GAME NOTES: Shepherd at Delta State - NCAA National Semifinal
Complete Weekly Release in PDF

CLEVELAND - Super Region II champion Delta State University (10-3) will host Super Regional I champion Shepherd University (12-1) on Saturday, Dec. 11 in the NCAA Division II Football Championship Semifinals at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CST and the game will be televised by CBS College Sports.

Tickets are on sale now for the game with general admission seats $10, reserved chairback seats $15 and student tickets are $5 with a valid ID. All Delta State students attending the game will receive free admission thanks to a grant from the Student Government Association. Tickets are available Monday-Friday from 8-5 p.m. Inside Chadwick-Dickson Fieldhouse on campus or you may purchase tickets online at www.GoStatesmen.com.

The Statesmen are making their third appearance in the semifinals after defeating previously unbeaten Albany State University (11-1) 28-7 in last weekend's NCAA Quarterfinal at the ASU Municipal Coliseum in Albany, Ga. After falling behind 7-0, DSU reeled off 28 unanswered points and held the vaunted “Gold Rush” offense to 307 yards to claim the victory.

The Rams advanced to Saturday's clash with a 49-14 road win at Mercyhurst (11-2) to claim the first region crown in school history. Shepherd's Nate Hoyte rushed for 109 yards and four touchdowns in the win, while Tommy Addison added 139 yards and a pair of scores.

DSU last appeared in the NCAA semifinals in 2006, losing 49-30 at Grand Valley State. This weekend's game will also mark the second time that the Statesmen have hosted a semifinal. In 2000, DSU defeated North Dakota State 34-16 at Parker Field en route to the NCAA DII national title.

Delta State boasts an 11-4 record all-time in NCAA postseason play, including a 4-2 record under coach Ron Roberts. DSU's 73.3 postseason winning percentage ranks second all-time in the NCAA.

This weekend's contest will be the fifth time the Statesmen have appeared on TV this season. DSU is 3-1 on the big stage in 2010 and 11-4 all-time in televised games.

A complete breakdown of this week's notes in text format is below. The complete release with updated stats, brackets and additional information is linked above. 

STATESMAN TO WATCH
Trevar Deed's exploits on the football field have become legendary at Delta State University and with the green-and-white in the NCAA Division II Football Championship Semifinals, the Phoenix, Ariz., native is this week's “Statesman to Watch.”

The two-time All-American and three-time All-Gulf South Conference First Team selection will end his career at DSU as one of the all-time greats in DII football history. He is the first 5,000 yard runner/receiver in school history with 5,013 all-purpose yards and he stands just 22 yards away from becoming the first 2,000 rusher/2,000 receiver in league history.

In 36 games, the 5-foot-11, 215 pound running back has amassed 2,536 yards rushing and 1,978 yards receiving on 184 receptions. He holds the school record for all-purpose yardage, career scoring (264 points), career touchdowns (44) and ranks fifth in career rushing and second in career receptions. In his first two years at DSU, Deed was primarily used as a wide receiver, making his rushing successes all the more memorable.

ROAD TO FLORENCE TAKE TWO
The Statesmen (10-3, Super Regional II/co-GSC Champions) of Delta State University will be making their third appearance in the NCAA Division II Football Championship Semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 11, hosting the Rams of Shepherd University (12-1/Super Regional I/WVIAC Champions). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CST and the game will be televised on CBS College Sports and Cox Sports Southeast.

The Statesmen advanced to Saturday's semifinal showdown with a 28-7 victory over previously unbeaten Albany State (11-1) last weekend at the ASU Municipal Coliseum. DSU held the vaunted ASU “Gold Rush” offense scoreless over the final three quarters and kept the Golden Rams to just 307 yards of total offense.

The Rams used a power run game and an opportunistic defense to throttle Mercyhurst (11-2) 49-14 on the road in Erie, Pa. Nate Hoyte rushed for four touchdowns and 109 yards, while Tommy Addison had a team-high 139 yards and a pair of scores.

The winner of Saturday's contest will advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship game in Florence, Ala., on Saturday, Dec. 18 to face the winner of the Minnesota-Duluth (13-0) versus Northwest Missouri State (12-1) victor. Kickoff is slated for 10 a.m. and ESPN2 will televise the game.

DELTA STATE TAKES THIRD NCAA REGION TITLE
The Statesmen used a balanced offensive attack last Saturday to defeat Albany State 28-7, giving the green-and-white its second NCAA Regional championship since 2000. The win propelled DSU into this weekend's match-up with Shepherd.

DSU's first NCAA Regional title came in 2000 when the Statesmen defeated Catawba College 20-14 in Salisbury, N.C. The Statesmen went on to defeat North Dakota State 34-16 in the semifinals before claiming the crown with a 63-34 win over Bloomsburg in Florence, Ala. DSU's second region crown came in 2006 with a 27-10 victory over North Alabama at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Ala.

SEMIFINALS RETURN TO PARKER FIELD-McCOOL STADIUM
The friendly confines of Parker Field-McCool Stadium will play host to its second NCAA Division II Football Championship Semifinal this Saturday when the Rams of Shepherd University (12-1) invade the Delta.

DSU welcomed former DII perennial power North Dakota State to Cleveland in 2000. Josh Bright rushed for 79 yards and touchdown and passed for 116 yards and a pair of scores to lead the Statesmen to a 34-14 victory.

STATESMEN AND RAMS MEETING FOR FIRST TIME
Delta State and Shepherd will be meeting for the first time on the football field this Saturday. In fact, the two schools have never met on the field of play in any sport.

STATESMEN HAVE ENJOYED POSTSEASON SUCCESS
Delta State boasts a 11-4 record all-time in NCAA postseason play, including a 4-2 record under coach Ron Roberts. A breakdown of DSU's postseason games is included in the PDF.

STATESMEN VERSUS THE WVIAC IN POSTSEASON PLAY
The Statesmen are facing a team from the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for the first time in school history, as DSU hosts WVIAC champion Shepherd (12-1) this Saturday in the NCAA DII Football Championship Semifinals.

In fact, the Statesmen have played only one team from the state of West Virginia in the history of the program, defeating West Virginia Tech 61-0 to open the 2006 season.

STATESMEN RANK 2nd IN POSTSEASON WIN PERCENTAGE
With the successes the Statesmen have enjoyed this year, Delta State has climbed to second in postseason winning percentage (11-4/.733) all-time in the NCAA Division II playoffs. Northwest Missouri St. (31-11/.738) ranks first all-time with Grand Valley State (27-10/.729) third and North Dakota St. (30-12/.714) is fourth.

DSU LOVES DECEMBER
The Statesmen love the month of December, posting a 7-1 record all-time. DSU is 4-1 all-time in the NCAA playoffs in Santa's favorite month.

DSU LOOKING TO REPEAT 2000 FEAT
Coach Ron Roberts and the Statesmen hope to repeat the success the 2000 Statesmen were able to accomplish. DSU reeled off four straight victories to claim the 2000 National title. The Statesmen defeated Bloomsburg 63-34 in the NCAA Championship game at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Ala.

DSU TRYING TO JOIN ELITE GROUP
The Statesmen are attempting to become the fourth Gulf South Conference school to win multiple national championships in football. North Alabama leads the pack with three, Valdosta State has two, after winning the title in 2007 and former GSC member Troy won two before making the move to Division I.

MULTIPLE DII CHAMPIONSHIPS
North Dakota State (5) 1983,1985,1986,1988, 1990
Grand Valley State (4) 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
NW Missouri St (3) 1998, 1999, 2009
North Alabama (3) 1993, 1994, 1995
Southwest Texas St. (2) 1981, 1982
Troy State (2) 1984, 1987
Northern Colorado (2) 1996, 1997
Valdosta State (2) 2004, 2007

GSC TEAMS IN THE NCAA PLAYOFFS
The Gulf South Conference has enjoyed greater success in NCAA Championships than any other conference in NCAA Division II. The GSC holds an impressive 90-50 record all-time in the NCAA DII football playoffs with nine championships won. The GSC holds the playoff record for most schools having won a championship (5). The GSC also holds playoff records for:
Championships 9
Most different schools winning title 5
Most different schools making playoffs 12
Most playoff appearances by members 65
Most NCAA playoff victories 90
Most NCAA playoff games played 140

GSC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS
The Gulf South Conference has, traditionally, been one of the more dominant conferences in NCAA Division II football. In fact, no other conference boasts more championships or playoff wins than the GSC. Since 1984, the GSC has won nine national titles.

1984 Troy State
1987 Troy State
1989 Miss. College*
1992 Jacksonville State
1993 North Alabama
1994 North Alabama
1995 North Alabama
2000 Delta State
2004 Valdosta State
2007 Valdosta State
* Participation later vacated by NCAA

ROBERTS MAKING THIRD TRIP TO NCAAs IN SHORT CAREER
Some coaches wait a lifetime for the chance to play for a national championship, but for Delta State University head coach Ron Roberts, berths in the NCAA Division II Football Championships are becoming routine. The Visalia, Calif., native is making his third appearance in the postseason bash in just four years as the head coach at Delta State, leading the Statesmen to a 4-2 record.

STATESMEN CLAIM THIRD GSC TITLE UNDER ROBERTS
The Delta State University football team has reached heights under coach Ron Roberts never before achieved in the 80-plus year history of Statesman football. Last week, DSU claimed a share of its fifth Gulf South Conference title and the third since Roberts took over the helm in 2007.

The Statesmen have enjoyed an up-and-down season, but have pulled out the close games. DSU finished the year with a 6-2 league mark, including wins over Valdosta State, West Alabama, Henderson State, Arkansas-Monticello, West Georgia and Ouachita Baptist. The lone league losses came at home to Harding and North Alabama.

Delta State tied with two teams it defeated for the GSC crown - Valdosta State and Henderson State.

The Statesmen claimed their first ever league crown in 1998 under then-head coach Todd Knight. Former head coach Steve Campbell led the green-and-white to the 2000 GSC title and the NCAA Division II National Championship. In just four seasons, Roberts has driven the Statesmen to three crowns, joining some elite company in the GSC coaching ranks.

5,000 YARD MAN
Trevar Deed's exploits on the field are legendary and in DSU's 28-7 quarterfinal win at Albany State, the Phoenix, Ariz., native became the first 5,000 yard man in Statesmen football history.

Entering the NCAA Semifinals, the senior running back has amassed 5,013 all-purpose yards, including 2,536 rushing yards and 1,978 receiving yards. He ranks No. 1 all-time at DSU in all-purpose yards and is trying to become the first 2,000 rush/2,000 receiving student-athlete in GSC history, needing 22 receiving yards to top the mark.

DEED ADDS SCORING MARK TO LONG LIST OF RECORDS
With his name firmly etched in the annals of all-time greats at Delta State, Trevar Deed took sole possession of the school career scoring record with his two touchdown performance in DSU's 28-7 win at Albany State in the Super Regional II final. Deed eclipsed the record held by former All-American Rico McDonald (1999-2001), who scored 252 points in his storied career. In 36 games, Deed has scored 44 career touchdowns to account for 264 career points.

DSU CAREER SCORING LEADERS
264 Trevar Deed, 2008-Present
252 Rico McDonald, 1999-2001
251 Josh Bright, 1998-2001

DAVIS TIES COMPLETIONS RECORD; NEARING OTHERS
Junior quarterback Micah Davis has quietly put together on of the greatest seasons in Statesmen football history. In Saturday's 28-7 win at Albany State, Davis completed 20 passes to push his season total to 298 and tying the single-season record held by Scott Eyster.

Through 13 games, the Wesson native has completed 298-of-460 passes for 3,661 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. His totals have steadily approached two additional single-season marks, including attempts (489) and passing yards (3,926).

DAVIS BREAKS SINGLE-SEASON COMPLETION PERCENTAGE
With a steady hand and cool demeanor, Micah Davis has vaulted to the top of the single-season record book for completion percentage at 64.8 percent. The Wesson native has completed 298-of-460 passes this season to eclipse the former record of 62.0 percent set by Garrett DeWitt during the 2008 campaign.

DAVIS BECOMES THIRD STATESMEN TO THROW FOR 3,000 YARDS
With his 438-yard, four touchdown performance at Lambuth (11.13), junior quarterback Micah Davis became just the third Statesman in history to pass for 3,000 yards in a season.

The Wesson native and former Copiah-Lincoln standout has passed for 3,661 yards and 28 touchdowns this season while completing single-season record 298 passes on 460 attempts with 15 interceptions. He joins former Statesmen All-American Scott Eyster, who accomplished the feat all four years at DSU, and Garrett DeWitt, who topped the mark in 2008.

DEED BECOMES RUSHING TD LEADER
Senior All-American Trevar Deed closed the regular season at Lambuth with another record in the books for the Phoenix, Ariz., native. In his three year career, Deed has rushed for 29 career touchdowns, 44 total, breaking the record of 25 held by former Statesmen Josh Bright (1998-2001) and Londale Bankston (1985-88).

STATESMEN OFFENSE AMONG NATION'S BEST
First-year offensive coordinator Greg Stevens has built the Statesmen into one of the nation's top offensive units this season. Through 13 games, DSU ranks eighth in the nation in total offense, averaging 469.4 yards per game. Delta State averages 286.0 yards passing and 183.3 yards rushing per game. The Statesmen are also third in the GSC in scoring offense (33.2 ppg).

22-YARDS AWAY, DEED CLOSING IN ON 2,000/2,000 CLUB
Senior running back Trevar Deed is on the verge of becoming the first player in GSC history to amass 2,000 yards rushing and 2,000 yards receiving in his career. The Phoenix, Ariz., native has rushed for 2,536 yards and grabbed 1,978 receiving yards in just 36 career games. He has also scored 44 career touchdowns to become DSU's career leader.

WHAT MAKES 265 & 134 SO IMPORTANT?
For junior quarterback Micah Davis, the numbers 265 and 134 mean a great deal. The Wesson native stands 265 yards away from the single-season record for passing yardage and 134 yards away from the single-season total offense mark.

Former All-American and GSC career passing leader Scott Eyster currently holds both marks. In 2006, Eyster passed for 3,926 yards, while accounting for 3,979 yards of total offense. Davis is sitting on 3,661 yards passing and 3,846 total offense yards.

Considering the records came during DSU's 2006 run to the NCAA national semifinals, Davis' march towards Eyster's lofty numbers carry equal weight as DSU is once again in the semifinals in 2010.

1,000 THREE TIMES OVER
With one of the nation's most prolific offenses, the Statesmen feature three players with over 1,000 all-purpose yards this season. Maurice Moore's GSC-leading 1,727 yards headlines the list of 1,000 yard men.

Trevar Deed (1,291), who is holds the school's career all-purpose yardage record with 5,013 yards, and Brandon Lucas (1,149) have both eclipsed the 1,000 yard barrier.

DENNIS DELIVERS WITH STEADY HANDS
Junior transfer Chance Dennis has brought a steady calm and a smooth pair of hands to the Statesmen this season. The former Stephen F. Austin star has caught 45 passes for 710 yards and four touchdowns this year.

In Saturday's win at Albany State, the Houston, Texas native grabbed five passes for 73 yards. Four of his grabs helped the Statesmen convert on third down to preserve several key drives for DSU.

CASTILE LEADING THE WAY
University of Houston transfer wide receiver L.J. Castile leads the team with 55 receptions to lead the Statesmen. His 757 yards and 10 touchdowns are also tops among the Statesmen receivers.

THREE-HEADED SCORING MONSTER
When it comes to scoring touchdowns, the Statesmen feature a three-headed monster in running backs Trevar Deed and Brandon Lucas, and wide receiver L.J. Castile. Deed leads the GSC lead with 14 touchdowns, while Lucas ranks second with 11 scores and Castile fourth with 10. The trio has helped DSU to the third best scoring average in the league this season at 33.2 points per game.

STATESMEN OFFENSIVE LINE TOUGH TO CRACK
Led by seniors Phillip Yandall and Jake Zbydniewski, the Statesmen offensive line has helped the offense to a GSC leading 469.4 yards per game. At the same time, the unit has allowed a mere 16 sacks this season or 1.3 per game, which ranks second in the GSC.

OFFENSE FINISHES REGULAR SEASON NO. 1 IN GSC
After posting a school-record 711 yards of total offense in a driving rain storm at Lambuth (11.13), the Statesmen leapt over Henderson State and West Alabama to claim the lead in the final regular season stats for total offense. DSU finished the regular season averaging 475.0 yards per game, bettering HSU (462.6) and UWA (451.9).

STATESMEN BLISTER TOTAL OFFENSE MARK
In DSU's 41-17 win at Lambuth, the Statesmen offense rolled-up a school record 711 yards of total offense at Trinity Christian Stadium. DSU got to the number by rushing for 268 yards and passing for 443 more. The 711 yards snaps the six-year old record of 674 yards set at Valdosta State in 2004 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.

DSU DEFENSE TIES RECORD FOR FEWEST POINTS ALLOWED
Facing the “Gold Rush” offense of Albany State, DSU's “Green Shirts” defense knew it would be one of the toughest tests of the season. After allowing the Golden Rams to score on their opening possession, the Statesmen stoned the Rams on their next 13 possessions, while forcing six turnovers.

The seven points allowed to the Golden Rams also tied the DSU record for fewest points allowed in an NCAA playoff game. DSU allowed Shaw University a mere seven points in a 45-7 First Round win in 2007.

POWER OF FOUR
The Statesmen “Green Shirts” defense made the most of its opportunities at Albany State. DSU forced six turnovers, including a season-high four fumble recoveries in the 28-7 NCAA Quarterfinals win.

WILLIAMS TOPS CENTURY MARK
In his senior season, Garrett Williams has turned into one of the top defensive backs in the GSC. The Leland native finished the regular season ranked second in the league with 109 tackles.

Williams topped the century tackle mark against Ouachita Baptist with a 13 tackle performance. He added two stops in the rain at Lambuth on Nov. 13 to get to 104 tackles on the season.

The last time a Delta State player reached 100 tackles in a year happened in 2009 when Lardester Hicks-Green tallied 100 en route to the GSC career tackles record. Williams will look to add to his 104 tackles and is a strong candidate for All-American.

THIRD TIME IS THE CHARM
Matt Melton has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. The senior nose guard from Cleveland was in the right place Saturday, as the three-year starter recorded his third career interception in the win over Albany State. Down 7-0, it was Melton's INT at the ASU 23-yard line that setup the Statesmen for their first score of the game. Melton, who has 27 tackles and 1.5 tackles-for-loss this season, has three career interceptions.

X-MAN DELIVERS
Redshirt freshman All-GSC linebacker Xavier Triplett, who became the first linebacker ever chosen Defensive Freshman of the Year, continues to make his presence felt in his first year on the field for the Statesmen. The Hillsboro native has 81 stops on the season which ranks him at sixth in the conference in total tackles.

FORCING THE ISSUE: 35 & COUNTING
The defense for the Statesmen has made it a habit of causing turnovers this season. Delta State has 35 take aways on the year with 20 interceptions and 15 fumble recoveries. DSU forced six turnovers at Albany State in last week's quarterfinal in Albany, Ga.

50 TACKLE CLUB
Led by All-GSC First Team safety Garrett Williams' 109 tackles, the Statesmen feature five players with 50-plus tackles and nine more within striking distance of joining the elite club. Joining Williams with 50-plus this season are Xavier Triplett (81), Hollan Fiu (54), Robert Hogan (53) and Brett Butler (52).

MARSHALL, HOSKINS AND WILLIAMS TOUGH ACT TO HANDLE
Juniors Joe Marshall, Mark Hoskins and David Williams aren't just big, they're big-time on the Statesmen defensive line. The trio has combined for 132 tackles, 19 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks.

STATESMEN SLASHING THE PENALTIES
After leading the GSC and NCAA DII during the regular season in penalties, the Statesmen have drastically cut the number of hankies hitting the turf in the postseason. Averaging 12.6 flags and 116.0 yards per game in penalties during the regular season, DSU is sporting a 5.0 flags per game postseason average for 51.5 yards in penalties.

MOORE BREAKS GSC RETURNS RECORD; CHASING ANOTHER
Kick return specialist Maurice Moore has broken the GSC return record held by former UWA Tiger Terry Allen with 51 returns this season. Moore has 49 kickoff returns for 1,059 yards in 13 games this season. The Fort Worth, Texas native is chasing another Allen record. The University of Wisconsin transfer currently ranks sixth in GSC history in season kick return yardage, and needs 35 yards to break the record.

CALDWELL DROPS THE BOMB
His punts have been timely and exceptional this season. Senior punter Tyler Caldwell has been a huge special teams weapon this season, allowing the green-and-white to lead the GSC in net punting. Individually, Caldwell has set a new record for punting average in a season at 43.7 yards per punt, breaking the mark set by Sam Piazza (43.4) in 1976. Caldwell has punted 33 times for 1,441 yards with nine kicks over 50 yards and four inside the 20.

MOORE BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD FOR KICKOFF RETURN YARDS
Senior wide receiver/kick returner Maurice Moore became Delta State's single-season kickoff return yardage leader on Oct. 7 at UAM. The Fort Worth, Texas native returned three kicks for 70 yards to give him 560 kick return yards this year on 26 attempts. He has since added to that total, amassing 1,059 return yards on a GSC record 51 returns.

LUCAS CLIMBS INTO PUNT RETURN TOP 10
Covington, Ga., native and Second Team All-GSC running back Brandon Lucas has made a big impact on the field this season as a punt returner. In 13 games, the speedster has returned 29 punts for 332 yards, cracking into the single-season and career top 10 lists for return yardage.