Posted: Nov 14, 2023
PREVIEW: Ferris State Takes On Rival GVSU In NCAA D2 Playoff Showdown Saturday
The two-time defending NCAA Division II National Champion Ferris State University Bulldogs open up postseason play against rival Grand Valley State in the first round of the D2 Playoffs on Saturday. FSU is 8-2 overall and went 14-1 overall a season ago while winning the school's second consecutive NCAA D2 Football National Championship.
Last year marked the Bulldogs' third D2 national title game berth in the last four seasons, including the second-straight, and FSU also made a fourth consecutive appearance in the national semifinals.
Playoff Notebook
Ferris State will be making its ninth consecutive NCAA D2 Playoff appearance, which is the longest active stretch in the country. The Bulldogs are one of seven teams in the field in Super Region Three and among 28 overall playoff selections in Division II. FSU is currently riding a nine-game playoff winning streak dating back to 2021 and has won 15 of its last 17 playoff contests overall going back to 2018.
The Matchup
Grand Valley State enters the contest with a 9-1 overall record and went 6-0 in GLIAC regular-season play. The Lakers beat the Bulldogs 49-28 in the regular season on Oct. 14 in Allendale when they bolted out to a 35-0 lead early in the second quarter before FSU pulled back within a score in the third period.
Media Coverage
Saturday's game will be streamed live on a pay-per-view basis at NCAA.com and will also be aired locally by the Bulldog Sports Network and Sunny 97.3 FM with the veteran broadcast team of Rob Bentley (play-by-play) and Sandy Gholston (color) calling the action. Radio pregame coverage gets underway at 12 p.m. (ET). The contest will also be streamed with FREE live audio online at FerrisStateBulldogs.com. Visit FerrisStateBulldogs.com for all links.
Nine-Straight Playoff Berths
The Bulldogs, who are midst their 114th season of varsity competition this fall, are making their ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Playoffs. FSU has currently made six-straight NCAA Division II National Quarterfinal appearances and is currently one of only four teams in all of college football to win at least 11 games each of the last eight years (not counting the 2020 COVID season or the current season). The Bulldogs along with Northwest Missouri State were the only programs in Division II football to make the playoffs each of the past eight seasons, but the Bearcats did not make the field this year.
Great Bulldog Stretch
The Bulldogs reached the NCAA DII National Championship game for the first time in school history in 2018, matching an all-time NCAA record with 15 victories (15-1). Over the two seasons of action in 2018 and 2019, not counting 2020 in which FSU did not play due to COVID-19, the Bulldogs were a combined 27-2 overall. FSU is now 63-5 in the last four seasons on the field including this season.
Memorable Bulldog Run
Over the last nine seasons, including this year, the Bulldogs have compiled a 108-12 overall record and claimed two national titles, five conference championships, posted five unbeaten regular-seasons, captured five regional titles and reached the national quarterfinals six times. Ferris State has also accumulated three Harlon Hill National Player of the Year trophies, twice had a student-athlete tabbed as the nation's National Scholar-Athlete of the Year and won 20 postseason games in addition to an appearance in the 2018, 2021 and 2022 NCAA D2 National Championship Games.
National Power & State's Best
Now in the 11th season under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs have become a national power on the Division II level. FSU has posted a 123-19 overall mark in his tenure and the Bulldogs have also posted the best winning percentage of all 21 collegiate programs in the state of Michigan along with the GLIAC since his arrival. Overall, Annese has won 85% of his games as a head coach on the collegiate and prep levels and owns 348 wins to date, which is the most of any current GLIAC member head coach at all levels.
National Rankings Info
Ferris State is a top five team nationally in both the AFCA poll and the D2Football.com poll this week. FSU concluded the 2022 season ranked #1 nationally by D2Football.com and the AFCA along with the NCAA D2 Power Rankings and CompughterRatings.com online poll. The Bulldogs were a consensus preseason #1 team in the nation heading into the 2023 season by D2Football.com along with the AFCA, Lindy's Sports and the NCAA Power Rankings.
The Head Coaches
Ferris State – Tony Annese (Alma, 1983), 11th season, 123-19-0 (.866) – 11-4 vs GVSU). Annese recorded a 195-41 (.826) mark as a head coach in four stops at the high school level before totaling a 30-4 (.882) record in three years as the head coach at Grand Rapids Community College. His overall career mark at all levels is 348-64 (.845) to date and includes three prep state championships and two national JUCO crowns along with two D2 National Championships. He claimed his 300th win in 2018 with a national semifinal win at Minnesota State. The Bulldogs are 63-10 at home and 58-8 on the road under Annese in his tenure.
Grand Valley State - Scott Wooster (Wayne State, 2001), 1st season, 9-1-0 (.900) - (1-0-0 vs. FSU). A Wayne State alum, Wooster is midst his first season as the Lakers' head coach following three years on staff as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. He previously spent 11 years on staff at Wayne State University and worked on the prep level at Warren Mott High School.
GLIAC & National Player Of The Week
FSU senior defensive back Shon Stephens (Bakersfield, Calif.) has been tabbed as the GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week and the D2Football.com National Player of the Week two weeks ago following an impressive performance. Stephens had a huge day in the Bulldogs' big road victory over Davenport in a national top 10 showdown. He played a big role both defensively and on special teams as FSU kept its playoff hopes alive with the triumph. The veteran standout made perhaps the day's biggest play by returning the second half kickoff 100 yards for a score, lifting Ferris State in front after trailing 10-7 at the break. He also added a 15-yard pick six interception return for a second touchdown to push FSU's advantage to 28-10 to start the final period of action. Stephens finished with two touchdowns and had two interceptions along with three stops in the win.
Four-Straight Final Four's
Last year represented the fourth consecutive year, and fifth time in six seasons, in which the Bulldogs had reached the NCAA D2 National Semifinals. FSU became the first program in GLIAC history to advance to four-straight semifinals, the fourth program ever and the first since Northwest Missouri State (2005-10) to accomplish the feat. The Bulldogs have also advanced to three national championship games in the last four seasons of action.
Awesome Run
Under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs have lost only five regular-season games over the past nine years on the field dating back to mid-October of 2013. Two of the setbacks came in 2016 when the Bulldogs eventually made their deepest postseason run at the time with a trip to the NCAA-II National Semifinals. Since the middle part of the 2013 season, FSU has only lost three times to Grand Valley State and twice to Ashland in regular-season action along with Montana. The Bulldogs own a 93-6 (.939) regular-season mark since closing the 2013 season by winning their final four games.
Last GLIAC Team Standing
Ferris State has been the last GLIAC school standing in the NCAA Division II Playoffs each of the past six seasons. The Bulldogs reached the national semifinals in 2016 and the quarterfinals in 2017. In 2018, FSU avenged a setback to Harding in the 2017 Super Region Three Championship Game by beating the Bisons 21-19 at home in round one of the postseason on Nov. 17. FSU eventually went on to reach the national championship game for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs were the lone GLIAC school to make the field in 2019 and beat rival GVSU in the 2021 playoffs in the second round followed by a quarterfinal win over the Lakers last year.
A Look At The Dawgs
A strong nucleus returned this year from last year's national championship team, including the bulk of FSU's skill players and 65 letterwinners. Ferris State opened the 2023 campaign as the two-time defending NCAA Division II National Champions and the nation's preseason #1 team.
Record Breaking Day
Ferris State set a new school single-game record by scoring 78 points in the Sept. 30 homecoming win over Northern Michigan, topping the previous mark of 75 set in a season-opening victory at McKendree in 2014. The Bulldogs also ran for 497 yards, which was the second-highest figure in school history following a 556-yard performance versus Tiffin 2014. FSU's 705 total yards ranks fourth all-time behind 2014 games against Tiffin (767), McKendree (761) and Lake Erie (706) ... FSU kicker Mitchell Middleton matched a school record by making 10 PAT's against Northern Michigan. The 10 made PAT's also were the most in Top Taggart Field history.
FSU vs GVSU History
Saturday's game will mark the 12th consecutive time both teams have been ranked among the top 15 nationally at kicoff time, including postseason games in both 2015 and 2016 along with 2021 and 2022. Eight years ago, when the Bulldogs notched a decisive 61-24 regular-season victory in 2015 in Allendale, it represented the first time both teams had been in the top 15 in 20 years since a 30-21 FSU victory over the Lakers on Sept. 30, 1995, in Big Rapids.
Overall, the two squads have both been found previously in the national rankings at kickoff time in the regular-season in 1993, 1994, 1995, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons along with postseason matchups in 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022 and now 2023. FSU owns a 10-5-1 mark all-time against the Lakers when both squads are nationally-ranked.
Ferris State has captured eight of the last 11 regular-season matchups overall between the two West Michigan rivals and four of the five postseason meetings, including four-straight. GVSU holds a 31-23-1 all-time series' advantage entering Saturday's showdown between the two schools with FSU having won 11 of the past 15 overall.
All-Time Winningest Coach
Last season, Ferris State head coach Tony Annese became the Bulldogs' all-time winningest coach, surpassing former FSU head coaches such as Jeff Pierce and Keith Otterbein. Annese has posted a 1223-19 (.866) mark in his Bulldog tenure to date, moving past Pierce (102-85) atop the all-time chart. Otterbein, who just retired as the head coach at Hillsdale, is third on the list with a 60-39 record during his Ferris State coaching career.
D2 Elite 100 Preseason All-Americans
Four Ferris State University football standouts garnered preseason All-America mention as D2Football.com unveiled its 2023 Elite 100 Watch List. The D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List was selected by the staff of D2Football.com with the input of small college draft expert Josh Buchanan. The Bulldogs had a first-team honoree in senior transfer defensive back Shon Stephens along with a second-team choice in senior defensive end Olalere Oladipo. In addition, two others garnered honorable mention laurels in senior quarterback Mylik Mitchell and junior transfer defensive tackle Victor Nelson.
Best In The Country
Since the start of the 2014 season, the Bulldogs have the most wins of any NCAA Division II team in the country. The Bulldogs recorded back-to-back 11-1 seasons in 2014 and 2015 before a 12-3 mark in 2016 followed by an 11-2 showing in 2017 and a 15-1 mark in 2018 along with a 12-1 record in 2019 and a 14-0 mark in 2021 for a cumulative 108-12 record counting this year.
Only Team In The Nation
The Bulldogs are the nation's only team to reach the NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals each of the past six seasons. Ferris State claimed the Super Region Championship in 2016 with a decisive road win at rival Grand Valley State in the quarterfinals to reach the national semifinals for the second time in school history. In 2017, the Bulldogs also made it back to the national quarterfinals, but fell to Harding on a game-ending field goal at home in Big Rapids. FSU reached the national title game in 2018 and the national semifinals in 2019 before falling at home to eventual national champion West Florida prior to back-to-back national title campaigns.
Playoff Record Under Annese
The Bulldogs have posted a record of 21-6 in the NCAA Division II Playoffs under head coach Tony Annese, which includes a 5-0 mark a year ago en route to the school's second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship. The Bulldogs have not had a season end prior to the national quarterfinals since 2015 and have advanced to at least the D2 National Semifinals in five of the past six seasons.
D2 Playoff History
Ferris State's berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs this year represents the 13th appearance in school history with the other five berths prior to the last eight years all coming during a memorable five-year stretch from 1992-96. Overall, the Bulldogs hold an all-time NCAA Playoff mark of 26-11 to date and made their deepest run the last two years by claiming the school's first two NCAA Division II National Championships. In 2018, FSU also reached the NCAA Division II National Championship Game. Ferris State has reached the national quarterfinals or beyond each of the last six seasons of action with now five national semifinal berths and three title game appearances in the stretch. The Bulldogs have won nine-straight NCAA D2 Playoff games to date.
GLIAC Preseason Favorite
The Bulldogs were picked again to finish at the top of the league as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) unveiled its 2023 GLIAC Football Preseason Poll with the Bulldogs first overall. Ferris State received five of a possible seven first-place votes and totaled 34 points in being chosen as the favorite among the league's seven conference football institutions.
All-GLIAC Honorees
The Bulldogs claimed two of the league's seven major awards and had a total of 16 student-athletes earn all-conference recognition in voting by the league's member head coaches last year, including nine first-team honorees on the All-GLIAC squad. FSU defensive end Caleb Murphy was tabbed as the GLIAC's Player of the Year while quarterback Carson Gulker earned the GLIAC Freshman of the Year Award.
Gene Upshaw Award Winner
The Bulldogs have had each of the past three winners of the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award following Caleb Murphy's selection last season. Two years ago, offensive tackle Dylan Pasquali was named the recipient of the 2021 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year honor presented by the Manheim Touchdown Club. The Upshaw Award is presented annually to the top NCAA D2 senior offensive or defensive lineman in the nation. Pasquali became the second consecutive winner of the award from Ferris State following Austin Edwards in 2019. FSU has also had three winners of the Harlon Hill Trophy as the nation's top performer since 2014 with QB Jason Vander Laan winning back-to-back years in 2014 and 2015 followed by QB Jayru Campbell in 2018.
Extended Pregame Coverage
The Bulldog Sports Network and local flagship station Sunny 97.3 FM have extended Bulldog Football pregame coverage this fall. This season, the network will offer two hours of pregame coverage for all regular-season home matchups along with an hour pregame show for all road games. The "Bulldog Tailgate Show" airs from the Top Taggart Field parking lots two hours prior to each home game with the "Johnson Auto Pregame Show" an hour from kickoff inside the broadcast booth for both home and away games. All are carried live both on Sunny 97.3 FM and online across the Bulldog Sports Network at FerrisStateBulldogs.com. All home games this fall along with conference matchups will also be televised on a pay-per-view basis on FloSports.
School Record Holder
Last season, FSU quarterback Carson Gulker topped the school single-season record of 24 rushing touchdowns in a year set by FSU legend and two-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner Jason Vander Laan in 2015. Gulker finished the season with 31 scores on the ground last season, including eight in the last three playoff games. His 31 TD's rushing were the most by a D2 quarterback ever last season, becoming the third consecutive Bulldog to hold the distinction behind Vander Laan and former standout Jared Bernhardt.