GAME NOTES: No. 17 Delta State (3-0, 1-0 GSC) at Shorter (0-3, 0-1 GSC)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - Delta State University will hit the road for the first time this season, as the No. 17 ranked Statesmen (3-0, 1-0 GSC) travel to Rome, Ga., to face the Hawks (0-3, 0-1 GSC) of Shorter University. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. CST at Barron Stadium and the game will be featured on ESPN3 as part of the Gulf South Conference's Game of the Week. Don Russell and former DSU head coach Rick Rhoades will have the call.

Saturday's meeting marks the sixth time that the Statesmen and Hawks have met on the gridiron, with DSU leading the all-time series 4-1. It's also the third time the GSC has chosen DSU-SU to be featured on its weekly ESPN3 package. Delta State has won the previous two televised matchups. Last season, the Statesmen claimed a 47-7 win over the Hawks at Parker Field-McCool Stadium in Cleveland.

Last week, then-No. 24 Statesmen football team held No. 17 West Georgia to a season low 281 yards in a 17-7 victory, on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Parker Field-McCool Stadium.  Delta State (3-0, 1-0 GSC) reversed what was a five-game losing streak against the Wolves and won their conference opener for the first time since 2014.

Chris Robinson broke the century mark for the third time in three games, rushing for 106 yards on 25 carries Saturday.  The senior running back also accounted for one of the Statesmen's two touchdowns. Defensively,

JohnQuavious McBride led the Statesmen with 10 solo tackles, while Ovenson Cledanord sealed the win for the Statesmen, intercepting a pass from Candler at the DSU 6-yard line with 1:09 remaining in the game.  Last week's GSC Defensive POW, Cledanord also had six tackles on the day, including two for a loss of yards.
 

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FACE THE FOE: SHORTER HAWKS

INSIDE THE SERIES: The Statesmen (3-0, 1-0 GSC) and Hawks (0-3, 0-1 GSC) are meeting for the sixth time on the gridiron this Saturday, Sept. 23 in the Gulf South Conference TV Game of the Week. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. CST at Barron Stadium and the game will be live streamed on ESPN3. DSU leads the all-time series 4-1. It's the third time the GSC has chosen DSU-SU to be featured on its weekly ESPN3 package. Delta State has won the previous two televised matchups.

HAWKS SLOW OUT OF THE NEST: As we enter week four of the college football season, the Hawks have been slow out of the nest, falling to 0-3 after last week's 31-6 defeat at Florida Tech. Shorter dropped its season-opener to Mars Hill, 40-14, before slipping to Tusculum in week two, 39-12.

PULLUM LEADS OFFENSIVE ATTACK: Multi-deminsional quarterback Tyler Pullum leads the Shorter offense heading into this week's matchup. The 6-foot-2 sophomore from Effingham County, Ga., is averaging 161.7 yards passing per game with one touchdown and one interception. He has completed 46-of-82 passes for 485 yards.

TWO-HEADED MONSTER AT RECEIVER: Shorter's passing offense is led by a pair of dangerous receivers in Joseph Ross (6-0/195/Jr.) and Lewis Hayes (6-4/220/Jr.). Ross leads the Hawks with 16 grabs for 177 yards, while Hayes has caught 15 passes for 157 yards. The duo is third and fifth respectively in receptions and sixth and eighth in yards receiving in the GSC.

LAST MEETING WITH DELTA STATE: The Delta State University football team scored 27 first half points, and allowed just 38 yards in the opening 30 minutes in a 47-7 Gulf South Conference victory over Shorter University, on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016 at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. Chris Robinson led the Statesmen with 25 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns. D'Juan Bellaire had eight rushes for 65 yards, while McArthur finished with four carries for 28 yards and a pair of scores.
 

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QUICK-HITTERS: INSIDE THE STATESMEN

 REVAMPED DELTA DEFENSE: Jerry Partridge has made an immediate impact in his first season as defensive coordinator for the Statesmen. Entering week four, the Statesmen rank No. 1 in the Gulf South Conference in rush defense (53.0 ypg), interceptions (6), sacks (15) and tackles-for-loss (36.0). The unit has made major strides in scoring defense, ranking second with a 12.0 points allowed per game average. DSU is fifth in the GSC in total defense at 313.3 yards per game as well.

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 on Saturday, Sept. 9. In last week's 17-7 win over No. 17 West Georgia, the Bude, Miss., native rushed 25 times for 106 yards and a touchdown. For his efforts, the 5-foot-9 speedster continues to lead the GSC in rushing yards per game (100.7) with four touchdowns.  The Gulf Coast (Miss.) CC transfer led the nation in scoring, averaging 14.4 points per game on 24 touchdowns in 2016.  

PETERSON NEARING 1,000 CAREER RETURN YARDS: Senior running back and return specialist LaDarion Peterson needs three yards to join the 1,000 Kick Return Yards club at Delta State. The Woodville, Miss., native, who was named All-GSC First Team last year as a returner, has 37 career returns for 997 yards and one touchdown. Jesse Jackson (1974-77) holds the school record with 1,197 yards. Maurice Moore (1,094) was the last Statesman to join the club in 2010.  

ROBINSON & PETERSON TOP 3,000 ALL-PURPOSE YARDS: Senior running backs Chris Robinson and LaDarion Peterson have topped the 3,000 career all-purpose yards mark. Robinson enters week four with 1,880 all-purpose yards while Peterson has 1,395 yards, accounting for 251.9 all-purpose yards per game for the Statesmen.    

MCBRIDE PACING THE GSC IN TACKLES: Senior Missouri Southern transfer Johnquavious McBride (4) enters week four of the season leading the GSC in tackles with 25, averaging 8.3 tackles per game. In last week's 17-7 win over West Georgia, the Atlanta native recorded 10 solo tackles.   
 
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 19 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 7.0 tackles-for-loss, two forced fumbles and an interception. In DSU's 42-13 win over Chowan, the Greenacres, Fla., native, who leads the GSC in sacks, tackles-for-loss and forced fumbles, 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 Shorter leading the GSC in rushing, averaging a whopping 264.7 yards per game. Chris Robinson, who also paces the GSC as the league's top running back, averages 100.7 yards per game and 5.7 yards per carry through the first three games of the season. Breck Ruddick (8th) and LaDarion Peterson (11th) are also in the top 15 in the GSC in yards per game.      

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE: Delta State is 21-2 under head coach Todd Cooley when winning the turnover battle.    
 
LEADING AT THE HALF: Delta State is 24-0 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.

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 270 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 (168) and extra points attempted (178). His 270 points kicking rank fifth all-time in GSC.