MONTICELLO, Ark. — Despite possible worries following Valdosta State’s big win against North Alabama a week ago, the only hangover the Blazers experienced Saturday was from the whiplash of seeing Zac Williams’ extra points clear the uprights.

The Blazers traveled to Arkansas-Monticello and routed the Boll Weevils 63-28 Saturday night in their second-to-last game of the regular season.

VSU (8-1, 6-1 in the Gulf South Conference) traveled to Monticello to face a team that averaged a Gulf South Conference-best 476.8 yards of total offense, and held the Boll Weevils (4-6, 3-4) to 126 yards under their average.

While the Boll Weevils’ offense didn’t live up to its reputation, the Blazers’ certainly lived up to theirs.

VSU put up 541 yards of total offense, including the biggest night of Willie Copeland’s senior season. The senior quarterback, whose previous high this season was 283 yards against Southern Arkansas on Oct. 6, threw for 294 yards, completing 19-of-27 passes against the Boll Weevils.

While Copeland’s game was impressive, his first half was terrific. Not only did his four touchdown passes tie current VSU assistant coaches Buster Faulkner and Barrett Wilkes for fifth on the all-time list with 44 (a spot he would take sole possession of in the third quarter with two more TD tosses), but his 252 yards in the first half were 12 more than his average yardage this season.

“I thought Willie played very well,” Valdosta State head coach David Dean said. “He made good decisions. I think he’s starting to play his best football of the year. If we’re going to make a playoff run, we’re going to need him to get hot.”

The Blazers’ 355 passing yards were their most of the season, with 321 yards through the air at Fort Valley being the previous high.

The outpouring of yards was well spread throughout his receiving corps. Four players had at least 50 yards receiving. Senior Jeffrey Felton led the way with four catches for 84 yards, followed by 61 yards on three catches from Travis Taylor, 58 yards on four catches by Cedric Jones and 50 yards on two catches from Zach Parker.

The first quarter lived up to the game’s billing as a battle of top-flight offenses, with both teams combining for 271 yards in 15 minutes. The yards were coming so frequently that the first punt didn’t come until 1:29 left in the first on a kick by Anthony Stanford of UAM.

The punt came after three touchdowns by VSU and two by the Boll Weevils.

Valdosta State started the scoring early, needing just two plays to get on the board. After a pass interference call on Arkansas-Monticello, and a 7-yard pass from Copeland to Ronnye Nelson, the Blazers ran a screen pass to get them into the end zone. Copeland tossed a short pass to the right side to Felton, who was escorted by blockers 37 yards into the end zone, giving the Blazers a 7-0 lead.

The Boll Weevils, boasting the GSC’s No. 1 offense, were not to be outdone. On next drive, UAM answered, with help from Blazers’ penalties. VSU committed 27 yards of penalties, assisting on an 86-yard, eight-play drive, which was finished by Lindsey Spinks on a 3-yard run.

“The first of the game, it was a little scary, because they came out and did just what they showed on film,” Dean said. “They’re a real powerful offense, a good offense, and they’re well-coached.”

On the next set of downs, Copeland threw a 17-yard pass to Cedric Jones for the third part of the answer-that session with the Boll Weevils, as the clock ticked down to 9:24 in the first quarter.