By: JJ Lanier

GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services

It’s difficult in any sport to finish a season undefeated. Sure, with a shorter schedule and in certain cases, a large discrepancy in talent, it does take place in football more often than others. Still, that doesn’t take away from a team accomplishing it; there’s a reason why the ‘72 Dolphins are still popping champagne 46 years later.

When it comes to Valdosta State’s national title this past season, I’m not sure what I’m more impressed by, the fact they were able to finish the season undefeated, or the sheer dominance they displayed in etching their names in history.

There are two types of dominating feats. The first is when you see something unexpected, calmly nod your head in approval, and mumble “Huh, that was pretty cool.” The second takes place when the act is so nonviolently vicious that you scrunch your face, look away from the carnage, and yell “DAMN”. Valdosta’s season was the second.

Over the course of the season Valdosta State averaged 52 points and scored less than 47 only once. That was time was when they put up a measly 30 points in the national semifinal game.

Now, you may be saying to yourself “Hey, scoring lots a of points is terrific, but if the Blazers couldn’t stop anyone, all it proves is they’re a smaller version of a Big 12 team.”

Well, their defense allowed an average of only 22 points per game. For all us mathematicians out there, that makes the average margin of victory 30 points for the entire season.

And believe it or not, that margin is actually a little skewed because they won their last two games by 6 and 2 points. Take away those games and it’s even more dominating.

To have an offense put up the type of numbers they did, which in turn increases the number of offensive possessions the opposing team receives, only allowing 22 points a game is pretty incredible.

It’s not like they didn’t play anyone either. In 5 out of the 14 games they played, and three out of their last five, their opponents tasted defeat for the first time.

All of this just intensified the difficulty Valdosta State faced in actually finishing their miraculous season off with a national title.

Sports history is filled with teams that couldn’t finish an undefeated regular season off with a title; the ‘08 New England Patriots and ‘15 Kentucky Wildcats immediately come to mind.

To have a group of 18-22 year old kids stay that focused and be able to perform at that high of a level week in and week may be the most underrated part of their accomplishment.

As the bowl season winds down and an FBS champion is crowned there will be a lot of talk about where that particular team ranks among the greats, especially if it winds up being Alabama or Clemson.

There will be a lot of discussions about which conferences performed more admirably in the bowl games, as well as debates about whether or not to expand the playoffs to eight teams; all worthy topics.

It’s a shame though there won’t be more made of this Valdosta State Blazers team. A team picked in the preseason to finish fifth in their conference, yet steamrolled through an undefeated season on their way to a national championship; their fourth in the last sixteen years.

A team that broke records on a school, conference, and national level. The one team that made me look up and say “Damn!”