Click here for a photo gallery from the game.
The Bulldogs are 6-1 after rallying late to beat Grand Valley State in a nail biter, 28-27 in the annual Anchor-Bone Classic Saturday.
The Bulldogs trailed almost the entire game but that didn’t matter as they claimed their first lead of the day with just 15 seconds remaining thanks to an impressive drive led by quarterback Reggie Bell.
The Lakers started the day off strong as they took just 1:43 and four plays to march down the field on their opening drive that was capped off by a 3-yard touchdown run by Marty Carter. The Bulldogs responded well on their opening drive but were stopped on fourth and two at the Grand Valley 5-yard line.
After a quick stop on defense the Bulldogs got the ball back and drove down the field before Wyatt Ford put Ferris on the board with a 27-yard field goal.
Both defenses would hold until later in the first half when Laker receiver Austin Paritee hauled down a 25-yard pass from quarterback Bart Williams just inside the end zone to put the Lakers up 14-3 which would stand at the half.
The Lakers outgained the Bulldogs 254-163 in the first half but were held back by nine penalties that accounted for 73 yards. The Bulldogs had just two penalties for 15 yards in the first half.
Ferris took over the momentum early in the second half when they drove 68 yards in just 2:11 before Ford added another field goal from 25-yards out to cut the Grand Valley lead to 14-6.
The ensuing kick-off took a bounce and a number of Lakers were unable to fall on it, allowing the Bulldogs to recover and bringing the offense right back out on the field. The Bulldogs found the end zone for the first time when Bell took a keeper 9-yards to the house to cut the Grand Valley lead to 14-13.
The Lakers responded on their following drive when Williams found receiver Brandon Bean in the end zone on third down and long for a 16-yard score to extend the lead to 21-13 with the 6:14 left in the third quarter.
Both defenses would stand tall until the last five minutes of the game. Bell came back after another injury and led the Bulldogs down inside the Laker 5. Jevon Shaw checked in at quarterback and found the end zone and the offense pulled out some trickery for the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 21 with just 4:50 left.
The Lakers didn’t take long to respond though as they drove right down the field after a pair of deep passes and used a 3-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Nick Keizer to reclaim the lead with 2:30 left. The Laker lead was only 27-21 though after the Bulldog defense blocked the Laker extra point attempt.
Bell would lead the Bulldog offense again down the field before finding the end zone on a two-yard keeper with just 15 seconds remaining in the game. Ford added on the extra point to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game. The defense did their job to hold the Lakers in the final seconds to close the game.
Bell led the charge in his first start since the second week of the season as he went 15-29 for 228 yards through the air while collecting 91 yards on the ground with two touchdowns including the winner with 15 seconds remaining.
The Bulldogs will return to action next Saturday, Oct. 28, when they host Northwood University at Top Taggart Field. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.