MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Jamaal Clark secured the Valdosta State football team its fifth-straight victory of the season Saturday, against a Southern Arkansas team that refused to let the game go.

VSU avoided its first loss of the season at Wilkins Stadium, defeating Southern Arkansas, 33-21.

Clark, the Blazers’ sophomore linebacker, came up with two big defensive plays in the fourth quarter, preventing the Muleriders from taking over the lead.

After the Blazers (5-0, 3-0 in the Gulf South Conference) took a 27-7 lead into the fourth quarter, the Muleriders (2-4, 1-3), took over the momentum, scoring up 14 unanswered points.

The Blazers’ offense, which struggled throughout the game, almost gave up the lead in the fourth quarter when Thomas Arnold fumbled the ball on the Muleriders’ 47-yard line with 6:21 left in the game.

Southern Arkansas took over, and moved 25 yards down the field, within striking distance of the goal line.

On third down, Clark made his first overtime-preventing play, recovering a fumble on the Blazers’ 22-yard line with 4:14 left to play and putting the Blazers out of reach.

“We went on defense close to the goal line, and I told the defense we can’t let them score,” Clark said. “We had to bow our necks and get a turnover.”

The Blazers got their turnover, and VSU’s offense took over, looking to close out the game, but couldn’t come up with the needed yards to keep possession. The Blazers would go for it on fourth down on the 41-yard line, but would turn the ball over on a fumble.

Valdosta State had difficulty holding on to the ball throughout the contest. The Muleriders maintained possession of the ball for 34:51, compared to VSU’s 25:09.

The Blazers’ offense has sputtered throughout the first half of their two previous games, and their struggles extended throughout the entire contest Saturday. VSU, averaging 479 yards per game this season, tallied 311 yards Saturday, and struggled late.

Southern Arkansas regained possession with 2:13 left, needing a touchdown to tie. The Muleriders put together a second straight promising drive, but Clark and the Blazers’ defense again refused to lose.

This time, Clark picked off SAU quarterback Josh SanFilippo on first down from the Blazers’ 40, and took it back for the score.

Clark’s 45-yard interception return was the second defensive score of the game for the Blazers, and was the key to the win.

“I told them a turnover will win this game for us, somebody’s got to make a play,” Clark said. “They went into the flats, and I broke on it. I saw nothing but green, and I took off.”