Valdosta State 20, Albany State 16

September 2, 2006

        Valdosta State University quarterback Willie Copeland passed 9 yards to Derek Tharpe with 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give the Blazers a 20-16 victory over Albany State University’s Rams before more than 11,000 fans at ASU’s Albany Municipal Coliseum Saturday.

        Copeland, who finished the night with 346 passing yards, also hit Tharpe on a 4-yard scoring toss as VSU won its season opener.

        Albany State kicker Matthew Hawthorne had given the Rams, who fell to 0-2 with the loss, a 16-13 lead with a 39-yard field goal at 4:15 in the final period, setting up the Copeland-to-Tharpe heroics. The Blazers drove 71 yards in 10 plays to score the decisive touchdown.

        The two Division II powers played tentatively in a scoreless first quarter during which Valdosta State kicker Chad Gallahan missed wide-left on field goal tries of 34 and 30 yards. The first miss followed an Albany State fumble at its own 18.

        At the 4:30 mark of the second period, ASU’s Eric Crosby picked off a Copeland pass and raced 32 yards for the game’s first score. Hawthorne’s PAT made it 7-0.

        The Blazers answered right back with a 66-yard scoring march just before halftime. Deon Williams capped the drive with a 1-yard plunge, and Gallahan's kick knotted the score. Big play on the drive was a 42-yard reception by Tharpe, who had eight catches for 106 yards on the night.

        ASU scored its first offensive touchdown of the season on its first possession of the second half, going 65 yards in nine plays. Quarterback Terrance Ransom passed 29 yards to Lamontray Williams for the score, but the extra-point kick was blocked.

        VSU drove 80 yards in 12 plays to tie the score at 13, but a missed PAT try left the score tied at 13 and set the stage for the late drama.

        The Blazers, who fumbled away a scoring chance inside the Albany State 5-yard line late in the second quarter after blocking a punt and had a wide-open receiver drop a touchdown pass early in the third period, finished the night with 454 yards total offense to ASU’s 216. Chad Bryant led VSU’s ground attack with 86 yards on six carries, while wideout Cedric Jones caught seven passes for 156 yards.

        Copeland’s 346 yards came on 29-of-48 passing.

        Jimtavis Walker’s 60 yards rushing on 19 carries led the Ram offense.

        Valdosta State, which is ranked No. 6 in the latest Division II poll, hosts Fort Valley State University next Saturday, while Albany State plays at Kentucky State University.