# 1994 Valdosta State Blazers football team

The 1994 Valdosta State Blazers football team represented Valdosta State University as a member of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) during the 1994 NCAA Division II football season. Led by third-year head coach Hal Mumme, the Blazers finished the season 11–2 and went 6–1 in GSC play to finish second in the conference. The Blazers received a bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in program history, losing in the quarterfinals to eventual champion North Alabama. The team played its home games at Cleveland Field in Valdosta, Georgia.
On offense, the Blazers were led by quarterback Chris Hatcher, who won the Harlon Hill Trophy, throwing for 4,076 yards and 55 touchdowns with only 10 interceptions. Hatcher would later go on to become the Blazers' head coach, winning the NCAA Division II championship in 2004.

## Schedule

The Blazers' 1994 regular season schedule consisted of seven home games and four away games. In non-conference play, Valdosta State hosted Division III independent Knoxville, Clark Atlanta from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and Division II independent New Haven, and traveled to Division I-AA independent UCF.
In GSC play, the Blazers hosted Fort Valley State, West Georgia, Delta State, and Henderson State, and traveled to Livingston, Mississippi College, and North Alabama.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 3 | 7:00 p.m. | Knoxville* | No. 18 | Cleveland FieldValdosta, GA | W 36–0 | 5,117 |
| September 10 | 1:00 p.m. | at No. 6 (I-AA) UCF* | No. 17 | Florida Citrus BowlOrlando, FL | W 31–14 | 22,518 |
| September 17 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 16 Fort Valley State | No. 10 | Cleveland FieldValdosta, FA | W 58–6 | 6,097 |
| September 24 | 7:00 p.m. | Clark Atlanta* | No. 7 | Cleveland FieldValdosta, GA | W 63–6 | 5,763 |
| October 1 | 3:00 p.m. | at Livingston | No. 5 | Tiger StadiumLivingston, AL | W 63–0 | 3,500 |
| October 8 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 5 New Haven* | No. 3 | Cleveland FieldValdosta, GA | W 38–7 | 9,368 |
| October 15 | 2:00 p.m. | No. 15 West Georgia | No. 3 | Cleveland FieldValdosta, GA (rivalry) | W 49–33 | 10,214 |
| October 22 | 7:00 p.m. | at Mississippi College | No. 3 | Robinson-Hale StadiumClinton, MS | W 24–7 | 5,719 |
| October 29 | 7:00 p.m. | Delta State | No. 3 | Cleveland FieldValdosta, GA | W 57–10 | 6,329 |
| November 5 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 1 North Alabama | No. 2 | Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, AL | L 21–38 | 9,113 |
| November 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Henderson State | No. 6 | Cleveland FieldValdosta, GA | W 49–7 | 5,376 |
| November 19 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 11 Albany State* | No. 6 | Cleveland FieldValdosta, GA (NCAA Division II First Round) | W 14–7 | 10,948 |
| November 26 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 1 North Alabama* | No. 6 | Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, AL (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal) | L 24–27 $^{2OT}$ | 7,039 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||

## Game summaries
### Knoxville

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 18 Blazers | 13 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 36 |
Statistics
| Statistics | KC | VSU |
| First downs | 23 | 19 |
| Total yards | 219 | 376 |
| Rushing yards | 49 | 79 |
| Passing yards | 170 | 297 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 35:39 | 24:21 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Knoxville | Passing | Darell Williams | 18/37, 165 yards, INT |
| Knoxville | Rushing | Miles | 15 rushes, 48 yards |
| Knoxville | Receiving | Terrell Bellamy | 6 receptions, 46 yards |
| Valdosta State | Passing | Chris Hatcher | 19/36, 291 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT |
| Valdosta State | Rushing | Dominique Ross | 16 rushes, 135 yards, 2 TD |
| Valdosta State | Receiving | Robert Williams | 6 receptions, 120 yards, 2 TD |

### At No. 6 (I-AA) UCF

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 17 Blazers | 0 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
| No. 6 (I-AA) Golden Knights | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Statistics
| Statistics | VSU | UCF |
| First downs | 20 | 28 |
| Total yards | 402 | 360 |
| Rushing yards | 124 | 125 |
| Passing yards | 278 | 235 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 31:33 | 28:27 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Valdosta State | Passing | Chris Hatcher | 26/34, 278 yards, 2 TD |
| Valdosta State | Rushing | Dominique Ross | 31 rushes, 102 yards, TD |
| Valdosta State | Receiving | Steve Greer | 7 receptions, 79 yards |
| UCF | Passing | Darin Hinshaw | 25/40, 235 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| UCF | Rushing | Marquette Smith | 10 rushes, 46 yards |
| UCF | Receiving | David Rhodes | 8 receptions, 103 yards, TD |

### No. 16 Fort Valley State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 16 Wildcats | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| No. 10 Blazers | 21 | 30 | 7 | 0 | 58 |
Statistics
| Statistics | FVSU | VSU |
| First downs | 9 | 33 |
| Total yards | 215 | 599 |
| Rushing yards | 66 | 199 |
| Passing yards | 149 | 400 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 31:01 | 28:59 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Fort Valley State | Passing | Richard Smith | 5/15, 138 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Fort Valley State | Rushing | Caden Owens | 8 rushes, 36 yards |
| Fort Valley State | Receiving | James Reddick | 2 receptions, 65 yards |
| Valdosta State | Passing | Chris Hatcher | 24/31, 317 yards, 5 TD |
| Valdosta State | Rushing | Dominique Ross | 15 rushes, 113 yards, 3 TD |
| Valdosta State | Receiving | Stanley Flanders | 8 receptions, 155 yards, 4 TD |

### Clark Atlanta

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| No. 7 Blazers | 21 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 63 |
Statistics
| Statistics | CAU | VSU |
| First downs | 11 | 24 |
| Total yards | 177 | 417 |
| Rushing yards | -15 | 101 |
| Passing yards | 192 | 316 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 30:40 | 29:20 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Clark Atlanta | Passing | Darius Jones | 8/23, 105 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Clark Atlanta | Rushing | Ryan | 13 rushes, 25 yards |
| Clark Atlanta | Receiving | Barnes | 4 receptions, 56 yards |
| Valdosta State | Passing | Chris Hatcher | 28/37, 267 yards, 7 TD |
| Valdosta State | Rushing | Dominique Ross | 11 rushes, 135 yards, TD |
| Valdosta State | Receiving | Robert Williams | 7 receptions, 53 yards, 3 TD |

### At Livingston

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 5 Blazers | 28 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 63 |
| Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Statistics
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Valdosta State | Passing |
| Valdosta State | Rushing |
| Valdosta State | Receiving |
| Livingston | Passing |
| Livingston | Rushing |
| Livingston | Receiving |

### No. 5 New Haven

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 5 Chargers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| No. 3 Blazers | 0 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 38 |
Statistics
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| New Haven | Passing |
| New Haven | Rushing |
| New Haven | Receiving |
| Valdosta State | Passing |
| Valdosta State | Rushing |
| Valdosta State | Receiving |

### No. 15 West Georgia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 15 Braves | 13 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 33 |
| No. 3 Blazers | 0 | 14 | 14 | 21 | 49 |
Statistics
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| West Georgia | Passing |
| West Georgia | Rushing |
| West Georgia | Receiving |
| Valdosta State | Passing |
| Valdosta State | Rushing |
| Valdosta State | Receiving |

### At Mississippi College

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 3 Blazers | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| Choctaws | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Statistics
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Valdosta State | Passing |
| Valdosta State | Rushing |
| Valdosta State | Receiving |
| Mississippi College | Passing |
| Mississippi College | Rushing |
| Mississippi College | Receiving |

### Delta State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Statesmen | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 10 |
| No. 3 Blazers | 27 | 16 | 14 | 0 | 57 |
Statistics
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Delta State | Passing |
| Delta State | Rushing |
| Delta State | Receiving |
| Valdosta State | Passing |
| Valdosta State | Rushing |
| Valdosta State | Receiving |

### At No. 1 North Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 Blazers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| No. 1 Lions | 10 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 38 |
Statistics
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Valdosta State | Passing |
| Valdosta State | Rushing |
| Valdosta State | Receiving |
| North Alabama | Passing |
| North Alabama | Rushing |
| North Alabama | Receiving |

### Henderson State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Reddies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| No. 6 Blazers | 21 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 49 |
Statistics
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Henderson State | Passing |
| Henderson State | Rushing |
| Henderson State | Receiving |
| Valdosta State | Passing |
| Valdosta State | Rushing |
| Valdosta State | Receiving |

### No. 11 Albany State (NCAA Division II First Round)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 11 Golden Rams | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| No. 6 Blazers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Statistics
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Albany State | Passing |
| Albany State | Rushing |
| Albany State | Receiving |
| Valdosta State | Passing |
| Valdosta State | Rushing |
| Valdosta State | Receiving |

### At No. 1 North Alabama (NCAA Division II Quarterfinals)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| No. 6 Blazers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| No. 1 Lions | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
Statistics
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Valdosta State | Passing |
| Valdosta State | Rushing |
| Valdosta State | Receiving |
| North Alabama | Passing |
| North Alabama | Rushing |
| North Alabama | Receiving |

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Final |
| DII FCP | 18 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 |