Wikipedia

Valdosta State–West Georgia football rivalry

The Valdosta State–West Georgia football rivalry, commonly known as the Battle for the Peach Basket, is a college football rivalry game between two public universities in the U.S. state of Georgia, the Valdosta State University Blazers and the University of West Georgia Wolves that compete for the Peach Basket. The current winner is Valdosta State, who won, 36–34, on October 30, 2021.[1] Valdosta State leads the all-time series, 28–14.[2][3][4]

The Valdosta State–West Georgia rivalry
Battle for the Peach Basket
Valdosta State Blazers
West Georgia Wolves
SportFootball
First meeting1983
Valdosta State 20, West Georgia 13
Latest meetingNovember 11, 2023
Valdota State 58, West Georgia 28
TrophyThe Peach Basket
Statistics
Meetings total43
All-time seriesValdosta State leads, 29–14
Longest win streakValdosta State, 9 (1983–1991)
Current win streakValdosta State, 1 (2023–Present)
Map
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150km
100miles
Valdosta State
.
West Georgia
Locations in Georgia

History

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The Blazers and Wolves played every year from 1983 to 2023 in the Gulf South Conference. The first two games in 1983 and 1984 were played at Memorial Stadium in Columbus.[5][6] Since then, the game has alternated between the respective campuses. The early series was dominated by Valdosta State with the Blazers winning 9 games in a row from 1983 to 1991. This was inverted in the 1990s, when West Georgia won 7 of the next 8 contests. From 2000 to 2013 the series was again dominated by the Blazers, with Valdosta State winning 12 of 14 matchups, as well as 3 national championships. The Blazers won again in the 2014 regular season, but were then upset by the Wolves in the playoff quarterfinals, beginning a stretch during which the Wolves won 4 out of 5.

West Georgia announced it would move to Division I, joining the Atlantic Sun Conference for non-football sports and the football-only The United effective July 1, 2024, thus ending the rivalry for the foreseeable future.

Game results

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Valdosta State victoriesWest Georgia victories
No.DateLocationWinning teamLosing team
1 October 22, 1983 Columbus[5] Valdosta State 20 West Georgia 13
2 October 20, 1984 Columbus[6] Valdosta State 20 West Georgia 13
3 October 26, 1985 Valdosta Valdosta State 49 West Georgia 12
4 October 25, 1986 Carrollton Valdosta State 41 West Georgia 26
5 October 24, 1987 Valdosta Valdosta State 49 West Georgia 14
6 October 15, 1988 Carrollton Valdosta State 17 West Georgia 14
7 October 14, 1989 Valdosta Valdosta State 34 West Georgia 16
8 October 13, 1990 Carrollton #13 Valdosta State 37 West Georgia 2
9 October 19, 1991 Valdosta Valdosta State 38 West Georgia 37
10 October 17, 1992 Carrollton West Georgia 42 Valdosta State 28
11 October 16, 1993 Carrollton West Georgia 23 #7 Valdosta State 16
12 October 15, 1994 Valdosta #3 Valdosta State 49 #15 West Georgia 33
13 November 11, 1995 Carrollton #17 West Georgia 44 Valdosta State 6
14 November 16, 1996 Valdosta #12 West Georgia 42 #5 Valdosta State 21
15 November 15, 1997 Carrollton #16 West Georgia 35 Valdosta State 21
16 November 14, 1998 Carrollton #18 West Georgia 26 Valdosta State 13
17 November 13, 1999 Valdosta West Georgia 23 Valdosta State 16
18 November 11, 2000 Carrollton #3 Valdosta State 45 #2 West Georgia 35
19 November 10, 2001 Valdosta #1 Valdosta State 31 #18 West Georgia 6
20 November 16, 2002 Carrollton #2 Valdosta State 19 West Georgia 3
21 November 15, 2003 Valdosta #5 Valdosta State 30 West Georgia 17
22 November 6, 2004 Carrollton #5 Valdosta State 35 West Georgia 12
No.DateLocationWinning teamLosing team
23 November 5, 2005 Valdosta West Georgia 29 #2 Valdosta State 15
24 November 9, 2006 Carrollton #16 Valdosta State 38 West Georgia 13
25 November 8, 2007 Valdosta #8 Valdosta State 35 West Georgia 10
26 October 30, 2008 Valdosta #14 Valdosta State 41 West Georgia 14
27 October 29, 2009 Carrollton Valdosta State 31 West Georgia 20
28 November 6, 2010 Valdosta #10 Valdosta State 31 West Georgia 13
29 October 29, 2011 Valdosta West Georgia 23 #17 Valdosta State 20
30 October 6, 2012 Carrollton Valdosta State 42 West Georgia 7
31 October 19, 2013 Carrollton #12 Valdosta State 35 West Georgia 30
32 October 11, 2014 Valdosta Valdosta State 40 West Georgia 6
33 December 5, 2014* Valdosta #25 West Georgia 31 #21 Valdosta State 17
34 October 10, 2015 Carrollton #2 West Georgia 49 #21 Valdosta State 28
35 November 28, 2015* Carrollton #7 West Georgia 27 #17 Valdosta State 20
36 October 8, 2016 Valdosta #25 Valdosta State 38 #12 West Georgia 27
37 October 7, 2017 Carrollton #25 West Georgia 42 Valdosta State 13
38 November 10, 2018 Valdosta #5 Valdosta State 47 #3 West Georgia 31
39 November 16, 2019 Carrollton #1 Valdosta State 42 West Georgia 14
40 October 30, 2021 Valdosta #2 Valdosta State 36 #3 West Georgia 34
41 November 27, 2021* Valdosta #5 Valdosta State 66 #13 West Georgia 35
42 October 22, 2022 Carrollton #25 West Georgia 54 Valdosta State 17
43 November 11, 2023 Valdosta #17 Valdosta State 58 West Georgia 28
Series: Valdosta State leads 29–14

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "No. 2 Blazers Hold Off No. 3 Wolves in Top Five Thriller, 36–34". Valdosta State Athletics. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  2. ^ "Football Weekly Preview: The West Georgia Game". Valdosta State University. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  3. ^ "Football Preview: The Valdosta State Game". University of West Georgia. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  4. ^ "Wolves Hit the Road to Take on Rival Blazers". The West Georgian. October 8, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  5. ^ a b "1983 Valdosta State football program, pg.40" (PDF).
  6. ^ a b "1984 Valdosta State football program, pg.24" (PDF).
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