Valdosta State Wins 2012 NCAA Football Title
Florence, AL—The Gulf South Conference earned its 100th all-time NCAA Division II Football Playoff victory in grand fashion when
Valdosta State upset undefeated Winston-Salem State in the 2012 Title Game, 35-7.
VSU captured its third overall NCAA Title in four tries and first since 2007. The win upped the GSC’s all-time NCAA Playoff record to 100-59 (.629) and secured the GSC’s 11
th overall National Crown, including Mississippi College’s 1989 national championship which was vacated for NCAA infractions. The Blazers snapped WSSU’s 14-game winning streak and upped their post-season record to 19-9.
VSU did not take long to light the scoreboard when
Matt Pierce returned the opening kickoff 96-yards for a touchdown, giving the Blazers a 7-0 lead at 14:48. The Blazers stretched their lead to 14-0 on their first offensive possession, thanks to
running back Cedric O’Neal’s 24-yard TD run at 10:16. Valdosta State’s defense continued to dominate the rest of the first half, while the offense put together a 13-play, 6:52 drive capped by
quarterback Cayden Cochran’s one-yard touchdown run.
The Rams found some traction in the third quarter, posting their first TD at 9:25 in the third frame. WSSU seemed to be on its way to another score, but VSU forced a fumble and recovered it in its own end zone. The Blazers’ offense took advantage of the turnover, reeling off a 17-play, 7:30 drive capped by
Quin Roberson’s 17-yard scoring grab at 13:08. Valdosta State continued to put points on the board, turning a muffed punt into points via another one-yard touchdown run by Cochran with 3:32 on the clock. The defense iced the game the rest of the way led by its sixth turnover.
O’Neal surpassed WSSU’s entire team in rushing, gaining a game-high 140 yards on 24 carries. The VSU defense stepped in front of three passes and recovered three fumbles.
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