VALDOSTA, Ga. – The top-ranked Valdosta State football team hosts No. 20 West Florida for the second time in four weeks in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Division II Football Playoffs Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.  VSU won the previous meeting on Nov. 9, 2019, 26-21, according to VState.com.

VSU begins its 2019 NCAA Division II playoffs at home with Gulf South Conference rival West Florida in the second round of the playoffs.

That win marked the first time since Nov. 28, 2015, in a 27-20 loss to West Georgia in Carrollton, VSU has played a conference foe in the playoffs, according to VState.com.

The 2015 game also was in the second round.  VSU is 3-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament against teams from the GSC and 1-3 against current members of the GSC. 

The Blazers have won four-straight playoff games, each coming last season en route to the program’s fourth national championship. 

VSU is 26-12 all-time in the NCAA Championship with titles in 2004, 2007, 20102 and 2018.  The 26 wins in the NCAA postseason ranks fifth-most all-time in NCAA Division II and third-most among current D2 institutions.

If the Blazers were to beat West Florida, they would host the winner of the No. 2-seed Lenoir-Rhyne vs. Carson-Newman game on Saturday, Dec. 7.

The winner of that game would then wait to see if it would host the Dec. 14 National Semifinal round matchup as the four remaining teams are reseeded for the Dec. 14 games.

The 2019 NCAA Division II National Championship is scheduled for Dec. 21 and broadcast on ESPNU.

SOURCE: VSTATE.COM