CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Delta State University Football Team returns to Cleveland for Senior day and a top 15 matchup with the No. 3 Ranked Argonauts from the University of West Florida

Delta State moved up in both AFCA and D2football.com polls this week after defeating the Tigers from West Alabama last weekend in Livingston 41-38. Delta State moved from 17 to 15 in the AFCA poll. In the D2football.com poll, from 19 to 16.

The Argonauts remain undefeated and ranked no. 3 in the AFCA poll and no. 4 in the D2Football .com poll after defeating West Virginia State 55-6 last weekend in Pensacola.

The Voice of the Statesmen Michael Gross will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network and on the FloCollege network.

The Coaches

Todd Cooley enters his 13th season as head coach at Delta State, where he holds an 82-47 overall record at the helm in Cleveland.

He was hired as the program's 20th all-time head coach on January 25, 2013. Thursday's action will mark Cooley and Delta State's first ever match-up against Central Missouri.  In his first campaign as head coach, Cooley guided the Statesmen to a 7-3 overall record and a second-place finish in the Gulf South Conference. Inheriting a team that went 3-7 the year before, the high-energy Cooley built a cohesive family atmosphere in less than nine months. That energy helped feed a program's turnaround in just one season. In 2014, Cooley led the Statesmen to a 9-2 record, along with DSU's seventh Gulf South Conference title and a berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs, the school's first since 2011.

For his efforts, Cooley was named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year by his peers in the league. In all, 11 Statesmen were named to the All-GSC squad, including GSC Freshman of the Year Tyler Sullivan, who quarterbacked DSU to a 4-1 mark as a starter.

DSU averaged 40.0 points per game offensively, while averaging 472.2 yards per game. The Statesmen pulled off three victories over nationally ranked opponents after defeating No. 21 North Alabama 37-34, No. 14 Tarleton State 38-36 and No. 24 Valdosta State 63-55.  

In 2014, Cooley earned his second consecutive GSC Coach of the Year accolade, sharing the honor with Florida Tech's Steve Englehart. Twelve Statesmen were selected to the All-GSC squads, while Trey Shaw captured the league's Defensive Freshman of the Year honor. DSU put up an impressive 5,395 yards of total offense, outscoring opponents 491-215.

With expectations riding high entering the 2015 season, the Statesmen raced out of the gate to a 4-0 record and No. 5 national ranking. Unfortunately, the ride would be short-lived, as injuries began to mount and derailed a title run for DSU. The Statesmen finished the year 6-5 overall and 2-5 in GSC play.

The Statesmen finished the year leading the GSC in passing (312.4), while ranking second in scoring (36.4) and third in total offense (426.7).

In 2016, DSU finished its season ranked No. 3 in the GSC in scoring offense (36.9), total offense (446.8) and passing offense (287.7).

After an injury filled 2018 season that saw the Statesmen post a 2-8 mark, Cooley's Statesmen rebounded to finish 6-4 overall and 5-3 in the GSC in 2019. Overall, nine Statesmen earned All-GSC laurels and two were selected to the D2Football.com All-Americans.  Additionally, 13 Statesmen made the GSC Academic honor roll for a GPA of 3.0 or higher while four were selected to the GSC All-Academic football team.

Cooley's Statesmen wrapped up the 2021 season, demonstrating remarkable skill and determination on the field. The Statesmen's passing game was a key component of their offensive strategy. The team completed 164 out of 331 passing attempts, resulting in a total of 2,476 passing yards for the season. With an average of 7.48 yards per attempt and 225.09 yards per game, the passing attack was both efficient and effective. The team also recorded 22 passing touchdowns, showcasing their ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities through the air.

Delta State University director of athletics Mike Kinnison announced a four-year contract for head coach Todd Cooley on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2021. The new deal has Cooley signed through the 2024 season.

The Delta State University football team finished the 2022 season with an 11-2 overall record and a 6-1 mark in Gulf South Conference play. Delta State's offense was led by quarterback Patrick Shegogg, who threw for 2,970 yards and 22 touchdowns. The Statesmen also had a strong rushing attack for 1,825 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Statesmen's defense was one of the best in the GSC, allowing just 23.08 points per game. Marlon Windham led the team with 5.2 tackles per game. The successful season secured them a ticket to the playoffs where they faced off against Fayetteville
State in the first round.

The Statesmen finished the 2023 season with a 10-2 record, including a 7-1 record in conference play. The team had a strong defense, which allowed an average of 18.3 points per game.

Delta State secured its second GSC title in as many years with a 41-3 win over Mississippi College. The Statesmen earned the number two seed in Super Region Two for the NCAA Playoffs but will be continuing GSC play out of the gate having drawn West Florida in the first round.  Delta State football leads the GSC with 14 All-GSC team members for 2023.Eight Statesmen football team members were named on the first team list and six were named second team members.

 Delta State advanced to the second round of the NCAA Football Playoffs and avenged their only regular season win of the year with a one-sided win over West Florida. The Statesmen led 35-0 at the half with 385 yards of offense in two quarters. The Statesmen will be looking to build on their success in 2024. The team has a strong core of returning players and a talented group of newcomers.

Kaleb Nobles enters his third season as the UWF head coach in 2025. In 2024 Led the team to a 7-3 record in 2024. The Argonauts had nine All-GSC selections
Defensive end Traevon Mitchell was named the GSC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and All-American. Wide Receiver Corey Scott was named the GSC Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year. Return Specialist Virgil Lemons was named an AFCA All-American as the top punt returner in the country. Lemons was also signed UDFA by the Tennessee Titans

 In 2023, the former UWF quarterback and offensive coordinator led the Argonauts to an 8-4 record and spent the entire season ranked in the top 25. UWF ranked in the top 40 nationally in every offensive category while averaging 32.1 points per game with seven contests of at least 35 points.

Wide receiver John Jiles and defensive end John McMullen each were named First Team All-Americans, with McMullen and freshman Ralph Ortiz grabbing Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Freshman of the Year, respectively. The team was 4-1 at home and averaged 4,375 fans with four sellouts at Pen Air Field to rank 24th nationally.

Nobles was named the second coach in program history by University President Dr. Martha Saunders and Athletics Director Dave Scott on December 13, 2022. Nobles spent the two previous seasons at Clemson University where he had the role of Offensive Player Development under head coach Dabo Swinney. He assisted with the quarterbacks and wide receivers, all game preparation and planning, along with various game day duties. In 2021, Clemson went 10-3 with a Cheez-It Bowl victory and compiled an 11-2 record in 2022, winning the ACC Championship while earning a berth in the Orange Bowl against Tennessee.
 
Nobles spent three seasons on Pete Shinnick's staff from 2017-20 as the quarterbacks coach for the Argonauts and was named the Co-Offensive Coordinator in May of 2020. He also served as the Director of Football Operations for two-plus years. Nobles mentored some of the best signal callers in UWF history. In 2019, Austin Reed was named the National Freshman of the Year after he threw for 4,089 yards and 272.6 yards per game to rank 13th nationally. He also completed 57 percent of his passes and tossed 40 touchdowns while rushing for six more.
 
STATESMEN vs the state of Florida
Delta State has compiled a 10-15 (.400) overall record vs. all opponents from the State of Florida dating back to 1926. This weekend will be the 11th time the Statesmen will face off against West Florida

The last time Delta State faced off against an opponent not named West Florida was in 2019 against Florida Tech when the Panthers were in the Gulf South Conference before discontinuing their Football program in 2020. 

The STATESMEN - at Home
Historically, Delta State is 289-147-15 (.640) at home dating back to 1926 when the University started the football program. Once the Statesmen found a new home in McCool Stadium in the year 1970 they have gone 173-96-8 (.623) in Parker-McCool.

West Florida enters this weekend with a 39-11 (.440) overall record in their past 50 road games dating back to 2017. The Argonauts are currently 4-0 on the road in the 2025 season, defeating West Alabama, Northeastern State, North Greenville and Kentucky Wesleyan.

Statesmen vs. The Argonauts
This weekend will mark the 11th time these two programs will meet in each other's histories. Delta State holds a 4-6 (.400) overall record against the Argonauts as the series dates to 2016.

Last time West Florida came to Cleveland was in the first round of the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs in 2023, where DSU ended up on top with a 49-14 win to move onto the second round of the playoffs.
 
The history of both programs
The Statesmen, who are embarking upon their 95th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 513-416-23 overall record, winning 54.8 percent of their 948 all-time games.

Delta State is one of just 38 NCAA Division II institutions to have recorded 500 all-time victories. The Statesmen have the second most program victories out of any Gulf-South Schools

West Florida has a 79-28 (.738) record in 9 seasons played on the Division II.
Scouting the Statesmen
The Statesmen (7-1, 1-0 GSC) return home after a big 41-38 conference opening victory over No. 11 West Alabama last weekend in Livingston Alabama.
 
Last time out, The No. 17 ranked Delta State University football team continued its strong season with a thrilling 41-38 road win over West Alabama on Saturday afternoon at Tiger Stadium. The victory pushes the Statesmen to 7-1 overall and 1-0 in GSC play, showcasing a balanced offensive attack and key defensive plays down the stretch.
 
Senior quarterback Cole Kirk led the way through the air, throwing for 222 yards and three touchdowns, including a 90-yard strike to Neno Lemay, who finished with 135 yards receiving. Kirk also added a rushing touchdown to cap a four-touchdown performance.
 
The Statesmen offense piled up 453 total yards, averaging 6.8 yards per play. Nick Clark provided a spark in the ground game with 101 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Lawrence Armstrong hauled in two receiving scores, including a 75-yarder that swung momentum firmly in Delta State's favor in the second quarter.
 
Defensively, the Statesmen held firm when it mattered most. Tavian Moore paced the unit with 13 tackles and an interception, while Carl Hopkins returned another pick 76 yards to set up a key scoring drive. The defense forced two turnovers and tallied 90 total tackles to fend off West Alabama's late rally.
 
Freshman kicker Dean Roberts remained consistent, converting five PATs, while Price Nixon averaged 42 yards per punt, including two pinned inside the 20.
 
Delta State jumped out to a commanding 34-17 halftime lead after scoring on its first four possessions and held off a second-half surge by West Alabama.
The Statesmen maintained the lead in the second half as Curtis Rearden hauled in two key receptions including a one-handed grab in the endzone to put the Statesmen up 41-31 going into the final frame. Rearden had three receptions for 52 yards on the afternoon.
 
In the final frame, DSU's defense came up with a huge stop on fourth and two inside their own territory as Nick Clark and Garrett Ames would keep the ball on the ground to run out the clock, giving the Green and White a 1-0 start in GSC play.
 
Scouting the Argonauts
West Florida (8-0, 1-0 GSC) enter this weekend hoping to keep their perfect season alive, ranked no. 3 in the American Football Coaches' Association Poll, after defeating West Virginia State last weekend 55-6 in Pensacola.
 
Last time out, West Florida stayed undefeated With an emphatic performance in a 55-6 rout of West Virginia State on Saturday at Pen Air Field, the No. 3-ranked Argos exceeded the goal.
 
UWF quickly blew open the game with 20-points in the second quarter, then utilized most of their roster to remain unbeaten and set up the finish line showdown with two conference rivals that will define the season.
 
The win was UWF largest margin of victory this season. It featured 15 players who touched the ball either on runs or receptions, along with three quarterbacks used.
 
The Argos amassed 240 rushing yards, 238 passing yards in a rare equal blend of balanced attack. Running back TJ Lane led the backfield with 67 yards and three touchdowns.
 
After the Argos defense forced a quick three-and-out on the game's opening possession, UWF quarterback Marcus Stokes pulled off reverse flea flicker to tight end Jake Robinette for a 39-yard score. It capped a nine-play drive.
 
UWF then scored on three of its next five possessions, including Robinette's second touchdown catch on a third down play from the West Virginia State 7 with four seconds remaining.  The Yellow Jackets did not make a first down in the first quarter.
 
The final score of the half was set up by Ja'Kobe Clinton's fumble recovery on a strip sack by Argos lineman Lorenzo Payne at the WVS 49 with 38 seconds remaining.
 
On a third down pass, Stokes connected with Corey Scott on a 34-yard pass to the 3. At halftime, UWF had out gained the Yellow Jackets 287-52 and allowed just four first downs.
 
UWF's 27-0 halftime lead was extended on the first possession of the third quarter. UWF completed a 7-play, 70-yard drive when Lane rushed in from the 1. The big play was Stokes' 49-yard pass to Mikaiah Stevenson to the WVS 17.
 
It became 41-0 when Lane rushed in from the 5 with 3:44 remaining. This score was set up by Tony Newsome's 34-yard punt return to the WVS 6.
 
At this point, UWF began playing its reserves, which included quarterbacks Tony Bartalo and Ty'Ray Davis. It was Davis who scored UWF's final points on a 20-yard run that completed a 12-play, 76-yard drive consuming more than seven minutes off the clock.
 
Bartalo threw a 4-yard touchdown pass earlier in the fourth quarter to Kendrick Watkins-Hogue. UWF finished with 478 yards total offense and punted just once in the game.