For the second game in a row, the Valdosta State football team led 24-0 before the fourth quarter. But this time, the Blazers were able to hold on for the win.

Nine days after falling to Delta State 35-31, VSU defeated West Alabama 37-0 in Livingston, Ala. The Blazers dominated from early on and kept up the pressure until the final minutes. VSU handed the Tigers their first shutout of the season.

The Blazers led 24-0 at half and continued to hold the Tigers’ option offense, while progressing its own offense in the second half.

The Valdosta State football team got off to a solid start against West Alabama in the first half, marching up and down the field, even mixing in some I formation.

VSU ran out to a 24-0 halftime lead by playing possession football, eating time off the clock.

The Blazers started the scoring on a dominating drive after halting West Alabama. VSU took the Tigers’ punt from its own 14-yard line and used 10 runs in 14 plays to march 86 yards in 6:30.

The final play of VSU’s longest-lasting drive of the season was a 3-yard run by quarterback Willie Copeland.

The Tigers also had success running the ball, especially from freshman quarterback Terry Allen. Allen, however, had a miscue early when he pitched the ball right into the hands of VSU defensive back Greg Petty.

On the Blazers’ ensuing drive, senior running back Michael Terry’s had a 41-yard run, down inside the 10. Terry got the handoff again near the goal line, and marched into the end zone, lifting VSU to a 14-0 lead after a four-play, 54-yard drive.

After Zac Williams hit a 22-yard field goal for the Blazers, VSU’s defense held West Alabama to limited yards, and then the Blazers’ offense showed its explosiveness.

For most of the first half, VSU was attacking a smaller defensive line for the Tigers by running the ball, amassing 128 first-half rushing yards.

For the Blazers’ third touchdown, they didn’t need to put the ball on the ground. Copeland tossed a pass to Josh Raham, who took it up field, running for a 51-yard touchdown.

VSU started the second half, the way it ended the first, aggressively.

On their first drive of the second half, VSU used over three minutes of time to waltz 70 yards for a touchdown. Copeland found fellow senior Jeffrey Felton for a 32-yard touchdown reception, bringing the score to 30-0 after a blocked extra point.

A couple of drives later, the Blazers were halted within the Tigers 5-yard line on two handoffs to Michael Terry, and VSU went for it on fourth-and-1.