BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –The Valdosta State football team will be featured twice this season for the GSC Game of the Week, the league office announced. The Blazers will face Shorter in Rome, Ga., on Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. on ESPN+ and then will battle West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga., for the Old Peach Bucket on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. on ESPN3.
The Blazers are 20-14 all-time in the GSC Game of the Week and played in two GSC Game of the Week contests last season in the final two weeks of the regular season at West Florida (W, 48-21) and at home against West Georgia (W, 47-31) for the Blazers' seventh Gulf South Conference title. VSU was featured three times on the ESPN family of networks last season during the regular season, including the D2 Football Showcase in the Okefenokee Classic in Waycross, Ga., versus Fort Valley State (W, 55-6). VSU then was on ESPN3 for the Notre Dame College national semifinal game and on ESPN2 for the national championship game.
ESPN will serve as the exclusive carrier of the league's package for the sixth straight season. This year's schedule will feature one GSC game every Saturday from September 14th through November 16th.
"The Gulf South Conference maintains the longest running game of the week programming in Division II with this renewal with ESPN," said GSC Commissioner Matt Wilson. "The digital platforms that ESPN provides will place the best football in Division II alongside other great games across the country each week. We are excited to collaborate with the premier sports media organization in the college market."
Don Russell will continue to be the play-by-play voice of the GSC, and he will once again be joined by Rick Rhoades as the color commentator.
VSU opens the 2019 season at Albany State on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in Albany, Ga. The Blazers return home to host Ohio Dominican on Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium for the 2019 home-opener.
The 2019 D2 Football Showcase slate of games has not been announced as of yet. Check back with vstateblazers.com to see if VSU will have a game featured as part of the D2 Football Showcase.
About The GSC
The Gulf South Conference is a charter NCAA Division II member. The GSC has won 52 national titles across 13 sports and has claimed more than 150 regional titles. In 2019-20, the GSC will have 13 member institutions and sponsor 19 sports.
About ESPN3
ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and streaming devices through the ESPN App. The network is currently available nationwide at no additional cost to those who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. It is also available at no cost to U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks.
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company's Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached two million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.
Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, top domestic and international soccer, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN's award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.
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The schedule for 2019 can be found below. All nine of the league's football members are featured at least twice in the package.
| Week 2 | September 14 | West Florida at Shorter | 1:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. CT | ESPN3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 3 | September 21 | Florida Tech at Delta State | 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT | ESPN3 |
| Week 4 | September 28 | Valdosta State at Shorter | 6:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. CT | ESPN+ |
| Week 5 | October 5 | North Greenville at West Alabama | 2:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. CT | ESPN3 |
| Week 6 | October 12 | West Georgia at North Greenville | 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT | ESPN+ |
| Week 7 | October 19 | West Alabama at Delta State | 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT | ESPN+ |
| Week 8 | October 26 | West Florida at Florida Tech | 1:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. CT | ESPN+ |
| Week 9 | November 2 | Mississippi College at West Georgia | 2:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. CT | ESPN+ |
| Week 10 | November 9 | Mississippi College at West Alabama | 1:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. CT | ESPN3 |
| Week 11 | November 16 | Valdosta State at West Georgia | 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT | ESPN3 |
