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LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Week 5 of the 2023 season kicks off from Tiger Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as the University of West Alabama football team will welcome No. 8/6 Delta State University for Hall of Fame Weekend. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.

It is also Hall of Fame Weekend on campus, as we celebrate James Buonocore, Tyreek Hill, Deon Lacey and the 2023 Women's Rodeo National Championship Team as the latest inductees into the hall. Join us at approximately 3:35 p.m. inside Tiger Stadium as we publicly honor the class. 

Live coverage is provided on our website, uwaathletics.com/live with links for live video, live audio and more.

FloSports and FloFootball will be the exclusive home for all GSC football games during the 2023 season. Fans can subscribe to the streaming service at a special GSC discounted rate, and subscriptions are able to be canceled at anytime. For more information or to signup, click here.

For each game during the 2023 season, SLYROCK 104.9 FM will be providing an audio-only opportunity for fans. Will Atkinson will provide the play-by-play duties. Fans can click on the link to the right or download the SLYROCK app to listen on your mobile device.  

PREVIEWING THE STATESMEN
With a 4-0 start to the season, the defending GSC Champions in the 2022 season and the preseason favorites in 2023 have lived up to the expectations as we near the midway point of the season. DSU is ranked in the top-10 in both national polls for Division II: eighth in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) listing and sixth in D2football.com's publication. 

One of the top offenses in Division II, averaging just over 500 yards of total offense per game, and leading the charge is the quarterback Patrick Shegog, who captured Offensive Player of the Week honors with D2football.com, throwing for 218 yards and five scores. Nearly what Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa did to the Denver Broncos the next day, Shegog completed 15 passes in just 19 attempts. 

DELTA STATE SERIES HISTORY
After knocking off Mississippi College in the 50th meeting in that particular series, Delta State will raise that by 20, as the Tigers and Statesmen will play for the 70th time on the gridiron on Hall of Fame Weekend.

DSU and UWA's history go way back to before World War II. In 1940, neither the Tigers or the Statesmen could find the endzone, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw. 

Following the Second World War, UWA and DSU played again in 1946, with the Tigers blanking the Statesmen for the second straight meeting, 14-0. They followed that up with another shutout in 1947 with a 7-0 result as West Alabama went 4-1-1 against Delta State in the first six meetings. 

The two remaining charter members of the Gulf South Conference, the league was established in 1970, but scheduling logistics only allowed just football to create a schedule during the 1970-71 academic year. 

The four departed teams, Jacksonville State, North Alabama, Tennessee Martin and Troy have all moved on to NCAA Division I.


350...BAGGED
West Alabama's 350th win in program history came in dramatic fashion, as the Tigers dropped the Choctaws of Mississippi College on Sept. 23. UWA started football in 1938 and is 350-447-14 in 82-plus seasons of football. 

UWA's first victory came in 1938, when the Tigers turned away the Gamecocks of Jacksonville State by a 7-0 decision.

The Tigers' 300th win came against Delta State at home in 2016 with a 54-42 score. 


GSC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK TIMES TWO
Announced on Monday by the Gulf South Conference, senior punter Trey Sullivan has been selected as the GSC Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season after his performance in West Alabama's 10-7 victory over Mississippi College. 

Sullivan averaged just under 40 yards a punt in his five attempts, pinning three inside the 20-yard-line. After his final punt of 44 yards with under 14 minutes to go in the third quarter, he was not summoned again for the evening, as UWA used a fourth quarter score to take the lead for good. 

So far in 2023, the New Wakefield, Ala. native has averaged 38.4 yards per punt on 27 attempts. 11 have been downed inside the 20-yard-line, which is the most in the GSC. 


STOPPING THE RUNNING GAME
West Alabama enters Week 5 of the season by allowing 103 yards for 43rd-best in the nation and third in the GSC, trailing West Florida and Valdosta State. 

Last week against the "Run-and-Gun" Choctaws, who was in the top-10 nationally in rushing offense, the Tigers held them to 109 yards. 

Saturday's game will not be an easy task. Delta State enters this weekend 14th in the country in rushing with 220.5 yards per game. In total offense, the Statesmen are fifth in the country with 503. 


"THE OFFICE" JOINS THE BOOTH
Joining Will Atkinson in the booth this week as a part of Hall of Fame Weekend is Kendrick Office, who was enshrined into the hall in 2017.

Office was a four-year starter at defensive end for UWA from 1997 to 2000, he was a three-time First All-GSC honoree. Totaling 239 career tackles, 20.5 sacks and 38 tackles for a loss in his career, Office played two seasons with the NFL's Buffalo Bills. During his time in the league, the Butler, Alabama native posted 28 stops with three sacks. He also played in the Arena Football League at San Jose and was a part of an Arena Bowl Championship in 2007. 

Graduating with a bachelor's degree in sports management, Office has returned closer to home as an assistant football coach at Demopolis High School and serves as a physical education teacher at Demopolis Middle.