FORT VALLEY, Ga. – It will be Year Three of the Shawn Gibbs era starting this weekend. Fort Valley State kicks-off its 2024 gridiron campaign on Saturday afternoon when it hosts Clark Atlanta University.
For the first time in five years, the Wildcats open their season schedule at home this Saturday afternoon. FVSU welcomes Clark Atlanta in a 1 p.m. kick-off for the Military Appreciation at the Wildcat Stadium friend confines. The game will be broadcast live on HBCUGo.
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Clark Atlanta vs. FVSU
Sat., Aug. 31, 1 p.m.
Wildcat Stadium
(A Cashless facility)
Tickets/Parking/Tailgating
HBCUGo
2023 FVSU Stats
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First Season Opener at Home in Five Years
After kicking off each of the last three years in Montgomery, Ala., for the Red Tails Classic, the Wildcats take to the home turf this weekend.
FVSU's last home season opener came on Sept. 7 of 2019 when Miles College took away a 38-17 victory.
Wildcats vs. Panthers Open SIAC Slate
For the second year in a row, FVSU begins its counting SIAC contests against Clark Atlanta.
In the second game last fall, the Wildcats took away a 40-17 win in Atlanta over the Panthers in a Sept. 9 matchup.
FVSU vs. Clark Atlanta – 73rd Meeting
For the 74th time, FVSU takes on Clark Atlanta on the gridiron. The Wildcats have posted 53 victories in the first 73 meetings for a .753 winning percentage (53-16-4).
The Wildcats have claimed 10 of the last 12 meetings, including the last four of the series (40-17 in Atlanta last Sept. 9; 41-21 in Atlanta Oct. 22, 2022; 40-7 in Fort Valley on Oct. 23 of 2021 and a 34-27 close win on Oct. 26, 2019 in Atlanta).
FVSU won the last meeting in Fort Valley by the 40-7 score in 2023, but CAU last won in the series also in Fort Valley back in 2018 in a close 21-19 final tally.
Last 15 Scores:
2023 – FVSU 40, @CAU 17
2022 – FVSU 41. @CAU 21
2021 - @FVSU 40, CAU 7
2019 – FVSU 34, @CAU 27
2018 – CAU 21, @FVSU 19
2017 – FVSU 41, @CAU 24
2016 – @FVSU 37, CAU 31 3OT
2015 – FVSU 35, @CAU 13
2014 – @FVSU 19, CAU 18
2013 – FVSU 12, @CAU 9 2OT
2012 – @FVSU 26, CAU 3
2011 – @CAU 16, FVSU 11
2010 – FVSU 40, @CAU 16
2009 – CAU 30, @FVSU 24 2OT
2008 – FVSU 24, @CAU 19
Gibbs Leads Third Wildcat Edition
After winning seasons in each of the last two years directing the Wildcats, now third-year FVSU head coach Shawn Gibbs and his staff are back for year number three.
Gibbs' first two teams have both recorded eight victories and a solid 16-5 overall record in his first 21 contests for a .762 win rate.
Following an opening 8-2 season in 2022, Gibbs' Wildcats followed it up with another solid 8-3 campaign last year capped by a win over Johnson C. Smith in the Florida Beach Bowl.
Wildcats Picked 2nd in SIAC Presason Poll, Land 6 All-Conference Players
FVSU heads into the 2024 gridiron season picked second behind only Albany State in the SIAC Preseason Team Rankings.
Leading the Wildcats on the Preseason Teams, All-American punt and kick returner Dejuan Bell leads six, including his two return positions.
The SIAC leading rusher Brandon Marshall returns on the First Team along with kicker Daniel Gibbs
Defensively, sophomore Kamari Blankumsee is part of the First Team at Defensive Back. Linebacker Malik Harp rounds out the Wildcats on the Second Team for Linebacker.
Durham and Marshall Lead Wildcat Offensive Weapons
Quarterback Kelvin Durham and running back Brandon Marshall are set to again lead the FVSU offensive weapons.
After being slowed by a mid-season injury last year, Durham is set to lead the Wildcat offense for the third year in a row. The redshirt junior earned the 2022 SIAC Newcomer and Freshman of the Year. Durham's numbers went down a click last year due to his missing two games but he still passed for 1,832 yards on 131 of 232 pass attempts with 17 touchdowns and 203.6 yards per contest.
Durham will hand off again to Marshall. The graduate student led the SIAC with 958 rushing yards on 218 attempts with nine touchdowns at a 4.4-yard per attempt clip and 87.1 yards per game. He also pulled in 23 passes for another 180 yards and two scores.
Catching the passes, Za'tarious Anderson and Dejuan Bell return to lead the corps. Anderson grabbed 21 passes for 422 yards with four touchdowns. Bell hauled in 18 balls for 177 yards and one touchdown.
Bell also is even more dangerous in the return game with 29 kick-offs for 658 yards with one touchdown and ran back 16 punts for 152 yards.
Kicker Daniel Gibbs connected on 10 of 14 field goal attempts with a long of 50 yards and converted 41 of 42 extra-point attempts.
BlueDeath Defense Return Top Four Tacklers
The FVSU BlueDeath Defense will have its top four tacklers from a year ago to lead the way again in linebackers Malik Harp, Jaydn Walker and DeMarcus Harris along with defensive back Kamari Blankumsee.
Harp, a 2nd Team SIAC Preseason pick, led the unit with 70 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss with two interceptions. Walker was right behind him with 66 stops, seven tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions. Harris added 42 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
In the secondary, Blankumsee returns as a SIAC First Team pick as he registered 43 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions in his first college season.
Wildcats vs. Thorobreds in Two Weeks
The Wildcats will have a week off after Saturday's opener. Kentucky State comes to The Valley in two weeks for both teams' second games on Saturday, Sept. 14, in a 1 p.m. start time.
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