American college football season
The 2018 Valdosta State Blazers football team represented Valdosta State University as a member of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) during the 2018 NCAA Division II football season . They were led by third-year head coach Kerwin Bell , who also served as offensive coordinator . The Blazers played their home games at Bazemore–Hyder Stadium in Valdosta, Georgia . Valdosta State compiled an overall record of 14–0 with a conference mark of 8–0, winning the GSC title. They beat Ferris State in the NCAA Division II Championship Game to win the program's fourth national title.
Preseason
Gulf South Conference coaches poll
On August 2, 2018, the Gulf South Conference released their preseason coaches poll with the Blazers predicted to finish in fifth place in the conference.
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
West Alabama
62 (6)
2
West Florida
59 (3)
3
West Georgia
44
4
Delta State
41
5 Valdosta State 38
6
Florida Tech
32
7
North Greenville
24
8
Mississippi College
16
9
Shorter
8
Preseason All-Gulf South Conference Team
The Blazers had five players at five positions selected to the preseason all-Gulf South Conference team.
Offense
Kenny Benjamin – AP
Jeremy King – OG
Defense
Raymond Palmer – DB
Special teams
Jairus Jones – BT
Stewart Spence – UTL
Schedule
Valdosta State's 2018 regular season football schedule consisted of five home games, four away games, and one neutral site game. The Blazers hosted GSC foes Delta State , North Greenville , Shorter , and West Georgia , and traveled to Florida Tech , Mississippi College , West Alabama , and West Florida . Three games were broadcast on ESPN3 , as part of the Gulf South Conference Game of the Week.
The Blazers hosted non-conference foe Albany State from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and competed in the Okefenokee Classic against Fort Valley State , also from the (SIAC).
After an undefeated regular season, the Blazers were the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division II playoffs .
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance September 1 7:00 p.m. Albany State *W 45–14 6,770 September 8 7:00 p.m. vs. Fort Valley State * ESPN3 W 55–6 3,107 September 15 7:00 p.m. at No. 8 West Alabama W 58–24 3,285 September 22 7:00 p.m. Shorter No. 16 Bazemore–Hyder Stadium Valdosta, GA W 52–0 5,130 September 29 8:00 p.m. at Mississippi College No. 13 W 63–42 2,654 October 6 1:00 p.m. Delta State No. 10 Bazemore–Hyder Stadium Valdosta, GA W 59–28 2,036 October 13 1:00 p.m. at Florida Tech No. 8 W 51–21 3,679 October 20 3:00 p.m. North Greenville No. 7 Bazemore–Hyder Stadium Valdosta, GA W 44–21 5,514 November 3 5:00 p.m. at West Florida No. 7 ESPN3 W 48–21 5,893 November 10 7:00 p.m. No. 3 West Georgia No. 5 Bazemore–Hyder Stadium Valdosta, GA (rivalry ) ESPN3 W 47–31 10,558 November 24 1:00 pm No. 25 Bowie State No. 3 W 66–16 2,467 December 1 1:00 pm No. 17 Lenoir–Rhyne No. 3 Bazemore–Hyder Stadium Valdosta, GA (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal) W 61–21 1,999 December 8 12:00 pm No. 11 Notre Dame (OH) No. 3 Bazemore–Hyder Stadium Valdosta, GA (NCAA Division II Semifinal) ESPN3 W 30–24 4,672 December 15 4:00 p.m. vs. No. 2 Ferris State No. 3 ESPNU W 49–47 4,306 *Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time
Rankings
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Final AFCA RV RV RV 16 13 10 8 7 7 7 5 3 1
Game summaries
Albany State
1
2
3
4
Total
Rams
0
0
0
14
14
Blazers
14
14
10
7
45
Fort Valley State
1
2
3
4
Total
Wildcats
0
3
3
0
6
Blazers
21
0
6
28
55
At West Alabama
1
2
3
4
Total
Blazers
21
14
10
13
58
Tigers
7
7
7
3
24
Shorter
1
2
3
4
Total
Hawks
0
0
0
0
0
Blazers
10
0
21
21
52
At Mississippi College
1
2
3
4
Total
Blazers
7
35
14
7
63
Choctaws
7
14
14
7
42
Delta State
1
2
3
4
Total
Statesmen
14
14
0
0
28
Blazers
14
14
17
14
59
At Florida Tech
1
2
3
4
Total
Blazers
14
10
0
27
51
Panthers
0
0
7
14
21
North Greenville
1
2
3
4
Total
Crusaders
0
0
7
14
21
Blazers
13
10
7
14
44
At West Florida
1
2
3
4
Total
Blazers
14
3
7
24
48
Argonauts
0
14
7
0
21
West Georgia
1
2
3
4
Total
Wolves
7
14
7
3
31
Blazers
10
24
3
10
47
Bowie State
1
2
3
4
Total
Bulldogs
7
9
0
0
16
Blazers
0
21
17
28
66
Lenoir-Rhyne
1
2
3
4
Total
Bears
0
7
7
7
21
Blazers
10
24
13
14
61
Notre Dame (OH)
1
2
3
4
Total
Falcons
0
10
7
7
24
Blazers
9
0
21
0
30
Ferris State
1
2
3
4
Total
Bulldogs
10
14
14
9
47
Blazers
7
21
14
7
49
Players drafted into the NFL
See also: 2019 NFL draft
References
"West Alabama Tops GSC Football Preseason Poll" . Gulf South Conference. August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018."Gulf South Conference" (PDF). s3.amazonaws.com . 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2023."Okefenofee Classic among games on VSU's 2018-19 football schedule" (Press release). Valdosta Daily Times. February 14, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018."GSC Announces 2018 Football Game of the Week Schedule" . Gulf South Conference. Retrieved July 18, 2018."2018 Valdosta State Blazers Football Schedule" . Valdosta State University of Athletics. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
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