Ferris State Caps Second-Straight Unbeaten Regular Season By Winning Second GLIAC Title In A Row

Postgame Video Highlights
Postgame Press Conference

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University football squad capped off a second consecutive unbeaten regular season and won a second-straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) as the Bulldogs closed the 2015 regular season campaign in impressive fashion with a 38-7 triumph over Walsh on Saturday (Nov. 14) at FSU's Top Taggart Field.

The unbeaten Bulldogs improved to 10-0 overall and won their 25th consecutive regular-season contest by scoring 38 points in the opening half to build a commanding lead over the Cavaliers. FSU then cruised to the win in the second half as several key starters rested much of the way.

The victory came on Senior Day as FSU honored a 17-member class prior to their final regular-season home game that proceeded to win their 36th game in a Bulldog uniform. They now own a 36-8 mark in their four seasons at FSU.

The GLIAC Championship represents the first time since 1995-96 in which FSU has claimed back-to-back conference titles.

Ferris State got on the board quickly in the first half as the defense came up with an interception on the first offensive series' and the offense responded on the first play from scrimmage with a 25-yard touchdown toss on the screen from senior quarterback Jason Vander Laan to sophomore back Jahaan Brown.

The Bulldogs added another score only four minutes later when Vander Laan engineered a short 37-yard drive and found senior wideout Jake Lampman on a four-yard scoring play to make it 14-0 with 9:19 to go in the opening quarter.

FSU pushed the advantage to 21-0 with a nine-play, 73-yard march capped by Vander Laan's three-yard TD pass to junior receiver Shakur Sanders. 

Ferris State then made it a 28-0 contest at the end of the opening quarter when Vander Laan scored himself on a 27-yard keeper to finish at four-play, 54-yard drive.

The Bulldogs later pushed the lead to 35-0 by covering 86 yards in six plays, including a 51-yard scoring completion from Vander Laan to junior slot Jamel Lockett. FSU had a couple opportunities to reach paydirt again late in the opening half, but settled for a 30-yard field goal from kicker Nate Iveson to make it 38-0 at the break.

The only second half points came from Walsh on a 43-yard sprint to the endzone by tailback Kalvin Gordon with 7:49 to play in the third period.

Overall, the Bulldogs rolled up 488 total yards in the game, including 272 on the ground and another 216 in the air. The defense also limited the Cavaliers to only 201 yards and Walsh managed only 88 yards rushing on 29 carries.

Despite playing only a single half, Vander Laan ran for a game-high 85 yards on eight carries with a TD. He completed 11-of-15 passes for 141 yards and four scores. The senior signal caller accounted for five FSU touchdowns.

Along with Vander Laan, Brown ran for 67 yards on six carries while senior receiver Antonio Agurs caught four passes for 18 yards. Sanders had three grabs for 28 yards and Lockett had two catches for 79 yards. A total of nine different FSU players caught at least one pass and nine had at least one carry in the game.

Backup quarterback Trevor Bermingham took a majority of the second half snaps for FSU and was six-of-nine passing for 43 yards passing.

On the Walsh side, Gordon ran for 57 yards and a score on 11 attempts while quarterback Jason Fracassa completed 18-of-37 passes for 113 yards, but was intercepted twice.
Defensively, senior lineman Justin Zimmer posted six tackles, all in the first half, with Devonte McGregor also adding six tackles and Will Hunt posting five.

FSU finished nine-of-15 on third down conversions and went three-of-five in the red zone.
The Bulldogs will now await the NCAA Selection Show, which airs on Sunday at 5 p.m. (ET) at NCAA.com. FSU was first in the NCAA-II Super Region Four Rankings this past week and could potentially receive a first-round playoff bye as the top seed.

Stay tuned to FerrisStateBulldogs.com for additional postseason details as they become available.