Ferris State football’s regular season undefeated journey will culminate in this weekend’s matchup against the Cavaliers of Walsh University.
Sitting at 9-0 on the season, the Bulldogs have one more hurdle to hop before being able to claim their position in the NCAA playoffs. Holding onto their undefeated record with a win over Walsh this weekend would be even more beneficial to the Dawgs playoff positioning. The Dawgs defeated Walsh 46-42 last season.
This weekend’s game, being the last regular season home game, is senior day, where the team’s seniors will be recognized before the game. Senior receiver Jake Lampman is excited to have the opportunity to play in front of the Big Rapids crowd for one last regular season game. Lampman put up impressive numbers last week, hauling in eight catches for 114 yards.
“It’s a great day for our seniors to be undefeated in front of a home crowd to see what we’ve built over the last five years. To have the chance to win a championship again is a special accomplishment for us,” said Lampman.
While the Ferris State offense has put together an impressive season, the Bulldog defense has been no slouch. Last weekend, the big men up front limited Northern Michigan to only 25 total rushing yards. FSU defensive line/strength and conditioning coach Tesfa Smith had high praise for his men on the defensive line.
“Ever since I got here before the start of the 2014 season, I have been impressed with the mindset of these young men. I’m blessed with a talented group that is so driven to be the best, and it started in January when we began our offseason conditioning,” said Smith.
The drive that Coach Smith described is a big part of why these Bulldogs have been so successful the past couple years. Junior receiver Shakur Sanders talked about the importance for his team to know the goal of succeeding in the playoffs, but also being able to focus on each game one week at a time.
“Our team’s priority this year is focusing on the game and opponent we play that week. Yes, we think about the playoffs and how it’s going to feel to be back, but we still have another regular season game that is vital to our journey,” said Sanders. “We have a goal, and that is to win a national championship, therefore it is extremely important for us to be in the playoffs and make it count.”
Sanders and the rest of the Bulldogs have put in a lot of work to get where they are, and the Walsh Cavaliers are all that stands between them and the beginning of the rest of their journey.
Coach Smith said, “The play of the entire team is a result of all the pain they endured during the offseason. We are a team with one goal and that is to reach the pinnacle of college football.”
The final regular season game will kick off at noon in Big Rapids at Top Taggart Field on Saturday, Nov. 14.