Birmingham, AL--Entering the final week of the 2009 regular season, the Gulf South Conference has already crowned its Champion but post-season questions still loom.

No. 1 North Alabama made it official on Saturday, wrapping up sole possession of its ninth all-time Conference Title thanks to a 27-13 victory at Arkansas-Monticello.  UNA can sew up the top seed in the NCAA Playoffs with a win over West Alabama this Saturday.

Arkansas Tech kept its post-season hopes alive, topping Delta State at home, 35-23.  ATU, ranked No. 6 in the region, goes to in-state rival Harding, seeking to wrap up second-place in the GSC along with a post-season berth.

West Alabama provided its Homecoming faithful with plenty of fireworks on the field, outgunning Ouachita Baptist, 52-49.

Peach State foes Valdosta State and West Georgia turned out the lights on the 2009 GSC-TV LIVE Game of the Week package this past Thursday.  VSU assured itself at least a third-place finish in the standings, thanks to 21 fourth-quarter points en route to a 31-20 triumph.

Harding celebrated its Homecoming at Arkansas rival Henderson State's expense, pounding in the go-ahead touchdown with less than three minutes left to play.

Southern Arkansas stepped out of league action on Saturday, winning its second game in three weeks via a 24-22 win at Incarnate Word.

#1 NORTH ALABAMA 27, @ ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO 13

North Alabama (10-0, 7-0) overcame muddy field conditions to notch its first GSC Title since 2006, traveling to post a 27-13 victory versus Arkansas-Monticello (4-6, 3-4).

UNA saw its 21-point lead dwindle to eight in the third quarter, but the Lions held UAM scoreless in the final frame while posting six more points.

North Alabama entered the locker room with a 14-0 edge thanks to running back Tim Hicks' six-yard touchdown run at 6:55 in the first quarter and wide receiver Antyon Gray's 18-yard scoring grab with 1:45 left in the second.  Hicks' seven-yard run upped UNA's lead to 21-0 at 12:22 in the third stanza, but the Boll Weevils did not give up, rolling up 13 unanswered points.

Quarterback Scott Buisson reeled-off a 43-yard TD run at 9:47, while Casey Cathcart added a one-yard scoring plunge at 4:18.  North Alabama's offense put the game away early in the fourth quarter when running back Marcus Sims posted a 37-yard TD run at 13:26. 

Sims led all rushers with 77 yards on 10 carries.  Wide out Charles McClain caught a game-high 10 balls for 120 yards, while quarterback Harrison Beck completed 22-of-36 passes for 289 yards and one TD.  UNA secured its fifth straight 10-win season and the Lions extended their road streak to 12 straight.  The Lions also upped their streak versus UAM to seven.

@ ARKANSAS TECH 35, DELTA STATE 23

The Arkansas Tech (7-2, 5-2) record book continued to take a hit as the Wonder Boys remained in the post-season picture thanks to a 35-23 win over Delta State (4-5, 3-4).

ATU led from the outset, finding paydirt on the game's opening possession when running back Tim Childress capped an 11-play, 90-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run.  Childress made the score 14-0 at 10:50 in the second quarter via a two-yard plunge and wide receiver Scharvundrick Franklin gave Arkansas Tech a 21-0 halftime lead with a 15-yard TD grab with 13 seconds on the clock.

ATU increased its lead to 28-0 at 12:05 in the third frame thanks to Rolaundo Wright's 20-yard reception.  DSU responded with 17 unanswered points in the quarter.  Eldred King grabbed a 20-yard touchdown at 5:11, while running back Trevar Deed added a five-yard scoring rush at 3:35.  Matt Dean capped the scoring spree with a 34-yard field goal at 1:06. 

Arkansas Tech led 35-17 with 9:05 remaining in the game when signal caller Nick Graziano sprinted for an 82-yard TD run.  The Statesmen answered on Deed's 12-yard catch at 4:30, but ATU recovered the ensuing on-side kick and ran out the clock from there.

Graziano set a school record with 545 total yards, which was also the sixth highest total in league history.  He completed 27-of-54 passes for 350 yards and two scores, while also rushing for a game-high 196 yards on 15 carries.  Childress added 69 yards and two TDs on a game-best 21 carries.  Arkansas Tech snapped a four-game losing streak versus Delta State. 

@ WEST ALABAMA 52, OUACHITA BAPTIST 49

West Alabama (6-4, 4-3) and Homecoming foe Ouachita Baptist (5-5, 3-4) tested the statisticians on Saturday, combining for 987 total yards and 507 rushing yards in a 52-49 UWA victory.

West Alabama lit scoreboard first when Brock Sharp nailed a 31-yard field goal just 2:44 into the going, but OBU answered with back-to-back rushing touchdowns by KJ Johnson.  Johnson ran-in a 10-yard score at 8:51 and followed with a 27-yard scamper at 5:03.  Wide receiver Terry Allen cut the lead to four on an 11-yard TD grab at 2:13 and UWA claimed a 17-14 lead at 12:48 in the second frame when running back Roosevelt Ross ran for a 42-yard touchdown. 

Johnson responded with six-yard TD rush at 9:17, but West Alabama surged ahead for good thanks to 21 unanswered points.  UWA brought a 31-21 edge into intermission via Michael Townsend's 24-yard scoring reception at 8:35 and Jason Hawkins' two-yard catch with 22 ticks on the clock.

Allen began the third quarter with a 60-yard touchdown grab at 11:07 and Ouachita Baptist's defense got into the act when Desmond Smoot returned an interception 30 yards for a TD at 8:54.  West Alabama entered the final frame with a 45-28 edge thanks to Allen's 74-yard scoring scamper at 8:34 in the third stanza. 

OBU outscored UWA in the fourth quarter, 21-7, including a 10-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left, but West Alabama recovered the on-side kick, securing the triumph. 

UWA quarterback Deon Williams completed 18-of-31 passes for 340 yards and five touchdowns, while also adding 45 yards on the ground.  Allen racked up 257 total yards led by 100 yards rushing and 71 yards rushing.  Hawkins led all players with eight receptions for 84 yards.  The victory assured West Alabama its first winning season since 2006.  UWA earned its first-ever home victory over OBU and clipped its deficit in the all-time series to 5-2-0.

VALDOSTA STATE 31, @ WEST GEORGIA 20 (THURSDAY; GSC-TV GAME OF THE WEEK)

Valdosta State (5-4, 5-3) closed out its GSC schedule, using a 21-point fourth quarter to upend in-state rival West Georgia (1-8, 1-6) in the last game of the GSC-TV LIVE Game of the Week slate.

UWG scored the lone points in the opening quarter when Adi Brkic hit a 42-yard field goal at 5:09.  VSU took a 7-3 lead just 31 seconds into the second quarter thanks to David Arnold's one-yard touchdown run at 14:19, only to see the Wolves answer on V.J. Hunt's 30-yard scoring scamper at 3:06.  The Blazers tied matters entering halftime when Daniel Anderson connected on a 28-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.

The score remained tied after the third quarter, but Valdosta State took its final lead thanks to 14 unanswered points.  Wide out Gerald Ford grabbed a 58-yard TD at 11:58, while Cameo Holloway rumbled 22 yards for a score with 3:21 left to play.  West Georgia cut its deficit to seven via Malcom Johnson's 29-yard touchdown reception at 1:19, but VSU quarterback Kellen Lewis slammed the door less than 20 seconds later when he ran for a 40-yard TD. 

Lewis led all players with 78 yards rushing and also completed 20-of-32 passes for 247 yards.  Ford posted a game-high 123 yards receiving on six grabs.  Valdosta State upped its all-time series lead to 19-8-0 thanks to its fourth overall win and fifth straight triumph in Carrollton. 

@ HARDING 27, HENDERSON STATE 22

Harding (5-5, 3-4) withstood a second-half surge by Henderson State (3-6, 3-4) to celebrate a 27-22 Homecoming victory.

HSU recorded the lone points in the first quarter when running back Kenard Springer ran in an eight-yard touchdown at 6:34.  HU knotted the score at 11:08 in the second frame on Tyler O'Quin's 24-yard scoring catch, only to see the Reddies take a 10-7 edge at halftime thanks to Blake Allen's 45-yard field goal.

The Bisons opened the second half with a flurry, taking a 21-10 edge via Jeremy Holt's 41-yard TD catch at 13:42 and linebacker Kennard Henderson's 50-yard fumble recovery for six points.  Henderson State rallied to a 22-21 lead by scoring 12 unanswered points.  Jazz Scott closed the third frame with a four-yard touchdown grab at 3:39, while HSU was awarded a team safety thanks to an offensive holding call in Harding's own endzone. 

The Reddies took a one-point lead at the six-minute mark when Allen nailed a 33-yard field goal.  HU running back Dominic Blood put the game on ice for good, running for a 10-yard TD with 2:43 left on the clock. 

Harding quarterback Josh Powell completed 19-of-29 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns.  HU posted its sixth straight home win over HSU, while snapping the Reddies three-game streak in the series.

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS 24, @ INCARNATE WORD 22

Southern Arkansas (3-6, 2-5) overcame a season-high five turnovers and a five-point halftime deficit to upped Incarnate Word, 24-22.

UIW led 6-0 in the first quarter, but SAU took a 7-6 advantage at 2:01 on Travarus Brown's 38-yard touchdown reception.  The Crusaders retook a 15-7 edge but the Muleriders entered the locker room with a five-point deficit after Noe' Cuevas' 27-yard field goal.

Southern Arkansas exited the third frame with a 24-15 lead thanks to Chris Metcalf's 35-yard run at 13:25 and Brown's three-yard scoring scamper at 5:56.  Incarnate Word pulled within two points after an interception return for a TD with 2:18 left in the game, but the Muleriders held firm the rest of the way.

Southern Arkansas signal caller Austin Civita completed 16-of-26 passes for 236 yards and two scores.  Metcalf ran for a game-high 88 yards on 17 carries.  SAU earned its second victory in the last three games.

GSC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Arkansas Tech quarterback Nick Graziano (SR, 6-1, 227, Moraga, CA), Harding linebacker Kennard Henderson (FR, 5-7, 200, Texarkana, TX) and Southern Arkansas punter Zach Massingill (JR, 5-11, 200, Hawkins, TX) are the Gulf South Conference Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for the period ending October 31st.

Graziano notches his second consecutive award, fourth overall, leading ATU to a 35-23 home victory over Delta State.  The senior combined for a school-record 546 total yards in the contest, which is a total that also placed him sixth in the GSC Record Books.  Graziano threw for 350 yards and two touchdowns, while completing 27-of-54 passes.  The Moraga, CA native also led all rushers with 196 yards on 15 carries, including an 82-yard scoring scamper with 9:05 left in the game.

Henderson is the second HU defender to claim accolades this season, spearheading the defense in a 27-22 Homecoming triumph over Arkansas rival Henderson State.  The redshirt freshman racked up a career-high 14 total tackles, led by seven solo stops.  The Texarkana, TX native did not stop there, forcing one fumble and recovering another 50 yards for a touchdown.  His score marked the first team's first defensive TD of the season and gave the Bisons a 21-10 lead in the third quarter. 

Massingill posts his second laurel in three weeks, leading SAU's special teams in a 24-22 win at Incarnate Word.  The junior kept the oppositions offense backed up the entire game, booting five punts for 223 yards and a 44.6 average.  The Hawkins, TX native boomed a 66-yard punt and also placed two punts inside Incarnate Word's 20-yard line.

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

*--Returned for a touchdown

SPECIAL TEAMS

Downloadable Files

Week 10 Release (First Edition)