MCKINNEY, TX. (WALB) – Full of emotion, Valdosta State head football coach Tremaine Jackson asked a rhetorical question after the Blazers’ 10th win capped an undefeated regular season.

“Who would have thought that we could go 10-0 this season, after going through a hurricane, after being displaced, after sheltering on someone else’s campus, who would have thought?”

Here we are three months later and the Blazers still have an unblemished national championship record. To this point in the 2024 season, their biggest test has come off the field.

“We had no power, I was out there grilling like eggs. I’m talking about making breakfast on the grill. I’ve never done anything like that before,” said Larry Elder.

The eye of Hurricane Helene passed directly over Valdosta. Wind gusts reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour, destroying homes and businesses and causing damage to school grounds. The storm’s aftermath led to the cancellation of a major conference game against West Alabama. The Blazers packed up and headed to Atlanta. The team was housed at Georgia State University and held team practices at Georgia Tech.

“When people talk about resiliency and tell me we didn’t face a lot of adversity in a game, I just think back to those moments and the time we had to leave Valdosta and be together. We know we are a resilient group,” Jackson said.

This resilience is just one of the many qualities that make a championship team. Coach Jackson and his boys face the ultimate test this Saturday when they take on Ferris State at McKinney ISD Stadium this Saturday.

Do you have a news tip or see an error that needs to be corrected? Let us know. Please include the title of the article in your message.

To stay up to date with the latest news, follow WALB on Facebook And X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news download the WALB News app Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2024 WALB. All rights reserved.