2018 Valdosta State Blazers football team


The 2018 Valdosta State Blazers football team represented Valdosta State University during the 2018 NCAA Division II football season. They were led by third-year head coach Kerwin Bell, who also served as offensive coordinator. They won the NCAA Division II Football Championship. The Blazers played their home games at Bazemore–Hyder Stadium and are members of the Gulf South Conference.

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 5th place in the conference.

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 2018 regular season football schedule consisted of five home and four away games in the regular season 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 also hosted non-conference foe Albany State from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and competed in the Okefenokee Classic against Fort Valley State, also from the.
After an undefeated regular season, the Blazers were a #1 seed in the NCAA Division II football playoff.

Rankings

Game summaries

Albany State

Fort Valley State

at West Alabama

Shorter

at Mississippi College

Delta State

at Florida Tech

North Greenville

at West Florida

West Georgia

Bowie State

Lenoir-Rhyne

Notre Dame (OH)

Ferris State

Players drafted into the NFL

RoundPickPlayerPositionNFL Club
7238Stephen DenmarkCBChicago Bears