By: Dionte Daniel, Spectator Staff Writer 

Valdosta State University has had one of the top athletic programs in Division II for years. The Blazers have won championships, created professionals and cultivated a football legacy that rivals any school not playing in the FBS. 

 College athletics are evolving though, and the Gulf South Conference is evolving with it. At some point VSU needs to decide if Division II is still the right fit. 

 I think we are reaching that point. It is time for VSU to start looking at Division I options. 

 The main reason is what’s happening with GSC football. The conference will not receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs come the 2026 season. The league was granted a one-year waiver for the 2025 season, but the NCAA chose not to renew it as the conference’s football membership continued to dwindle. 

 In other words, even if VSU wins the GSC title, it will not automatically qualify for the postseason. 

 For a school that has won four national championships and regularly competes into December, that is unacceptable. 

 Players and coaches should not have to wonder if an amazing season will be good enough to receive an at-large bid simply because their conference isn’t what it used to be. 

 VSU Athletic Director Troy Katen said the school is exploring its options for the future, including DI. That option should be on the table.  

 VSU is simply too good for what is left of the GSC. 

 VSU currently sits at around 11,000 students and has an athletic department that knows how to win. The football team has won national titles in 2004, 2007, 2012 and 2018. Baseball, softball and men’s tennis have also brought championships to Valdosta. 

 The football team’s success has caused another issue: scheduling. 

 Katen mentioned in interviews that it has become hard to find teams to play because they do not want to schedule VSU. With how few football teams the GSC has left, the Blazers are finding themselves having to schedule like an independent. 

 If we are going to go that far geographically, spend that much money and struggle to find teams to play at the Division II level, why not investigate what an DI move would take? 

 Admittedly, the transition to Division I would not be easy. VSU would have to secure more funding, scholarships, facilities and more to be a consistent winner. The Blazers would also have to find a fitting conference rather than just upgrading to claim they are Division I. 

 But comfort should not be the only reason to stay in Division II. 

 Other schools around VSU are moving up. College athletics are changing, and the GSC that Valdosta State used to own isn’t the same anymore. 

 Valdosta is Titletown for a reason.  

 Valdosta State should not wait until they are passed over to decide their next move. 

 They have already done everything they can at the Division II level.