One of the toughest in D2, the Gulf South Conference produced the national champion (Valdosta State) and a regional finalist (North Alabama) in 2007. And that doesn’t even include the conference champion and playoff quarterfinalist (Delta State). The trio stayed ranked in the national Top 10 most of the season and has combined to represent the region seven out of the eight seasons this decade.

The Big 3

How will the chips fall this season? If venue has any importance the season will be as close as ever. All three teams host and travel in their head-to-head match-ups. VSU hosts Delta and travels to UNA, while the Statesmen host the Lions. The Blazers will begin the season hosting traditional in-state rival Ft. Valley State of the SIAC and will then travel to 2006 playoff participant Newberry College from the SAC. Delta State has only one out-of-conference game when they open the season traveling to McNeese State (FCS) while North Alabama has three opening in a non-conference match-up with fellow GSC school Southern Arkansas. The Lions then travel to Carson-Newman (10-1 last season) from the SAC with a mid-season road contest against Independent North Greenville.

The greatest change in personnel will be with the defending national champions. The Blazers lose 13 starters including QB Willie Copeland, yet return All-Americans WR Cedric Jones and safety Sherard Reynolds. UNA returns Harlon Hill finalist QB AJ Milwee and All-GSC linebacker Michael Johnson, while Delta State will attempt to replace Harlon Hill finalist and All-American Michael Eubanks. The Statesmen will have a quarterback battle as they return the two starters (Garrett Dewitt, Dedrick Wilson) from last season along with Georgia transfer, Blake Barnes.

All three have key contests with playoff implications while the hottest game is the UNA/Carson-Newman battle, as the Eagles felt jilted out of the playoffs on a technicality last season. If any of the “Big 3” run the table in these games and head-to-head, they will be primed to sit atop the regional rankings at the end of regular season. Any slip-ups along the way will cause another year of nervousness around playoff selection time. However, with the Southeast Region having one less conference, a mixture of success a la 2007 should also provide all three with repeated post-season invitations.

Are you Reddie?

GSC elitists would have the preview stop there, yet the action in this conference is too exciting to limit coverage to the perennial powers. Several teams are on the verge of having breakout seasons and shaking things up at the top. One such team for a couple of years has been Henderson State. HSU was 6-2 in the conference for the second straight season in 2007. They will be led by All-GSC returning starters Bernard Palmer (RB) and All-American defensive back Devon Hughes. Key contests include opening with in-state rival and former GSC foe Central Arkansas (provisional FCS), traveling to North Alabama and hosting defending national champion Valdosta State.

Harding University is returning a stellar backfield unit with Harlon Hill Finalist Quarterback David Knighton and senior running back Alan Webster. They open with three non-conference games including one with fellow GSC team West Alabama. Then the Bisons have a tough challenge to begin their GSC schedule as they travel to Delta State and host North Alabama before a late season battle with Valdosta.

After a .500 season, the Wonderboys ofArkansas Tech will be led by All-American punter Michael Podobnik and quarterback Cole Barthel who had to sit out the end of last season with injury. Their toughest contests will include an out-of-conference and in-state match-up with Central Arkansas before hosting North Alabama and traveling to Delta State during their GSC campaign.