2024 6:00am

We got our first full slate of games last week for the Gulf South and what an exciting one it was! There were some let downs, but the top dogs did not disappoint. This week we’ve got a few key Super Region 2 matchups on tap and even one team looking to upset an NCAA Division I opponent on the road.

Week One Results (home team in bold)
Shorter 29, Mississippi College 5
No. 14 West Florida 38, McKendree 6
Keiser 23, North Greenville 20 (OT)
Elizabeth City State 12, Chowan 9
No. 12 Delta State 55, Missouri S&T 18
West Alabama 45, Tusculum 9
Presbyterian 31, Erskine 14
No. 5 Valdosta State 27, Newberry 14

Week Two Schedule (all times Eastern)

Well, the turnover bug bit the Trailblazers once again in an overtime loss to NAIA power Keiser University last week as NGU gave it up twice (one fumble, one interception) while also missing two field goals, including a 31-yarder that would’ve won the game in the extra period. Quarterback Dylan Ramirez did all he could to keep North Greenville in the hunt, finishing with 240 passing yards to go along with 67 rushing yards and a score despite missing his top target in wideout Dre Williams.

The Citadel is an even 1-1 overall after a season-opening win over Charleston Southern before seeing a second-half comeback fall short against South Carolina State last week. The Bulldogs’ strategy remains the same as always - run the ball and run the ball some more, however, Liberty transfer Johnathan Bennett has provided a bit more spark in the passing game than the program is used to. Running back Corey Ibrahim already has 120 yards on the ground and averages 5.2 yards per carry, while linebacker Je’Mazin Roberts already has three tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble in just two games.

The Trailblazers gave up 169 yards on the ground and 4.4 yards per carry to Keiser, and we all know that the ground game is The Citadel’s bread and butter. The Bulldogs are 2-0 in the all-time series and may stay perfect if they have their way running the ball, especially now that Bennett is a proven threat through the air. Let’s hope NGU gets Williams back on offense so that they have a chance to stay in the game and maybe even pull out the upset.

My pick: The Citadel

Elizabeth City State (1-1) at Erskine (1-1)
Saturday, Sept. 14 | 1:00 pm | Greenwood, S.C. | Stats | Video

The one constant for Elizabeth City State through the first two weeks is a lack of offense, having scored just 25 total points. However, the defense has given up a meager 26 total points leading to a .500 record. Receiver Terrance Holland has scored both touchdowns for the Vikings this season, catching three passes for 67 yards. At the same time, linebacker Demorian Smith leads the defense with 11 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.

After a 52-point outburst to start the season, Erskine scored just 14 points on 269 total yards against NCAA Division I Presbyterian last week. Despite the loss, quarterback Craig Pender had 197 yards and two touchdowns through the air but two costly interceptions stalled the offense. Rodshaun Dorsey continues to show promise out wide with 10 receptions for 93 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s first two games.

Elizabeth City State’s defense provides a tough test for the Flying Fleet, but Erskine’s offense may have just enough big play potential to get ahead early and force the Vikings to play from behind. The ECSU offense has not shown much in the way of production, so I like the Flying Fleet’s chances in front of the home crowd.

My pick: Erskine

No. 12 Delta State (2-0) at Wingate (1-0)
Saturday, Sept. 14 | 3:00 pm | Wingate, N.C. | Stats | Video

Cole Kirk introduced himself to the college football world in last Saturday’s dominating win over Missouri S&T, accumulating 416 all-purpose yards with six total touchdowns in the Statesmen’s home opener. Running back Kelvin Smith was also a key player in the win, rushing 10 times for 74 yards and catching three passes for 53 yards and two scores out of the backfield. The defense had five pass breakups in the contest, in holding the Missouri S&T offense to just 134 yards through the air.

Wingate opened its season with a 17-12 win over Super Region 2 foe UNC Pembroke, but it wasn’t pretty as the Bulldogs accounted for nine total penalties and just 210 passing yards although eight different receivers recorded a catch in the win. However, the defense did its job in holding Pembroke to 310 total yards while racking up five tackles for loss and two interceptions.

Through the first two games of the season, Delta State is averaging 51 points and 562 offensive yards per game. Even though Wingate is a much better defense than DSU has faced early on this season, expect Kirk and the rest of the unit to put up points and come away with another road win within the region.

My pick: No. 12 Delta State

Barton (0-1) at Chowan (0-2)
Saturday, Sept. 14 | 6:00 pm | Chowan, N.C. | Stats | Video

The Bulldogs entered the season with key holes to fill at quarterback, running back, and receiver, but despite last week’s loss to West Virginia State, it looks like they may have found some answers. Quarterback Trevor Nored, a transfer from NCAA Division I Rhode Island, was 24-for-39 with 310 yards through the air, completing nine of his pass attempts to Jayden Flood-Brown for 140 yards. The most glaring weakness for Barton was in the run game where they totaled just 51 yards on 24 carries after averaging nearly 200 yards per game on the ground a year ago.

Chowan’s offense was once again anemic in last week’s loss to Elizabeth City State, gaining just 164 total yards. The Hawks’ defense kept the game close, holding ECSU to 65 yards through the air and 114 yards on the ground while collecting six tackles for loss and two sacks. A duo of freshman linebackers, Samuel Tagg and Omari Kinsler, combined for 23 tackles and two tackles for loss in the season opener, while fellow linebacker Joshua Gonleh had two sacks in the losing effort.

Barton has a superior talent pool and a much better offense than Chowan. This one is a no-brainer, especially if the Bulldogs are able to get the ground game on track.

My pick: Barton

Kingsville and Colorado Mesa were locked in a defensive battle from start to finish in last week’s season opener as the two sides combined for just 470 total yards. The Javelina defensive front held the opposition to just 80 yards on the ground with eight tackles for loss, while the secondary forced two interceptions, however, three missed field goals kept the Kingsville offense from getting ahead.

Last week I said that Mississippi College would have to iron out some wrinkles in their new offense, but that was an understatement. In last week’s loss to Shorter, the Choctaws had just five points on 238 total yards with 99 of those coming from standout running back Marcus Williams. I don’t know the last time we saw a Choctaw team attempt 49 passes but quantity isn’t always preferred over quality. Quarterback Eli Anderson had a rough start to his MC career with two interceptions and the passing game averaged just 3.5 yards per attempt on the night. Linebacker Zach Hammann was a bright spot on defense, finishing with seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a sack.

The Javelinas’ defense has been strong the last few seasons and it looks like that will continue into 2024, however, the offense needs to catch up. The real question here is - can the Mississippi College offense find life? I think the Choctaws come alive after a week of watching the film and figuring out where things went wrong in the season opener.

My pick: Mississippi College

Limestone (1-0) at West Alabama (2-0)
Saturday, Sept. 14 | 7:00 pm | Livingston, Ala. | Stats | Video

Limestone opened its season on fire last week, scoring 35 first-half points in a win over West Liberty. A balanced offensive attack saw the Saints total 476 yards (298 passing, 178 rushing) and six total scores, but the unit relied heavily on big plays with three of the team’s touchdowns coming from over 20 yards out and quarterback Dustin Noller averaging 20.9 yards per completion. Running back Kevin Lalin carried the ball 23 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns of his own, while the defense forced three interceptions on the day.

West Alabama made a change at quarterback and that was all the Tigers needed in last week’s dominant win over Tusculum at home. Junior Spencer Arceneaux took the reins under center and exploded for 249 yards and two touchdowns through the air while adding another 74 yards and a score on the ground. In total, four of West Alabama’s six touchdowns came from the run game as the unit totaled 207 yards on just 34 carries. The UWA defense displayed its usual stinginess, holding Tusculum to 246 total yards while collecting eight tackles for loss, three sacks, seven pass breakups, and two interceptions courtesy of standout Devonte Harris and fellow defensive back Uriah Ratliff.

Might this be the year West Alabama has an offense to complement the defense? It is a little too early to tell, but last week’s performance could be a sign of things to come if Arceneaux remains consistent. The Saints won’t have the benefit of so many big plays this week and the West Alabama defense should be able to show them what damage a Gulf South defense can do.

My pick: West Alabama

Fayetteville State got a win to open up the season, scoring a touchdown with 17 seconds remaining to defeat UNC Pembroke at home. Dual-threat quarterback Demari Daniels had 87 yards and a touchdown to go along with 66 rushing yards and two scores after taking over under center in the second quarter. However, the Broncos’ defense was the star after forcing four turnovers (three fumbles, one interception) and holding Pembroke to 287 total yards. Lineman Shi Gaskin was a force to be reckoned with, tallying nine tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble in the victory.

The Blazers had a game plan and stuck to it last week against Newberry, rushing for 197 yards and controlling the clock for over 33 minutes of the game in a 13-point road win. Blake Hester had 65 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries, while Sammy Edwards scored one touchdown through the air and another on the ground for Valdosta State. VSU’s defense made a statement, limiting Newberry to 262 total yards on the road.

Valdosta State will be too much for FSU to handle on both sides of the ball, especially playing at home inside Bazemore-Hyder Stadium under the lights.

My pick: No. 5 Valdosta State