Former Florida HS Stars to Play for FCS Championship
It’s the middle of May, and it’s time to roll out onto the gridiron for the tertiary pinnacle of D1 college football. Two years ago, that statement would have made little sense. We’re not used to seeing the Boys of Summer so pad-cladded. But nothing is of the usual these days. And this Saturday, Frisco, Texas, will host the FCS Championship, a game usually played in early January, to crown a pandemic season champion.
Both the competing teams, Sam Houston State and South Dakota State, somehow found their way through the delayed, absurd pandemic season. For Sam Houston State, a chance at the title is commonplace, this being their third trip to Frisco in the last decade. South Dakota State is breaching new ground, making their first ever trip to the big game as a program. And for fans of Florida high school football, there will be some familiar faces on each roster.
For Sam Houston State, there’s Chandler Harvin, a redshirt sophomore from Jacksonville. Harvin was a critical contributor in 2019 for the Bearkats at wide receiver. He’s played in 6 games in 2020-21, tallying 11 catches for 153 yards, of which seven catches and 118 yards came in the first game of the season.
Another proven contributor from the Sunshine State, Ke’Shon Murray is a staple of the Bearkats secondary. A redshirt junior, Murray is from Fort Myers, but attended the Georgia Prep Sports Academy. He has played in nine games this year, tacking on 20 tackles and two passes defended.
The Jackrabbit Floridians are a little greener. Graham Spaulding, a redshirt freshman from Oviedo, Florida, attended Lake Howell High School and received All-Conference honors as a senior. He played in eight games for SDSU this year and is a reserve linebacker that has tallied 12 solo tackles and a TFL.
Zac Wilson, a fellow redshirt freshman, was a defensive standout at Chipley High School and is listed as a DE on SDSU’s roster. Part of the most recent recruiting class, Devon Cole Jr. was an All-Area quarterback at Lake Minneola High School in Clermont, Florida. He’s expected to contribute as a WR and a special teams ace in the future as a Jackrabbit.
There’s no concrete idea of when the FCS will return to business as usual. Given how far into 2021 this season has extended, it may be a while before they can get everything back on track. But these former Florida stars will relish the opportunity to take part in a little bit of history come Saturday.
Written By: Griffin Nelson
