VALDOSTA — It is official. Get your extra winter clothes out. The Valdosta State football team is headed to Minnesota for its NCAA Division II national semifinal matchup against Minnesota State-Mankota.
The NCAA announced Mankato as the host school for next week's semifinal matchup late Saturday night, following the Mavericks 17-10 win over Missouri Western State Saturday. Valdosta State beat Carson-Newman 48-26.
Weather.com is projecting temperatures in Mankato to be 31 degrees with a 10 percent chance of snow on Saturday. Valdosta State last played in the snow in the 2007 national semifinals, beating California (Pa.).
It will be just the second time all season the Blazers will play on a natural playing surface. The only other time Valdosta State played on a natural surface was Oct. 6 at West Georgia. The Blazers won 42-6.
The game will be carried live on the ESPN family of networks. A specific channel has not been announced.
More on the game will be available Sunday and throughout the week.
— Follow me on Twitter at @Ed_Hooper.
