Ferris State Football Unveils Full 11-Game 2024 Football Schedule!
Big Rapids, Mich. - A full 11-game slate and six home games at Top Taggart Field highlight the 2024 Ferris State University football schedule for this coming fall as announced today by the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs, who have reached the NCAA Division II Playoffs a nation-leading nine consecutive years to date, will play 11 games over the course of 12 weeks this fall with the implementation of D2's new week zero scheduling addition.
This fall's gridiron slate will feature four matchups against teams that reached the NCAA Division II Playoffs at least once in the past two seasons, including a pair of showdowns against fellow Super Region Three perennial contenders in Pittsburg State and Grand Valley State.
"We're excited our student-athletes and our team will have the opportunity to play a full 11-game schedule this coming fall," said FSU head coach Tony Annese, who ranks as college football's winningest active head coach. "It is difficult to find non-conference games and it's outstanding that our guys will be guaranteed 11 games this year. We're also thrilled to be able to play six games in front of our home fans and looking forward to the challenge in front of us."
The Bulldogs will kickoff the season on Aug. 31 with a national showdown against Pittsburg State on the road in Kansas. The Gorillas have reached the second round of the NCAA D2 Playoffs each of the past two seasons and the matchup will be the first of two meetings over the next two seasons between two of the nation's top squads.
Following the season-opening trip to Kansas, the Bulldogs return to Big Rapids for back-to-back home contests against a pair of former Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) counterparts at Top Taggart Field. FSU will open the home portion of the schedule on Saturday, Sept. 7, under the lights versus Lake Erie before hosting another potential playoff opponent in Ashland on Saturday, Sept. 14. Each of the first two home games will kickoff at 6 p.m. (ET).
The Bulldogs will have a bye week on Sept. 21 before making a long trip to Massachusetts to face American International for the second consecutive season on Sept. 28. Last year, AIC made the trip to Big Rapids and this year's contest will mark the second-ever series' matchup between the two programs.
Ferris State will then open GLIAC play back at home on Saturday, Oct. 5, hosting league newcomer Roosevelt (Ill.) for the first time ever in a conference game in Big Rapids. The contest will serve as FSU's annual homecoming game with kickoff slated for 2 p.m. (ET) on the FSU campus.
After the league opener, the Bulldogs head to Detroit to square off against Wayne State in the Motor City on Saturday, Oct. 12. The game is slated for an evening matchup starting at 6 p.m. (ET).
The Bulldogs then return home to host Michigan Tech on Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. (ET) before heading to Allendale for the Anchor-Bone Classic on Oct. 26 against Grand Valley State with kickoff slated for 3 p.m. (ET). FSU will make a regular-season return trip to Lubbers Stadium after the conference schedule had to be adjusted with the addition of Roosevelt to the slate. It will mark Ferris State's fourth consecutive road game in the series between the two West Michigan rivals including playoff matchups each of the past two years.
Ferris State then heads to the Superior Dome on Nov. 2 to take on Northern Michigan in the final regular-season road game before closing out the regular-season back at home for two-straight home contests. The Bulldogs will host longtime GLIAC counterpart Saginaw Valley State on Nov. 9 and West Michigan rival Davenport on Nov. 16 with both games scheduled for 1 p.m. (ET) starts.
Stay tuned to FerrisStateBulldogs.com for additional information on the 2024 campaign, including start times for all remaining road contests and ticket details coming soon.
Over the past three seasons of action, the Bulldogs own a 36-4 overall record and FSU has reached the NCAA Division II Playoffs nine consecutive years and counting. Ferris State has also reached the NCAA Division II National Semifinals five times in the past seven seasons of action and ranks as the country's winningest program over the past nine full seasons in D2 Football. FSU is 63-6 over the last four seasons of on-field action, including back-to-back NCAA D2 National Championships in 2021 and 2022.
Ferris State also holds the GLIAC's best mark and the best overall record of all collegiate programs in Michigan at 123-20 (.860) overall since the arrival of Annese as head coach in 2012.
Below is the 2024 Bulldog Football Schedule:
Aug. 31 - at Pittsburg State
Sept. 7 - vs Lake Erie, 6 pm
Sept. 14 - vs Ashland, 6 pm
Sept. 28 - at American International
Oct. 5 - vs Roosevelt*, 2 pm (Homecoming)
Oct. 12 - at Wayne State*, 6 pm
Oct. 19 - vs Michigan Tech*, 1 pm
Oct. 26 - at Grand Valley State* (Anchor-Bone Classic)
Nov. 2 - at Northern Michigan*
Nov. 9 - vs Saginaw Valley State*, 1 pm
Nov. 16 - vs Davenport*, 1 pm
Nov. 23 - NCAA Division II Playoffs (First Round)
Nov. 30 - NCAA Division II Playoffs (Second Round)
Dec. 7 - NCAA Division II Playoffs (Quarterfinals)
Dec. 14 - NCAA Division II Playoffs (Semifinals)
Dec. 21 - NCAA Division II Playoffs (Championship) - McKinney, Texas
Home games in Bold
* Denotes conference game
Schedule is subject to change & remaining kickoff times will be announced