The Blazers are a member of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) in NCAA Division II.

Bama Adams announced the forming of a football team, VSU president Hugh C. Bailey called an early morning 1981 meeting which included VP for Business Sam Brooks, Athletic Director Billy Grant and coach Dave Waples.

In the Blazers first season, under the direction of Head Coach Jim Goodman, the team finished with a 5–5–1 record.

In 1994 the Blazer won a school-record 11 victories, and with quarterback Chris Hatcher, played in the program's first national football tournament.

1 in the country in Division II and were the Gulf South Conference champions for the first time in school history.

For the 2006 season, the Blazers wore silver helmets to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the VSU football program.

Two notable alumni are Jessie Tuggle, a linebacker who played his entire career in the National Football League with the Atlanta Falcons from 1987 to 2000, and Chris Hatcher was quarterback for the programs first national football tournament in 1994 and was that year's Harlon Hill Trophy winner.

[4] Kerwin Bell, former Florida Gator quarterback, led the Valdosta State team that won the 2018 Division II National Championship.

1 in the nation in Division II for part of the 1996 season when they won their first Gulf South Conference championship.

In 2002 VSU made its first national championship appearance with a 31–24 loss to Grand Valley State.

To recognize the 25th anniversary of the VSU football program, the Blazers wore silver helmets and pants in 2006.

[5] That year the Blazers missed the playoffs for the first time in the Chris Hatcher era, despite an 8–2 record and a top-ten ranking.

David Dean is only the second head coach to lead his team to a national championship in his first season.

[7] 2008 and 2010 were the only years VSU has made it to the NCAA Division II playoffs since the 2007 national championship season.

In 2012, the Blazers posted a 12–2 record for the year and beat Winston-Salem State 35–7 in the NCAA Division II National Football Championship in Florence, Alabama.

[12] David Dean is the only football coach in Valdosta State history to win two national championships.

On January 10, 2019, Bell left Valdosta State to accept the offensive coordinator position at South Florida.

He is credited with being a part of the team that laid the foundation for the schools great history of winning.