Nov. 11, 2024
Top-ranked Ferris State football team holds off SVSU for ninth consecutive win
The Ferris State University football team won its ninth straight game on Saturday, holding off a tough Saginaw Valley State University team 27-24 at Top Taggart Field.
The Bulldogs, the No. 1 ranked NCAA Division II team in the nation, won by the narrowest margin of the year, and faced the prospect of tie game late in the fourth quarter, spared when a field goal attempt by Saginaw Valley’s Rodrigo Castaneda sailed wide right with just 4:49 left in the game.
Ferris State ran out the clock to end the game, boosting the season record to 9-1 and perfect 6-0 against Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponents. The team has not lost since the opening week contest against Pittsburg State University in Kansas.
Head coach Tony Annese noted the No. 1 ranking has changed hands in the last three weeks with top teams falling.
“In the last three weeks, Harding was No. 1. They lost. Then Grand Valley was No. 1. They lost. Then Pittsburg State was No. 1, and they lost. Then here comes Ferris State,” he said. “Thank god we held on because it’s just been crazy.”
Saginaw Valley’s 24 points were the most allowed by the Bulldogs all season. The team had outscored opponents 405-69 since the Pittsburg State lost.
“I’m relieved that we won,” Annese said. “The numbers are pretty good. We utilized our speed and made good plays. We got really aggressive to start the third quarter with a gimmick play. We ended up losing the momentum for a little bit, but we tried to make some big plays.”
The Cardinals started the scoring with Joseph Walker and quarterback Mason McKenzie teaming up for a 56-yard pass to finish a six-play, 85-yard drive and take a 7-0 lead with 8:50 left in the first quarter.
Ferris State bounced back with a trick play, with strongside linebacker Brady Rose passing to wide receiver Cam Underwood for a 58-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7.
The Cardinals pulled into the lead again with Castaneda sending the ball through the uprights for a 27-yard field goal.
Ferris State quarterback Trinidad Chambliss put the Bulldogs ahead with pass to James Gilbert, and kicker Mitch Middleton’s extra-point brought the score to 14-10. Middleton
SVSU moved in front once more when McKenzie sprinted 36 yards into the end zone, with the extra point taking score to 17-14.
The Bulldogs reclaimed the lead with Chambliss rushing four yards to go ahead 20-17, and the team never looked back, finishing 27-24.
Middleton was chosen as the GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this year following last week's win over Northern Michigan.
He was the second Bulldog standout to earn multiple league awards this year, joining Chambliss, who had won four consecutive GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week mentions prior to this past week. Chambliss has been honored with the award five times overall this campaign.
SVSU is now 7-3 overall and 4-2 against GLIAC teams. The team was coming off a hard-fought victory over Davenport University, which is headed to Big Rapids next Saturday to end of the regular season for the first Calder City Classic rivalry game, starting at 1 p.m.