Defending National Champion Ferris State Picked To Repeat In GLIAC Football Preseason Poll

Big Rapids, Mich. - Defending NCAA Division II National Champion Ferris State University has been picked to repeat in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) as the league announced its 2025 GLIAC Football Preseason poll on Thursday.

The Bulldogs, who finished first in the conference with an unbeaten 7-0 league mark a year ago, tallied 47 points and six first-place votes in balloting by the GLIAC's member head coaches.

FSU was followed in the preseason poll by rival Grand Valley State in second place with 41 points and a single first-place mention. Saginaw Valley State garnered the final first-place vote and totaled 38 points in finishing third of the eight conference member schools.

The remaining teams in the preseason rankings included Davenport in fourth (31), Michigan Tech in fifth (28) with Wayne State sixth (16), Roosevelt seventh (12) and Northern Michigan eighth (11).

Ferris State enters the 2025 season having won three of the past four NCAA Division II National Championships, including last fall. FSU has been tabbed first already in the 2025 Lindy's Sports D2 Preseason National Rankings.

The Bulldogs will begin their 116th season of varsity competition this coming fall with their sights set on making a nation-leading 11th consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Playoffs. The Bulldogs have made six national semifinal appearances along with four trips to the national championship game, highlighted by back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022 along with last year in 2024 during the stretch.

Over the past four seasons of action, the Bulldogs own a 50-5 overall record and FSU has reached the NCAA Division II Playoffs 10 consecutive years and counting. Ferris State has also reached the NCAA Division II National Semifinals six times in the past eight seasons of action and ranks as the country's winningest program over the past 10 full seasons in D2 Football. FSU is 77-7 over the last five seasons of on-field action, including back-to-back NCAA D2 National Championships in 2021 and 2022 and 2024.

Ferris State also holds the GLIAC's best mark and the best overall record of all collegiate programs in Michigan at 137-21 (.867) overall since the arrival of Tony Annese as head coach in 2012.

The Bulldogs will open the 2025 season at home, hosting Pittsburg State (Kan.) in a D2 National Showdown on Thursday, Aug. 28, at Top Taggart Field. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. (ET).

Season tickets for the 2025 season are on sale now and can be purchased online at FerrisStateBulldogs.com/Tickets.

Below is the GLIAC Football Preseason Poll with total points (first-place votes):

1. Ferris State 47 (6)
2. Grand Valley State 41 (1)
3. Saginaw Valley State 38 (1)
4. Davenport 31
5. Michigan Tech 28
6. Wayne State 16
7. Roosevelt 12
8. Northern Michigan 11