GAME NOTES: No. 17 West Georgia at No. 24 Delta State
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - Delta State University welcomes the  University of West Georgia to Parker Field-McCool Stadium this Saturday, Sept. 16 in the Gulf South Conference opener for both schools. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network. Both teams are off to fast starts in 2017, posting a combined 4-0 record against non-conference opponents. The Wolves were picked to finish second in the annual preseason GSC Coaches Poll, while the Statesmen were tabbed sixth.       

The No. 24-ranked Statesmen (2-0, 0-0 GSC) and No. 17-ranked Wolves (2-0, 0-0 GSC) are meeting for the 32nd time on the gridiron this Saturday, Sept. 16 in the Gulf South Conference opener for both schools. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Parker-McCool. Delta State leads the all-time series 18-13, but West Georgia has claimed the last five meetings between the two schools, including a 34-24 win last season in Carrollton.

Delta State's defense set the tone early and kept the momentum going for the remainder of the game, as the Statesmen (2-0, 0-0 GSC) rolled to a 42-13 victory over Chowan (0-2, 0-0 CIAA) on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. DSU's defenders totaled 10 sacks and 17 tackles-for-loss. Senior kicker Vince Sciorrotta became the school's all-time leading scorer in the win, topping Trevar Deed's previous of mark of 264 with his 265th career point on a PAT in the fourth quarter. Chris Robinson and LaDarion Peterson both rushed for a pair of touchdowns, while Ovenson Cledanord recorded 4.0 sacks, 4.0 tackles-for-loss and forced two fumbles.   

Delta State head coach Todd Cooley promised some new wrinkles in 2017, but no one expected the Statesmen to become a power run team in such a short time. Behind an offensive line that averages 6-4 and 330 pounds, the Statesmen are rushing for 301.0 yards per game, which leads the GSC. AFCA All-American and Harlon Hill Trophy candidate Chris Robinson leads all conference rushers with 97.7 yards per game. In last week's 42-13 win over Chowan, the Statesmen rushed for 394 yards and five touchdowns, the highest rushing total in offensive coordinator Joel Williams tenure at DSU.
 

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FACE THE FOE: WEST GEORGIA WOLVES

INSIDE THE SERIES: The Statesmen (2-0, 0-0 GSC) and Wolves (2-0, 0-0 GSC) are meeting for the 32nd time on the gridiron this Saturday, Sept. 16 in the Gulf South Conference opener for both schools. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Parker-McCool. Delta State leads the all-time series 18-13, but West Georgia has claimed the last five meetings between the two schools, including a 34-24 win last season in Carrollton.

NEW CAPTAIN AT UWG: After leading Valdosta State to two NCAA Division II national championships, David Dean enters his first season as head coach at West Georgia. One of the most successful coaches in GSC history spent the 2016 season as co-offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern University. With the departure of Will Hall to Louisiana-Lafayette, UWG turned the program over to Dean earlier this spring. Dean spent nine seasons as head coach at Valdosta State, posting a 79-27 record with three GSC crowns and two NCAA Division II national titles.  

TOPPING THE CHARTS: The Wolves (2-0, 0-0 GSC) enter Saturday's contest at Delta State leading the GSC in total offense (511.0) and total defense (211.8). West Georgia is second in the GSC in scoring offense (39.5 ppg), but first in scoring defense (8.0 ppg).

CANDLER TAKES OVER AT QB: Willie Candler, a sophomore from Atlanta, Ga., has made the most of his two starts at quarterback for the Wolves, leading UWG to back-to-back wins over Miles College (45-7) and Fort Valley State (34-9). The Lovett High School product has completed 30-of-44 passes for 392 yards and five touchdowns with zero interceptions. He has also rushed 14 times for 43 yards.

JOHNSON WREAKING HAVOC: East Mississippi CC defensive end transfer Jay Johnson is wreaking havoc on opposing offenses, totaling 2.0 sacks for minus nine yards. He has also recorded 3.0 tackles-for-loss for 10 yards.

CURTIS LEADING GROUND GAME: Senior running back Travis Curtis (6-1/215) is pacing the Wolves' rushing attack this season. The Glendale CC transfer ranks second in the GSC in rushing yards per game, averaging 75.5 per contest. The Atlanta, Ga., native has rushed 21 times for 151 yards and three touchdowns this season.
 

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INSIDE THE STATESMEN

GSC OPENERS: Delta State hosts West Georgia on Saturday, Sept. 16 in the Gulf South Conference opener for both schools. The Statesmen are 11-6 to start conference play since 2000, including a 2-2 mark under head coach Todd Cooley. DSU fell 34-24 in last year's league opener to the Wolves in Carrollton, Ga.

TRACKING THE GSC: The Statesmen (0-0, 0-0 GSC) were picked to finish sixth in the annual Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, their lowest selection since 1997. The 2016 NCAA Division II runner-up, University of North Alabama, enters the season as the GSC preseason favorite. Valdosta State was picked second followed by West Georgia, Florida Tech and West Alabama in the top five. Delta State was sixth with West Florida, Mississippi College and Shorter rounding out the poll.  
 
SCIORROTTA SETS SCORING RECORD: Senior kicker Vince Sciorrotta, who returned after sitting out 2016 with an injury, broke Trevar Deed's (WR | 2008-10) career scoring record at Delta State with his sixth PAT of the afternoon on Saturday, Sept. 9 versus Chowan. The Gainsville, Ga., native now has 265 points, topping Deed's mark of 264. Sciorrotta, a four-year starter from North Forsythe HS, already holds school records for field goals made (33), extra points made (166) and extra points attempted (176). His 265 points kicking rank fifth all-time in GSC.

CLEDANORD PROVING TO BE A TERROR FOR OPPONENTS: Outside linebacker Ovenson Cledanord (6-2/210/Jr.) has been a major thorn in the side of opponents this season, tallying 5.0 sacks, 5.0 tackles-for-loss and two forced fumbles. In DSU's 42-13 win over Chowan, the Greenacres, Fla., native, who leads the GSC in sacks and tackles-for-loss, narrowly missed the school record for sacks in a game (5.0 - Michael Eubanks, 2007) with 4.0 for minus 27 yards. For his efforts against the Hawks, the Dodge City (Kan.) CC transfer was named the Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

GROUND & POUND: The Statesmen enter Saturday's contest with West Georgia leading the GSC in rushing, averaging a whopping 301.0 yards per game. Chris Robinson, who also paces the GSC as the league's top running back, averages 97.7 yards per game and 5.8 yards per carry through the first two games of the season. LaDarion Peterson (7th) and Breck Ruddick (8th) are also in the top 10 in the GSC in yards per game.

TENACIOUS DEFENSE: The first two weeks of the season have shown marked improvement for Delta State under first year defensive coordinator Jerry Partridge. After holding a vaunted Tarleton State team to just 16 points in the season-opener, DSU clipped Chowan for a mere 13 points while recording 17 tackles-for-loss and 10 sacks. Entering week three, the Statesmen rank first in rush defense (38.5 ypg), sacks (12), interceptions (4) and tackles-for-loss (25), while ranking third in scoring defense at 14.5 points per game.      

ROBINSON'S HARLON HILL CAMPAIGN STAYS ON TRACK: Senior running back Chris Robinson, a 2016 AFCA All-American, has picked up where he left off last year, rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown in the 34-16 season-opening victory over Tarleton State and he followed up that performance with a 90-yard, two-touchdown outing against Chowan last Saturday. For his efforts, the 5-foot-9 speedster continues to lead the GSC in rushing (97.7 ypg). The Gulf Coast (Miss.) CC transfer led the nation in scoring, averaging 14.4 points per game on 24 touchdowns in 2016. The anchor of DSU's ground game, Robinson finished last year as NCAA DII's leader in touchdowns (24) and rushing touchdowns (19) while pacing the GSC in rushing (976 yards) and yards per game (97.6). A dual-threat target for opposing defenses, Robinson has caught 37 passes for 551 yards and five scores.

ECTOR TOPS 100 CAREER TACKLES: Redshirt junior inside linebacker Chandler Ector topped the 100 career tackles mark with 6.0 stops in Saturday's 42-13 win over Chowan. The Decatur, Ga., native led the Statesmen in tackles in 2016 with 71 and he is currently tied for the team lead with 15.  

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE: Delta State is 20-2 under head coach Todd Cooley when winning the turnover battle.    
 
LEADING AT THE HALF: Delta State is 23-0 under head coach Todd Cooley when leading at half-time. The Statesmen are 5-10 when trailing and 0-2 when tied at the half.

RACE TO 30: The Statesmen are 26-5 all-time when scoring 30 or more points against an opponent under head coach Todd Cooley.

TELEVISED RESULTS: Delta State will have three games featured this season on the Gulf South Conference's ESPN3 Game of the Week. The Statesmen are 22-11 all-time in televised contests, including a 3-0 mark again the Choctaws. In his three-plus seasons at DSU, coach Todd Cooley is 7-4 in televised games.

STEPPING OUT OF CONFERENCE: Delta State moved to 13-2 against nonconference foes under coach Todd Cooley after claiming a 42-13 victory over Chowan this past Saturday at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. DSU opened the season with a convincing victory over Tarleton State (W, 34-16). The Statesmen will also travel to Tigerville, S.C., to take on North Greenville on Nov. 4 in a contest against the Crusaders, a team that made an NCAA DII playoff appearance a year ago.  

NEW MATRIX TURF @ PARKER-McCOOL: Last Saturday's matchup with Chowan, a 42-13 victory, was the first on the newly installed artificial turf at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. Hellas Construction completed installation of a new Matrix Turf System on Wednesday, Sept. 6, just four weeks after beginning the project. The Statesmen are now 2-0 all-time in inaugural games played on an artificial surface at Parker-McCool. DSU smashed Fort Valley State, 56-13, back in 2014 when the initial turf was installed.