No. 3 Argos prepare for rematch against No.2 Delta State in regional quarterfinals
The University of West Florida football team is ready to hit the road and face the only team to hand it a loss this season.
The Argos play Gulf South Conference rival Delta State in a NCAA Division II regional quarterfinal at 1:30 p.m. Saturday from Parker Field at McCool Stadium in Cleveland, Miss..
UWF is the No. 3 seed in Super Region II while the Statesmen are seeded second. The two teams shared GSC regular season title after each posted a 6-1 mark in conference play. West Florida has an 10-1 record overall, with Delta State (11-1) to blame for that one blemish.
In their conference opener, the Argos suffered an excruciating 45-42 double overtime loss on Sept. 24 at Pen Air Field. They have since bounced back with seven straight wins and now have a chance to avenge that defeat, though it won't be simple.
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Statesmen quarterback Patrick Shegog had easily one of his best games of the season during that late September contest. The graduate senior went 19-for-36 passing with 294 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 14 carries and 82 yards and a score on the ground.
Shegog went on to be the GSC's Offensive Player of the Year and Statesmen head coach Todd Cooley claimed GSC's Coach of the Year award.
The Argos defense has been much improved following the loss. They held Mississippi College and its' conference-leading rushing attack below its season average in two meetings this season. West Florida held West Georgia to their second-lowest scoring game of the season.
"It's not who we play, but how we play," said UWF linebacker Willie Jordan.
Here's three items heading into Saturday's region semifinal:
History on Argos' side
West Florida is set to face a GSC team for the fourth time in four postseason trips. The team swept West Georgia and West Alabama in 2017. Then, it moved past Valdosta State in 2019 en route to winning the national championship.
The Argos are hoping that same luck will be on their side, as this will be the second time they have to face a conference team in the postseason that beat them in the regular season.
"When we lost to them (Delta State), we had a feeling we would play them again. We knew we had to play our best football to see them again and now we are here," Argos head coach Pete Shinnick said.
Defense win championships
The Argos' offense has been at their best over the last few weeks especially when they are running the football. As the old saying goes though, 'defense wins championships.' Their defense has answered that call over the last two games.
UWF has allowed an average of 20 points over its last two games, including only 19 total points in their home playoffs' win last week against Limestone. The team also closed out the season with only giving up 21 points or less in three of its final six games.
"We have played against a lot of good offenses this season. Who we are playing doesn't determine the level of intensity we bring on defense," Jordan said.
The Argos' defense has had a 'business as usual' approach, with every player laser focused on Delta State since advancing last week.
Protect the football
West Florida lost the turnover battle 4-0 in the first matchup, including two red zone fumbles. The Statesmen quickly turned those turnovers into points.
As well as the Statesmen' defense played, their offense was gifted field position twice inside of UWF's 20-yard line.
The Argos' offense must avoid putting their defense in bad circumstances with turnovers and turnovers in unlikely spots on the field.
They did almost everything right in the first matchup to win the game by outgaining them in total yards 662-423, dominated time of possession (39 minutes, 47 seconds), but turnovers cost them a perfect regular season.
Greg Hollis is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at ghollis@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: UWF Football: Argos prepare for rematch against Delta State in regional quarterfinals
