How ‘bout them Bulldogs, huh? Seven wins, no losses. Has a pretty good ring to it, doesn’t it?
It’s time this team gets the national recognition it deserves. The Ferris State football team continued its storybook season with an impressive 34-19 victory over the seventh-ranked Panthers of Ohio Dominican on Saturday.
The 7-0 start for the Dawgs is their best start to a season since 1995. This team has a ton of momentum heading into a showdown against Michigan Tech next week; a game in which both teams are undefeated heading into the 1 p.m. kickoff on Saturday. This game will be one for the books, a game in that has major GLIAC title implications.
The 2014 Ferris State football program really has something special here, something that should be recognized nationally. For years, we’ve watched Grand Valley State be the national powerhouse. Winning national championships, sending athletes to the NFL.
Now, this team is on the verge of becoming a top five, division two football team. Pretty cool, wouldn’t you say?
The offense has been the talk of the team for the past couple of years, and why wouldn’t they be with talent like Jason Vander Laan at the quarterback position, Shakur Sanders and Jake Lampman (despite his current injury) at wide receiver, Jahaan Brown in the backfield and an offensive line that opens up holes that you could drive a truck through.
You know how the old adage goes, defense wins championships. This Dawg defense is stacked and they’re the ones who really make life easier on the offense. Getting three and out stops to give the ball to that high octane offense, who consistently build momentum during each drive.
When you think about it, this defense really is something special. With guys like KC Zenner, Justin Zimmer, and Anthony Darkangelo in the box, and with ball hawks like Troy Smith in the secondary, this defense really is a nightmare to face.
This defense hasn’t allowed more than 21 points in a football game yet this season. The numbers truly speak for themselves when it comes to this squad.
Now, 7-0 is great and all, and being ranked in the top five is nothing to frown upon, but the real challenge is just around the corner. This game against Michigan Tech that is approaching the Bulldogs will truly be one for the books.
All I’m saying is, if the Dawgs can get the win on Saturday afternoon against the Huskies, it’s going to get a lot of people talking. Maybe then people will realize that the team we watch each Saturday during the fall is legitimate. Maybe then people will realize that this team has a shot to make a deep playoff run, and maybe even contend for a national title.