No. 2 Delta St. headlines first weekend

Aug. 27 — 6 p.m. ET: Virginia Union Panthers at St. Augustine’s Falcons   

Aug. 27 — 7 p.m. ET: Elizabeth City State Vikings at No. 2 Delta State Statesmen

Triplett

DSU

Ixavier Triplett
Delta State
Sophomore
Linebacker

Key Notes: Triplett returns after a stellar first season on the field for the Statesmen, when he was named the Gulf South Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year. He earned second-team all-region honors as well after ranking second on the the team with 100 tackles and adding 12.0 tackles for loss. He also had 2.0 sacks, forced four fumbles and had an interception. 

Other Players to Watch this Weekend:  Micah Davis, Delta State (Sr., QB), Dominique Davenport, Delta State (Sr., CB), Jamain Smith, St. Augustine’s (Sr., WR), Tyron Laughinghouse, St. Augustine’s (Jr., WR/KR).

• Delta State is in unfamiliar territory. The second-ranked Statesmen are opening the season at home for the first time in five years and just the third time since 2000. Elizabeth City State will be the first Division II opponent in a season opener for DSU since 1993.

• St. Augustine’s has high hopes for 2011 after ending last season in record-setting fashion. The Falcons posted a 9-2 record — its most wins in school history — and added a Pioneer Bowl title.

• Only four games are on tap for this weekend in all of college football, and all four are at the Division II level. Along with Virginia Union at St. Augustine’s and Elizabeth City State at No. 2 Delta State, William Jewel and Northeastern State will each play NAIA opponents on Saturday. The rest of Division II gets under way next weekend on Sept. 3, including top-ranked Minnesota-Duluth facing No. 8 Augustana (S.D.) in one of the top early season matchups.