VALDOSTA – The No. 18 Valdosta State Blazers football team (3-1) is back in action at home today, Saturday, October 3, 2026, facing the Erskine College Flying Fleet (2-2). The Blazers look to regain momentum after a bye week followed a difficult loss on September 19 against UNC Pembroke, a game where Valdosta State saw a substantial lead evaporate.
On September 19, the Blazers initially took a commanding 27-10 lead over UNC Pembroke. This advantage was bolstered by Julius Pascal’s 84-yard pick-six with 6:02 remaining in the second quarter. However, the Braves mounted a comeback, scoring 20 unanswered points to shift the game’s trajectory. Before halftime, Jake Davids contributed a 5-yard touchdown run, and Jared Navidad added a 36-yard field goal, narrowing the Blazers' lead to one score. Early in the fourth quarter, Josh Ehrlich connected with Jonathan Barnett for a 37-yard strike, giving the Braves a 30-27 lead.
Valdosta State responded, with Champ Harris completing a 37-yard pass to Jaheim Arnold to reclaim the lead 34-30 with 12:26 left. The lead continued to change hands as Ehrlich found DonNez Alford for a 22-yard touchdown, and then Ehrlich scored on a 6-yard run, putting the Braves up by 10 points with 9:23 remaining. The Blazers mounted another drive, a six-play, 73-yard effort capped by a 45-yard scoring run from sophomore Shawn Paschall with 6:53 left. Despite preventing the Braves from scoring again, Valdosta State could not capitalize on their final possession. Quarterback Harris was stopped for a loss at the Pembroke 37-yard line, his subsequent pass to Zandae Butler fell incomplete, and on fourth down, Isi Etute sacked Harris from his blind side, turning the ball over on downs. The Braves then ran out the clock to secure the victory.
Second-year head coach Graham Craig attributed the loss to Valdosta State’s "missed opportunities in the middle eight" on both offense and defense, referring to the periods immediately before and after halftime. He noted the team had chances to extend the lead and later to get back in the game but failed to make crucial plays. In the game, the Blazers accumulated 434 total yards, with 225 rushing and 209 passing, securing 16 first downs. However, Valdosta State also committed three turnovers, incurred seven penalties for 80 yards, and converted only 4 of 11 third-down opportunities.
Individually, Champ Harris completed 11 of 22 passes for 182 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, while also being sacked three times and losing a fumble. Shawn Paschall was a significant contributor, rushing for 155 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, and adding 141 yards on six kickoff returns. Jaheim Arnold had two catches for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Joel Houedenou emerged with four catches for 84 yards and a touchdown; Coach Craig noted Houedenou’s expanding role and increasing confidence from the quarterbacks.
Today’s opponent, the Erskine College Flying Fleet, enters the game with a 2-2 record and is on a two-game losing streak. Erskine began their season strong, scoring 99 points combined in victories over Bluefield (Va.) and Thomas University. They subsequently lost 27-14 to Brevard College on September 19 and then sustained a loss to Shorter last weekend. In their game against Shorter, Erskine trailed 31-3 in the third quarter but rallied with big plays, including an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Reid Giled, and touchdown passes from Ryan Killmer to Jayce Jones and Jo Burson. Coach Craig acknowledged Erskine’s resilience, noting they made significant special teams plays to get back into that game.
Erskine’s offense averages 327.5 yards per game, with 228.5 of that coming through the air, ranking 50th in Division II for passing offense. While sophomore quarterback Ryan Killmer has a completion percentage of 45.3%, he has thrown for 855 yards and nine of the team's 11 touchdowns this season. Killmer notably threw for 521 yards and seven touchdowns in Erskine’s first two games but has not maintained that same level of performance during the team’s current losing streak.
Coach Craig views Erskine as a formidable opponent, highlighting their early-season scoring prowess and Killmer’s ability to throw the ball downfield effectively. He stressed the challenge for the Blazers' defense, emphasizing the need for improvement on third-down defense and better tackling in open space. Offensively, Craig called for greater consistency, aiming to eliminate three-and-outs and turnovers that disrupt momentum.
This afternoon’s game marks only the second meeting between the two programs. The Blazers previously defeated the Flying Fleet in a school-record 73-0 shutout on September 21, 2024, in Greenwood, S.C. In that contest, Valdosta State outgained Erskine 577-74, with 293 rushing yards compared to Erskine’s 5. Sammy Edwards completed 11 of 15 passes for 257 yards and five touchdowns, while Alfonso Franklin and Bud Chaney combined for 164 rushing yards and five touchdowns. The 2024 season was Erskine’s only year in the Gulf South Conference before they joined Conference Carolinas.
Kickoff for today’s game is scheduled for 4:03 p.m. The game will be streamed on Amazon Prime Video and FloCollege as this week’s Game of the Week. Fans can also listen to the game locally on Talk 92.1 FM and talk921.com.
