Ferris State Football Posts Statement Victory Behind Play Of Bermingham On Senior Day

Postgame Video Highlights 
Postgame Press Conference

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University football squad made a big statement on Senior Day as the Bulldogs rolled past visiting Saginaw Valley State 51-17 in the regular-season finale at FSU's Top Taggart Field on Saturday (Nov. 12) afternoon in Big Rapids.

Behind the play of senior quarterback Trevor Bermingham, the Bulldogs bolted out to a 41-7 halftime edge and cruised to the win to conclude the regular-season with a 9-2 overall record. FSU kept its playoff hopes alive with the statement win and will now await the NCAA Division II Selection Show on Sunday evening when the official postseason field is announced.

Bermingham was given the start at quarterback for his final regular-season home tilt at the starter Reggie Bell and had a banner day at the controls of the Bulldog offensive attack. He ran for 186 yards and four touchdowns on eight carries while completing 10-of-12 passes for 195 yards and a score. 

The Addison, Ill., product opened the game with a 69-yard touchdown run on FSU's first offensive drive only 1:11 into the contest as FSU grabbed the early lead. 

Saginaw Valley State answered for its only score of the first three quarters to make it a 7-7 game six minutes into the contest when tailback Tommy Scott, Jr., raced into the endzone from 10-yards away.

From that point forward, though, it was all Bulldogs as FSU scored twice more in the initial stanza to build a 21-7 lead after one period. Bermingham capped both drives with a one-yard run to complete a three-play, 65-yard jaunt and another from six-yards out that finished a three-play, 90-yard march.

Ferris State pushed its lead to 28-7 to start the second quarter as Bermingham again found paydirt for the fourth time on a 68-yard TD run. FSU went for it on fourth and short back in its own half of the field and the senior signal caller burst thru the Cardinal line and found open space on his second long scoring run.

Midway thru the first period, Bermingham went to the air and hooked up with senior tight end Kyle Thompson on a six-yard scoring toss to increase Ferris State's lead to 35-7. The Bulldogs later added a one-yard TD run from redshirt freshman back Marvin Campbell to build a decisive 41-7 lead at the break.

In the third quarter, the Bulldogs scored twice more to make it 51-7 on the scoreboard. Senior back Juwan Lewis finished a seven-play, 59-yard scoring drive with a one-yard plunge only three minutes into the second half and later junior kicker Wyatt Ford converted a 22-yard field goal midway thru the third. That would be all the scoring the Bulldogs would need in the dominating win.

Saginaw Valley State finally got back on the board early in the fourth quarter with Alex Kenrick connecting on a 33-yard field goal and later added a one-yard TD run from David Nay to account for the final margin.

Ferris State, which had an opportunity to play nearly everyone in uniform for long stretches of the game, rolled up 593 yards of total offense, including 371 yards on the ground. Defensively, FSU was also dominant and limited the Cardinals to 315 yards of total offense.

Along with Bermingham, who went eight-of-eight passing in the first half, the Bulldogs received 51 yards rushing from junior back Jahaan Brown and reserve quarterback Travis Russell completed three of eight passes in second-half action. Malik Taylor made two catches for 62 yards and Shakur Sanders had two grabs for 36 yards as the Bulldogs spread the ball around in the victory.

SVSU quarterback Ryan Conklin finished 18-of-35 passing for 165 yards with Scott running for a team-high 89 yards on 24 attempts with a touchdown. Tight end Will Farr caught six balls for 65 yards.

Ferris State was led defensively by senior linebacker Anthony Darkangelo, who finished with 10 tackles. FSU's Nick Huckabay also made 10 stops and safety Willie Smith recorded eight tackles for FSU. Sophomore end Zach Sieler was credited with four quarterback hurries on the afternoon in the 42nd-straight meeting between the two longtime GLIAC rivals.

FSU junior defensive back KC Zenner picked off two passes in the win.

Ferris State's 20 seniors honored on Senior Day repesent one of the most successful classes in school history and have now won 34 of their last 36 regular-season games.

The Bulldogs will await the NCAA Playoff selections, which will be announced Sunday at 5 p.m. (ET) live on NCAA.com. Stay tuned for additional updates following the selection show at FerrisStateBulldogs.com.