VALDOSTA, GA. (vstateblazers.com) — For the third-straight season, the Valdosta State football team earned the top-seed in Super Region Two for the NCAA Division II Football Championship. The announcement was made late this afternoon on the NCAA D2 Football Selection Show.
VSU, as the top seed in the region, will receive a bye in the first round and will face the winner of No. 4-seed Albany State vs. West Georgia on Nov. 27, 2021, at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium at 1 p.m. Bowie State (Md.) earned the No. 2-seed in the regional and will host Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), while No. 3-seed West Florida hosts Newberry. The three, first round games will be played on Nov. 20.
Tickets for the November 27 game will go on sale on Monday, November 15, and season ticket holders will have until Monday, November 22 at NOON to purchase their current seats. All unsold seats after NOON on November 22nd will be made available to the general public. Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.vstateblazers.com, by phone at 229-333-SEAT or in person at the Athletic Ticket Office located in the Complex. Online sales will not be available after 5 p.m., on Friday, November 26.
Ticket prices for all VSU hosted NCAA playoff games will be $20 for reserved seats, $12 for adult general admission and $8 for senior citizens (65 and up) and youth (age 5 through college with student ID). The Athletic Ticket Office will be open from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday. For the week of November 22, the office will be open on Monday and Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. For additional ticket information please call the Athletic Ticket Office at 229-333-SEAT.
The Blazers went 9-1 overall and 6-1 in Gulf South Conference play in 2021 to earn their 18th trip to the NCAA postseason this season as they are 26-13 all-time in the postseason. The 26 victories by VSU are the fifth-most all-time in NCAA Division II and third-most among current institutions with Northwest Missouri State leading the way with 50 victories and Grand Valley State second with 35. VSU has won four national titles, with the most recent being in 2018, and appeared in five championship games, marking a tie for third-most championships won all-time in D2 and tied for the second-most among current institutions. NWMSU leads the way with six, while VSU and GVSU each have four titles. The five appearances are tied for fourth all-time with North Alabama.
VSU earned a share of the 2021 Gulf South Conference title with West Florida this season as both teams finished with the same league record. It marked the third-straight season VSU has either won the league title outright or shared it, marking the ninth conference title in program history.
With the first round scheduled for Nov. 20, followed by the second round on Nov. 27 and, if the Blazers were to win on the 27th, they would then host again on Dec. 4 in the regional final. The national semifinal round is scheduled for Dec. 11 as the final four teams to that point are reseeded and home/away will be announced following the gams on Dec. 4. The 2021 NCAA Division II National Championship Game returns to McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas, on Dec. 18.
The Gulf South Conference has had great success recently in the national championship game as the league has gone 2-2 over the last four championships with VSU winning in 2018, UWF in 2019, while UWF was runner-up in 2017 and former league member North Alabama was runner-up in 2016.
