Ferris State Announces 2010 Football Schedule

Visit this link below for video comments on the 2010
schedule by FSU head coach Jeff Pierce:
Press Conference Video Comments

Big Rapids, Mich. - Two new opponents along with five home contests highlight the 2010 Ferris State University football schedule announced today (Feb. 3) during an afternoon press conference on National Signing Day by FSU head coach Jeff Pierce.

The Bulldogs will embark on their 102nd season of varsity competition this fall and the schedule features a pair of night games during the opening month of the season on the Mondo Ecofill artificial-playing surface at Top Taggart Field.

The official starting date for the college football season was pushed back one week beginning this fall following a recent change voted on at the recent NCAA convention as part of Division II's "Life in the Balance" initiative.

FSU's 11-game regular-season schedule features home matchups against two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) teams (Saginaw Valley State and Grand Valley State) which reached the NCAA Division II Playoffs a year ago.

A third returning playoff qualifer, Hillsdale, will be the Bulldogs' season-opening opponent as FSU ventures to HC's Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium for a non-conference tilt in week one on Friday, Sept. 3, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. (EST).  FSU and Hillsdale are not scheduled to play each other as part of the GLIAC schedule this season.

"We'll have a challenging opponent right off the bat in week one with Hillsdale," said Ferris State head coach Jeff Pierce, who enters his 16th season at Ferris State this fall. "It's an important game for both of us to play tradition-wise since we've squared off for so long.

"They've got a very good team and are coming off an outstanding season so it will be a big test for us to start the year," he added.

Ferris is next slated to face Saginaw Valley State in its home opener on Saturday, Sept. 11, at Top Taggart Field.  Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (EST) and the contest will also serve as FSU's initial GLIAC contest this fall.

The Bulldogs' 2010 schedule features alternating home and away games throughout the year as FSU will not play consecutive contests either at home or on the road at any point during the campaign.

FSU's second road contest of the season will be on Sept. 18 as the Bulldogs venture to Columbus, Ohio, to face one of the league's two incoming members this fall in Ohio Dominican. The Bulldogs will also play the conference's other new member as they travel to Painesville, Ohio, to face Lake Erie on Oct. 2.

"Both of those two teams will be quality football programs in our league," Pierce said.  "In our conference, you always have to be at the top of your game every Saturday to have a chance to win and I don't expect that to be any different this year."

Between the two visits to the two new members, the Bulldogs will square off against third-year member Tiffin for the third time in series' history on Sept. 25 at Top Taggart Field.  FSU's lone win of the 2009 campaign came in the season opener against the Dragons in Big Rapids.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. (EST) and the contest will represent the first-ever GLIAC contest between the two programs as they played non-league games against each other the last two seasons.

The Bulldogs will square off against Findlay in their following home tilt on Oct. 9 and the contest will represent FSU's 84th annual Homecoming contest with a 2 p.m. (EST) starting time scheduled for the game.

After a trip to Marquette for its lone indoor game against Northern Michigan inside the Superior Dome on Oct. 16, Ferris State will return home to square off against defending GLIAC champion and perennial national power Grand Valley State on Oct. 23 in Big Rapids. The league matchup will represent the 39th meeting in the all-time series between the West Michigan archrivals with the game's winner being presented with the ninth annual Anchor Bone Trophy, which is sponsored by Huntington Bank. Grand Valley State concluded the 2009 season as the national runner-up, but the then top-ranked Lakers narrowly escaped Big Rapids last fall with a 17-10 victory over the Bulldogs in week four of the season.

The Bulldogs close out October by traveling to Indianapolis on Oct. 30 for a 6 p.m. (EDT) evening contest against the Greyhounds, who will continue play as a GLIAC member for two more seasons until departing for newly-formed Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) play in 2012.

FSU will play its final home game of the year the following week (Nov. 6) as the Bulldogs tangle with Michigan Tech at Top Taggart Field with kickoff for the Senior Day encounter set for 2 p.m. (EST).

Finally, FSU wraps up the campaign by venturing to Northwood on Nov. 13 for a 12 p.m. (EDT) kickoff in Midland, Mich.

As part of the GLIAC's schedule, the Bulldogs are not slated to face Ashland, Wayne State and Hillsdale in league competition this fall.  This year's season opener at Hillsdale will represent the fifth consecutive year the Bulldogs have played a fellow conference school in a non-conference contest to start the campaign. 

Tickets for all home games in 2010 will be available at the stadium prior to kickoff and more information on ticket sales and promotional activities will available in the near future. All starting times and dates are still subject to change.


2010 Ferris State Football Schedule

All starting times are Eastern.  Schedule & times are subject to change.
*Denotes Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) game

All home games are in bold and will be played at Top Taggart Field
All games are Saturday contests except season opener (Friday, Sept. 3)