CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Delta State University Statesmen football team lost to top-ranked Valdosta State on Saturday night at home by a final score of 34-13.

After a back-and-forth first quarter with VSU leading 10-6, the Blazers (6-0, 3-0 GSC) outscored the Statesmen (3-3, 2-2 GSC) 24-7 the rest of the way to remain undefeated. It was the third loss to a ranked opponent this season for DSU.

DSU senior quarterback Breck Ruddick sparked the Statesmen with 293 yards of total offense, including a season-high 123 rushing yards on 12 carries. It was the third 100-yard rushing game of his DSU career, the first time this season.

  
THE BASICS
Score: No. 1 Valdosta State 34, Delta State 13
Records:  Statesmen (3-3, 2-2 GSC), Blazers (6-0, 3-0 GSC)
Date: Saturday, October 12, 2019 | 6 p.m. Kickoff | TOG: 2:38
Location: Parker Field-McCool Stadium (Cleveland, MS) | Attendance: 3,165
Series: Statesmen lead 20-18-1
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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Statesmen opened the scoring on the game's first possession. Senior kicker Taylor Crabtree connected for his ninth consecutive field goal, this time a 37-yarder with 12:48 remaining in the first. Senior quarterback Breck Ruddick aided the drive with a career-long 47-yard rush.
• The Blazers answered with a field goal of their own, a 27-yarder by Fernando Ramirez with 8:36 left in the first quarter to cap an eight-play, 65-yard drive.
• VSU took its first lead of the game with 6:06 remaining in the first on a 47-yard touchdown pass from Rogan Wells to David White.
• Crabtree made it 10 consecutive made field goals on DSU's next possession, this time from 22 yards to trim the Blazer lead 10-6 with 2:05 remaining in the first.
• The Blazers went back to their kicker for the next score, a 35-yard field goal from Ramirez to cap an 11-play, 69-yard drive that put DSU up 13-6 with 7:27 remaining before halftime.
• With 35 seconds remaining before halftime, the Blazers took a 20-6 lead on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Wells to Brian Saunds to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive that was kept alive by a 23-yard rush on a fake punt.
• Sparked by an interception and 21-yard return by senior Tim Irvin, the Statesmen scored the first points of the second half on a 12-yard touchdown run by Rico Owens II with 12:51 remaining in the third. Crabtree's extra point left the Blazers with a 20-13 lead.
• The Blazers responded two minutes later with a four-yard touchdown run by Jamar Thompkins to take a 27-13 lead.
• VSU capped the scoring with a 70-yard touchdown run from quarterback Rogan Wells with 1:02 remaining in the game.

 
OFFENSIVE NOTEABLES:

• In addition to Ruddick's 123 rushing yards, the redshirt senior also completed 20-of-40 passes for 170 yards.
• Ruddick's favorite target was Cam Shelton, who hauled in a career-high eight receptions for 70 yards.
• VSU outgained DSU by a final margin of 580-359. The Statesmen finished with 189 rushing yards and 170 passing yards. The Blazers posted 358 rushing yards and 222 passing yards. It was the first time DSU has given up 350 or more rushing yards since Shorter tallied 396 in 2015.

 
DEFENSIVE NOTEABLES:

• Tim Irvin's interception early in the third quarter was the second of his DSU career and the 8^th of the year for the Statesmen. The senior from Miami, Fla., had a career-high 8.5 tackles.
• DSU had 2.5 sacks on the night and 7.0 tackles-for-loss.
• Vada King turned in 7.0 tackles while Marvin Terry has 5.5 tackles, a sack and a tackle-for-loss.
• Ty Woods had a career-high 6.0 tackles with one tackle-for-loss.
• The Statesmen forced two fumbles in the loss, one from Junior Faulk and the other by Marvin Terry.
• VSU's Marcus Jefferson led all defenders with 10 tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEABLES:

• Crabtree's field goals in the first quarter were his ninth and 10th consecutive made field goals, respectively. He was 5-for-5 in his record-tying performance against Florida Tech. He went 2-for-2 against North Greenville and made his only attempt against West Florida. Overall this season, Crabtree is now 12-for-15 on field goals and moves to 19-of-28 for his DSU career.
• Sam Barge punted six times for 210 yards. The redshirt sophomore nailed booted two inside the 20-yard line and finished with a long of 42 yards.
• Trey Roberson finished the game with 104 yards on four kick returns.

 
UP NEXT:

• The Statesmen are back at home next Saturday for the GSC-TV Game of the Week against West Alabama. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. DSU will be hosting a football family reunion as well, including a special recognition for the 1969 squad.