FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Wildcats are ready for their most revered game on their schedule on Saturday afternoon.

Fort Valley State makes the trek to Columbus, Ga., for the 34^th edition of the Fountain City Classic against Albany State. The annual Blue and Gold rivalry game will kick off at 2 p.m.

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FVSU (6-3/6-1 SIAC) vs. Albany State (5-4/5-2 SIAC)
Sat., Nov. 9, 2 p.m.
A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ga.
Tickets
ESPN+
FVSU Stats

ASU Stats
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FVSU vs. Albany State – 80h Meeting
     For the 80th time, FVSU and Albany State meet on the gridiron. After the Wildcats led the series, the Golden Rams have taken a slim series lead, 39-37-3, with four wins in the last five meetings.     
     Last 13 Scores:
      2023 – ASU 13, FVSU 7
      2022 – FVSU 31, ASU 21
      2021 – ASU 57, FVSU 0
      2019 – ASU 42, FVSU 6
      2018 – ASU 40, FVSU 6
      2017 – ASU 34, FVSU 9
      2016 – FVSU 21, ASU 17
      2015 – ASU 21, FVSU 17
      2014 – ASU 32, FVSU 21
      2013 – ASU 19, FVSU 10
      2012 – FVSU 38, ASU 20
      2011 – ASU 38, FVSU 29
      2010 – ASU 12, FVSU 7
 
Gibbs Aims for Second Victory over ASU
      After coaching his first 30 games at the helm, FVSU Head Coach Shawn Gibbs has 22-8 record and holds a .733 winning percentage.

Gibbs aims to for his second successful trip to Columbus in his third time there. His first time leading FVSU in the Fountain City Classic it was as the visiting team where his team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 31-21 victory. He aims to go back above .500 with another win along the visiting sidelines.

Fountain City Classic Holds Both Teams SIAC Championship Future
      Another year and another Fountain City Classic holding the ticket to the SIAC Championship contest.

Last fall, ASU upset FVSU in a close game and earned the number two spot in the SIAC Championship against eventual champion Benedict College.

Saturday will be no different. The FVSU-ASU rivalry doesn't need any more incentive than it already has, but for the second year in a row it will.
With a win, FVSU will keep its No. 2 SIAC spot and earn its place in next weekend's Conference title contest.

A Golden Ram win on Saturday will not automatically get them in the title tilt. ASU will also need both Tuskegee (which plays Miles College) and Clark Atlanta (which plays Morehouse College) to both lose.

No. 1 Miles College has already clinched the top position and will host the Championship next Saturday, Nov. 16.
 

FVSU Stays at No. 7 in HBCU D2 Coaches Poll

HBCU Football D2 Poll: Virginia Union is the new No. 1; JCSU handed first loss, falls to No. 2

D2 Poll Week 10 notes:

• Virginia Union is the new No. 1 and received the majority of the first place votes (13)

• Johnson C. Smith loses for the first time this year to Fayetteville State, falls to No. 2

• No. 3 Miles received one first place vote and has locked up a berth in the SIAC championship game

• No. 4 Clark Atlanta, No. 7 Fort Valley State, No. 9 Albany State, and No. 10 Tuskegee all are in contention. Here are the scenarios to the SIAC championship game

• VUU has clinched a spot in the CIAA championship game. No. 2 JCSU and No. 6 VSU are still alive for championship game spot. Here are the CIAA scenarios

• No. 8 West Virginia State is still in contention for a share of the MEC championship

In its third year, the HBCU Division II Coaches Poll is administered by BOXTOROW, and is voted on by the HBCU NCAA Division II coaches.

2024 HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW
Week 10
(Records through November 2, 2024)

Others receiving: Shaw (6-4) 16, Fayetteville State (4-4) 9, Savannah State (5-4) 6, Livingstone (5-4) 1.

(1st place votes in parentheses)

Gibbs and Duncan Garner SIAC Football Weekly Honors

ATLANTA, Ga. – The Wildcats added two honors today. With its winning effort last Saturday afternoon, Fort Valley State's Daniel Gibbs and Dray Duncan garnered Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Special Teams and Newcomer of the Week announce Tuesday.

Both Gibbs and Duncan helped FVSU claim a 44-20 victory over Benedict College for the first time in three years. The Wildcat win also kept the team's hopes for securing a spot in the SIAC Championship game a reality.

Handling the kicking duties, Gibbs went 5 for 5 in the first half on point after attempts, before he was the team's offense in the second 30 minutes of play. The senior from Warner Robins, Ga., booted a 46-yard field goal and he followed with two more field goals of 32 and 20 yards for a total of 14 points of the team's total.

On the defense, Duncan topped the FVSU tacklers with seven as he was part of a unit, which held its opponent for a fifth time in nine game to negative rushing yards at -1 yard on 21 attempts. The freshman from Columbus, Ga., also broke up two passes as the BlueDeath Defense held the Tigers to only 213 yards of total offense.

For the year, Gibbs has booted 42 of 44 point after attempts and hit 6 of 7 field goals with the only miss being a block. Duncan has totaled 16 solo tackles, 20 overall, with an interception and five pass breakups.
 

2023 FCC: Wildcats Tough Final Three Minutes Gives Golden Rams Fountain City Classic Win

COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Wildcats were having their way with their biggest rival for the entire third quarter and the first half of the final frame, but they had no points to show for it on the scoreboard. Fort Valley State's tough final three minutes gave rival Albany State the late 13-7 victory in the 33rd Annual Fountain City Classic.

In the scoreless late second quarter, Kelvin Durham threw a high-arcing pass down the middle where Corintheus Edmonds gathered it in and stepped into the paydirt for the final paces of the 43-yard touchdown with 36 seconds for what would be a FVSU 7-0 halftime lead.
 
The Wildcat third-quarter effort came up empty on all accounts. After a partially blocked punt on the first ASU possession and an interception on the second, FVSU could not make it a two-score margin as two field goals were called wide from 40 and 37 yards. The Wildcats could not take advantage of another two interceptions of the next three Golden Ram times with the ball as a third field goal attempt was blocked to keep it 7-0 with 10:50 to play.
 
After an ASU punt was downed at the FVSU 5-yardline, the Golden Rams picked off a Durham pass at 13-yardline. On the fourth play ensuing, Jhaydon Sullivan was pushed into the endzone to tie the contest, 7-7, with 4:09 left.
 
On the second FVSU play from its own 11-yardline, Durham was picked off a second time to the 3-yardline. Sullivan scrambled but found room to the left end and put the Golden Rams ahead, 13-7, with 1:27 to go.
 
FVSU worked the ball to the ASU 39-yardline, but no laundry was thrown down the field on 4th-and-4 as Za'Tarious Anderson was interfered with to result in a turnover on downs.
 
FVSU completed its second winning season in as many tries under second-year head coach Shawn Gibbs with a final 7-3 record and 6-2 finish in the SIAC contests.
 
The two SIAC rivals were even on the stats line all afternoon. ASU outgained FVSU, 226-212, but ran eight more plays on the day.
 
Offensively, Durham finished 16 of 32 for 177 yards with the 43-yard score and two interceptions. Edmonds pulled in five of those completions for 82 yards and Anderson four for 54 yards. Brandon Marshall found the sledding tough as he finished with 49 yards rushing on 20 carries and five catches for 36 yards.
 
Jadyn Walker paced the FVSU defense with 10 tackles. Tim Alderman was named the FVSU MVP for the game as he recorded six tackles with two sacks for 12 yards. Kamari Blankumsee and DeMarcus Harris each chipped in seven stops. Daymon Polite, Darnell Stephens and Landon Austin picked off ASU passes.

FVSU Last Weekend: Wildcats Dominate First Half, Ride Sparks Past Tigers
FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Wildcats took away any doubt early Saturday afternoon. Fort Valley State had a three-score Sparks and rode a dominate first-half performance past Benedict College in a 44-20 football victory.

After an initial punt on the first possession, the Kelvin Durham to Gentry Sparks combination took over the scoreboard. The FVSU quarterback and tight end connected on 12 and 13-yard scoring strikes in the first half and a third one from nine yards midway through the second for a 21-0 lead.

The BlueDeath Defense did not budge in the first 30 minutes as it forced six punts and a turnover on downs, while the home offense added another two scores in the final 3:38 of the second quarter to end a 35-0 dominating first half and rode it the rest of the way.

With the victory, FVSU improved to 6-3 and sealed it third winning season in three years under head coach Shawn Gibbs. The Wildcats also went to 6-1 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and stayed in second place behind only Miles College (7-0). Benedict fell to 3-6 overall and 3-4 in the Conference.

Brandon Marshall had his way running the ball with 160 yards on 26 carries for a 6.2-yard per carry average and a 3-yard scoring plunge. He also pulled in a 12-yard pass. Jamal Sanders added 71 yards on four carries and the sophomore caught a 29-yard touchdown pass.

Durham connected on 10 of 19 pass attempts for 182 yards with four touchdowns. He connected with Sparks for the three touchdown passes covering 34 yards. Dejuan Bell hauled in three balls for 77 yards and returned three punts for 57 yards. Jamie Hampton added two receptions for 30 yards.

For the fifth time in nine games, the BlueDeath Defense held its opposition to negative rushing yards with -1 on 21 rush attempts. The Wildcat defense gave up only 213 yards of total offense on 54 plays compared to the home team's 455 yards, including 273 yards on the ground, on 70 plays from scrimmage.

Defensive back Dray Duncan led the FVSU defense with seven tackles and two pass breakups. Jaydn Walker contributed five stops, one for a loss and a sack, while Malik Harp added four tackles and one for a loss. Amaury Hutchinson also had four tackles.

Josh Burney and Cedric Hillsman both sacked the Benedict quarterback once with two tackles for loss apiece. Adeon Farmer added a sack and two tackles for loss, while DJ Wilson rounded out the linemen with 1.5 sacks.

ASU Last Weekend: Savannah State Holds Home Field in Win over ASU

SAVANNAH, Ga. – After a touchdown with 3:20 left in the game, ASU pulled to within two points of Savannah State. The Tigers could not move the ball on the ensuing three plays and punted the ball. The home team was forced to punt the ball again after a Golden Ram illegal formation call. The ASU punt return muffed the second punt and Savannah State recovered and sealed the 28-26 win.

Quarterback Isaiah Knowles passed for 291 yards on 19 of 37 passes for four touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. His pass to Tiant Wyche gave ASU a late chance for the win. Wyche ran the ball 15 times for 75 yards and a score and pulled in four passes for 43 yards and the 30-yard late TD. Andrew Ruffin led the ASU defense with seven tackles.

Wildcats vs. Golden Rams
 

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