| West Florida (5-3, 3-2) vs. West Alabama (5-3, 5-1) |
| Date | Time |
Saturday, Oct. 29 | 12:00 p.m. CT |
| Location |
Pensacola, Fla. | Blue Wahoos Stadium | 351 Cedar Street, Pensacola, FL |
| Tickets |
Limited Standing Room Only |
| Live TV/Video |
Blab TV | Watch
Blab TV is available in Escambia, Santa Rosa & Okaloosa County in Florida; and Baldwin, Mobile & Escambia County in Alabama; and online at http://blabtv.com/watch-live/ |
| Live Audio |
WPNN 103.7 FM / 790 AM | Listen Online | Download Tune In app for mobile devices |
| Live Stats |
Stretch Internet Stats |
| Social Media |
UWF Athletics - Twitter: @GoArgos | IG: GoArgos | FB: GoArgos | #GoArgos
UWF Football - Twitter: @UWFFootball | IG: @UWFFootball | FB: UWFFootball |
| Game Day Timeline |
8:00 am: Maritime Park opens
8:30 am: Student transportation begins at UWF Commons
8:00 am: Argo Village & Argies Kids Zone opens (closes at 5:30 pm)
9:45 am: Argo Walk (on DeVilliers Street)
10:00 am: Autograph session with UWF sports teams (Argonaut Village)
10:00 am: Stadium gates open
12:00 pm: Kickoff |
TAILGATING GUIDELINES / MARITIME PARK INFO
* Records: UWF is 5-3 and 3-2 in GSC play following last week's 36-0 HC win over Shorter. UWA is 5-3 & 5-1, having won its last four games.
* Rankings: Neither team is ranked; UWA is receiving votes & No. 7 in the NCAA Division 2 Super Region 2 poll.
THE COACHES
UWF coach Pete Shinnick was hired as the first coach in program history on Feb. 6, 2014. He has a 108-49 career record in 14-plus years, which includes a 50-24 mark at UNC Pembroke from 2007-13 and 53-22 at Azusa Pacific from 1999-05.
UWA coach Brett Gilliland is in his third season at UWA after taking over for former coach Will Hall in 2013. The Pensacola native and Escambia HS grad is 17-13 at his alma mater, where he starred from 2000-03, finishing as the Tigers' single-season (3,213) and career passing yards (6,689) record holder. He started his coaching career at Georgia Tech (2006-09) and made stops at Georgia Southern (2010-12) and Kennesaw State (2013).
COMPARING THE TEAMS
West Alabama comes to Pensacola as the possibly the hottest team in the Gulf South Conference with a 5-3 overall record and a 5-1 league ledger. The Tigers have won their last four games following a 1-3 start and are receiving votes in the latest Division II AFCA Top 25 Poll.
UWF is 5-3 on the year and 3-2 in conference action. The Argos rank second in the country in passing offense with 384.1 yards per game and 24th in total offense with 480.1 yards per game. The defense has been able to get into the opponent's backfield with a good amount of success. It ranks third in the nation with 4.1 sacks per game and 24th with 8.4 tackles for loss per game. UWF is 3-1 in its last four games and has averaged 42.7 points per game in that time frame, which coincides with when head coach Pete Shinnick started growing a goatee.
UWF MAKING A SPLASH AT BLUE WAHOOS STADIUM
Ask anyone who has attended one of the three games at Blue Wahoos Stadium this season and they almost all have the same reaction – it's one of the most amazing atmosphere's in college athletics and definitely the most unique in Division 2. The Argos have fed off the energy created by three sellout crowds with three victories. UWF ranks 19th in the country in avg. att. (6,488) and 10th in stadium capacity (6,488 avg in a 6,288 stadium for a 103%).
FIVE GSC TEAMS IN FIRST NCAA SUPER REGION 2 RANKINGS
The NCAA released the first edition of the Division 2 Football Regional Rankings on Monday and five Gulf South Conference teams are represented.
1. NORTH ALABAMA 5-1
2. VALDOSTA STATE 6-1
3. Tuskegee 5-1
4. UNC Pembroke 7-1
5. Newberry 7-1
6. Wingate 7-1
7. WEST ALABAMA 5-2
8. WEST GEORGIA 5-3
9. FLORIDA TECH 5-2
10. North Greenville 4-3
TOUGH ROAD TO HOE
There's no denying that UWF's final three games are against three of the toughest opponents in the region – West Alabama, at North Alabama and at home against West Georgia. Those three teams have a combined record of 15-5 for a .750 winning percentage. That ranks as the eighth-toughest stretch in the country.
Nation's Toughest Final 3 Games
School Opp. Rec. Win. Pct
1. Central State 12-2 .857
2. Missouri Western 20-4 .833
3. Urbana 19-4 .826
4. Delta State 9-2 .818
5. Wayne State 19-5 .792
6. Fairmont State 18-5 .783
7. Seton Hill 19-6 .760
8. West Florida 15-5 .750
THIS WEEK IN THE GSC
West Georgia is looking for its second straight win, while Shorter continues to look for its first in a Peach State showdown. UWG defensive end Dylan Donahue is two sacks away from tying the GSC single-season record.
The top scoring defense in the league will square off with the top scoring offense in the league, as Delta State welcomes North Alabama Cleveland. DSU running back Chris Robinson is one touchdown away from tying the GSC single-season record.
Two regionally ranked teams will meet Saturday night in Melbourne, as Valdosta State will face Florida Tech in the GSC Game of the Week. FIT is looking for the first win in program history over VSU.
BLUE WAHOOS STADIUM PLAYING SURFACE GETS MAKEOVER
With the baseball season complete for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the UWF athletic department was able to move forward with its plans to sod the infield portion. The sod was purchased from Bent Oak Farm in Foley, Ala. and installed early last week. Bent Oak Farm also installed natural grass fields for Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Ariz. and the US Women's Soccer friendly against the Netherlands two weeks ago at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
The bleacher system along the south sideline was installed this week and features 250 seats in five sections, allowing for a stadium seating capacity of 6,288. The bleachers were installed by Seating Solutions. Additionally, the protective netting around the home plate and dugout areas was removed to allow for better sightlines.
