Mississippi Valley State is ready to move forward after getting through the toughest part of its schedule.
The Delta Devils are 0-4 overall, 0-1 in the SWAC after being outscored 158-23 in losses to North Dakota State, Southern Illinois, Grambling State and Charleston Southern.
“I don’t think anyone in our league has faced as tough a schedule as we have at this point. We feel like facing this kind of competition will pay off for us the rest of the way,” Valley coach Rick Comegy said.
The Delta Devils will get their first chance to prove their coach right Saturday, when they travel to Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-3, 1-1). Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
Valley is coming off a 58-7 loss to Charleston Southern in which it trailed just 10-7 at the half.
“It was a good start for us, but the second half was a real horror show. They stuck it in the end zone to open the second half and then quickly returned a punt for a score, and things began to snowball from there,” Comegy said. “We will take that first half and build on it now that we are in conference play the rest of the way.”
Considering Valley is averaging just 5.8 points a contest and giving up 55.8, UAPB coach Monte Coleman was asked if the Golden Lions might overlook the Delta Devils. His answer: “No, sir. Coach Comegy always has his guys ready to play. He is going through some trying times right now, but we’ve seen how well his team played in the first against a really, really good Charleston Southern team.”
UAPB is coming off a 27-14 loss to Alabama A&M in which the Golden Lions gave up a pick-6 on their third play and allowed nearly 300 passing yards.
“We’ve got to do better at protecting the ball. We are minus-10 in turnover margin, and I think Valley has also struggled in that area also,” Coleman said.
“This game could easily come down to the turnover battle.”
At minus-10, the Golden Lions rank last in the SWAC in turnover margin, with Valley next to last at -8.
