CLEVELAND, Miss. - Delta State Football is back in Cleveland for a pair of games before their scheduled bye week. The homestand begins this Saturday, October 14 as the Statesmen will host North Greenville in the annual Pink Out Game. Michael Gross will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network. All remaining Statesmen Football games will be broadcast exclusively through FloFootball.

The Statesmen picked up a huge road win last Saturday in Valdosta, GA against the then 19th-ranked Valdsota State Blazers. The Statesmen rushed for 417 yards in their first win at Valdosta State since 2014.

Kickoff between the Delta State Statesmen and the North Greenville Crusaders is scheduled for Saturday, October 14 at 6:00 pm.



SERIES NOTEBOOK: NORTH GREENVILLE
• This is the 7th meeting all-time between Delta State and North Greenville since 2011. Delta State owns a 4-2 record over the Crusaders in the series. Delta State defeated NGU 47-14 in 2022 in what was the first game that the Statesmen had trailed in to that point of the season. The Statesmen are 3-0 against the Crusaders in Tigerville, SC, but have dropped the last two home games in the series (1-2 at home).

• The Crusaders are 3-3 overall and 2-2 in GSC play in 2023. The week six symmetry continues as they are 1-1 at home and 2-2 at home. They started their season on the road at FCS Charleston Southern. The Crusaders led nearly the entire game, but gave up two scores in the fourth quarter of their 13-10 loss. Quarterback Dylan Ramirez completed 21 of his 33 pass attempts for 236 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Crusaders rushed for 97 yards, led by Corey Watkins with 43 yards.

• NGU stayed on the road in week two as they traveled to Newberry College. The Crusaders had 393 yards of offense in the 24-14 win with Ramirez picking up 258 yards on 11 completions with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

• GSC play began in week three as West Alabama visited Tigerville. Both teams traded scores early, but the Crusaders scored enough for the 23-16 win. Ramirez racked up 304 passing yards on 19 completions with two touchdowns and an INT.

• The Crusaders traveled to Valdosta State the next week. The Blazers had a slim advantage in total offense at 337 to 333, but the Blazer defense had the answers when it mattered in their 28-3 win over NGU.

• The Crusaders returned home the following week to host the #6 West Florida Argonauts. The Argo defense held the Crusaders to 298 offensive yards as their offense racked up 607 yards. Ramirez completed 14 passes for 170 yards and a score, but he also threw three interceptions.

• NGU traveled to Chowan for their week six matchup. The Crusaders jumped ahead 17-3 at the half, allowed the Hawks to cut the lead to one, but scored 14 points in the fourth to seal a 31-16 win.


ROAD WARRIORS: Delta State's 11-game road winning streak is the longest such streak in program history. The next closest are a pair of six-game streaks in the 2006 season and between the 2011 & 2012 seasons. The Statesmen win at Valdosta State was also the first win in Valdosta for the Statesmen since 2014.

GROUND AND POUND: The offensive line and rushers earned themselves a ton of praise last Saturday as they racked up 417 yards on the ground against the Blazers. Kelvin Smith led the DSU rushing attack with 186 yards and 3 touchdowns as he picked up GSC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Christian Malloy also joined the 100+ club with 116 yards on 17 carries with one touchdown.

PINK OUT: DSU fans are asked to wear pink for this game! Get your official game day gear at www.StatesmenStore.com!

WHAT TO BRING: Only clear bags are permitted in McCool Stadium. Delta State logoed bags will be available for purchase between gates 4 and 5; pouches are $10 and totes are $15. No outside food/drink, pets, or weapons are permitted.

TICKETS:  Visit https://deltastatetickets.universitytickets.com/ to purchase in advance or visit the ticket booths next to gates 3 or 4 on the west side, or gate 14 on the east side on game day.

GETTING THERE: Kickoff is at 6 pm. Gates open two hours pregame. A limited number of Lot 6 parking spots will be available beginning two-and-a-half hours before kick-off Saturday for $15. Additional parking will be available at Shumate Park, Walter Sillers Coliseum, Kent Wyatt Hall, and across MS Highway 8 on campus. Delta State student parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the grass lot next to Lot 1 for vehicles with current Resident or Commuter parking decals. All game-day traffic should enter via Statesman Boulevard.

TAILGATING: Register for FREE tailgating in Statesmen Park at https://forms.office.com/r/N87YW2dzPW.

FOOD AND DRINK: Concessions will be available on both the west and east sides of McCool stadium. Beer and wine will be available at kiosks on the west, north, and east concourses.

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: Kids can join the Statesmen Football team as they take the field at 10-minutes on the game clock. The Punkin' Patch KidsZone will open one hour before kickoff; admission is $10 but Future Statesmen Club members get into the KidsZone free so join today at www.StatesmenClub.com.

STAY IN THE KNOW: You can listen or watch along! Visit www.GoStatesmen.com > Sports > Football > Schedule and click the speaker (Magic 107.5) in the game information and follow the prompts. Download the Statesmen Nation app where you can listen to or stream the event, see rosters and stats, receive notifications about promotions and partnerships, and much more!