No. 14 Valdosta State Overcomes Southern Arkansas, 38-16

By: Houston Taylor

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Valdosta State overcame an early 10-0 deficit to hand Southern Arkansas a 38-16 loss in Monday night football action at Wilkins Stadium. The game, originally scheduled for September 13, but postponed because of Hurricane Ike, is believed to be the first played on a Monday at Southern Arkansas.

The No. 14 Blazers (8-2, 6-2 GSC) came in ranked third in super regional two and kept their playoff hopes alive with the win. VSU freshman quarterback Chris Hart was one of three quarterbacks that Valdosta used, coming off the bench to throw four touchdown passes in the game.

It didn’t look to be easy at the beginning though, as the Muleriders (1-8, 1-6 GSC) stormed down the field after the opening kickoff and took a quick lead on Chris Metcalf’s one-yard run at 11:29. Noe? Cuevas’ kick made it 7-0, completing a seven-play, 74-yard drive that consumed 3:31. Quarterback Ryan McCombie’s third and four, 56-yard pass to receiver Michael Chatman was the big play in the drive.

SAU didn’t stop there and two possessions later, Cuevas connected on a 26-yard field goal for the 10-0 advantage at 3:01.

VSU finally woke up and responded with a five-play, 56-yard drive that took 2:25 and ended with Hart’s first touchdown throw, a 35-yarder to T.J. Williams. Devin Sabina’s kick reduced it to 10-7 with 29 ticks left in the first quarter.

They cashed in again on their next series, getting a 27-yard field goal from Sabina to knot it at 10-10 at 9:23 in the second.

The teams traded their next two series until Southern Arkansas cornerback Roland Perkins picked off Tucker Pruitt’s pass and returned it 25 yards to the Mulerider 46. McCombie quickly moved into Valdosta State territory on a 20-yard scamper to the 34, but an illegal block penalty on the next play moved them back to the 49. On the next play, McCombie lost the handle on the ball with the Blazers recovering. They capitalized on the miscue, moving 42 yards in six plays as Hart hit P.J. Curbeam from six yards out for the go-ahead score, 17-10, with 55 seconds left that stood at halftime.

Setting up shop at their own 31 to begin the third quarter, Pruitt hit R.J. Bastone for six yards and then completed a 63-yard scoring pass to Albert Dukes for a 24-10 VSU lead at 13:58.

Valdosta then took advantage of another SAU fumble, this one coming off a punt return as Carlos Anderson simply took the ball away from Southern Arkansas’ Clarence Wright and ran it 20 yards to the Mulerider 11. Three plays later, Hart found Dukes for the 11-yard touchdown, 31-10 at 4:20.

SAU’s last possession in the third ended at the beginning of the fourth quarter as they posted their final score on the board at 14:54 on Metcalf’s 10-yard run, completing an 11-play, 69-yard drive that took 4:22.

The Blazers ended the scoring with Hart’s fourth and final scoring toss, this one for 26 yards to Isaiah Jupiter at 9:33.

VSU put up 329 yards of offense to Southern Arkansas’ 288, with 318 of that coming via the pass, as the Muleriders’ run defense was stingy again, allowing just 11 yards. SAU had 151 yards rushing and 137 through the air.

Valdosta State suffered two fumbles and two interceptions, while Southern Arkansas lost three fumbles.

Pruitt was 19 of 28 passing for 187 yards, while Hart finished 9 of 13 for 134, and throwing one pick. McCombie hit on 12 of 31 for 119 yards.

The Muleriders wrap up their season Saturday, traveling to face Arkansas-Monticello at 6 p.m.

Photos by Aaron Morris