Adam MacDonald
armacdonald@valdosta.eduThe Blazers have treated their fans to some blow outs over the first five games and now it looks like the fans will be treated to some fast and furious finishes. Delta State will give VSU its first big conference test in Cleveland, Miss., at 8 p.m. tonight on Comcast and Mediacom channel 99. VSU enters the game at 5-0 and fifth in the country. DSU comes in 5-1 and 16th in the country.

The match-up to watch in this game will be DSU’s senior quarterback Scott Eyster versus the Black Swarm secondary. Eyster is a favorite to win the Harlon Hill, Division II’s version of the Heisman. He’s accomplished a lot in his career, including surpassing Coach Hatcher as the GSC’s all-time leading passer.

Eyster has 11,606 passing yards in his career and comes into the game as the reigning GSC offensive Player of the Week. Last week he threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns. However, the one thing Eyster has not accomplished in his career is beating VSU. In 2004 VSU stopped DSU on the one-inch line to preserve a 51-48 victory. In 2005, VSU rallied to score 11 points in the final four minutes of the game to beat DSU 24-23. Several of Eyster’s passes were dropped throughout the game and at the end, camera shots showed Eyster visually upset.

The Black Swarm’s secondary knows it will be tested. DSU only averages 37 yards per game on the ground, leaving the game in Eyster’s hands.

“I pretty much expect Eyster to throw it anywhere he feels a receiver is open,”Maurice Leggett, Blazer defensive back said. “And I look forward to him throwing it my way.

Leggett is coming off the Southern Arkansas game in which he had four tackles, one pass defended, an interception, a blocked punt and a 57-yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.

“I pretty much see that as an average game because that’s what you’re supposed to do in the Black Swarm,” Leggett said. Since the Blazers haven’t been in a close game since the first week of the season, the team will have to readapt to being focused for all four quarters to hang with Delta.

“We just have to keep up the intesinty all 60 minutes and we just can’t get complacent,” Leggett said.

Offensively the Blazers have to continue to play at a high level. VSU’s Air Raid is fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 38.4 points per game. However, the DSU defense will provide the toughest test to date. DSU is second in the nation in total defense and scoring defense, giving up an average of just 8.2 points per game.

“Offensively we have to take care of the passer,” Head Coach Chris Hatcher said. “If we don’t do that it’ll be a long day.” So far the offensive line has done just fine, allowing only two sacks of starting quarterback Willie Copeland in the past three games and opening holes for VSU’s running game which is second in the conference.

VERDICT:
The Black Swarm defense is the real deal. It won’t be intimidated by Eyster. The only quarterback to have any success against VSU this season was Richard Young of Ouachita Baptist and the Black Swarm forced him to leave the game with a broken arm.

On offense, the Blazers’ offensive line is playing with swagger. The big guys rarely let anyone get near Copeland and Copeland’s job is made easy by freshman wide receiver Cedric Jones. Jones has four 100-yard receiving games this year and in the only game he didn’t have 100-yards, he had eight catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns. The game will be close because Delta State is a very good team but VSU has too much depth and the defense is too stingy to lose this game.

PREDICTION: VSU 21 Delta State: 18