After topping off their historic 2025 season with a national championship, the Ferris State Bulldogs football team looks to repeat their success once again.
With the national championship under their belt, the Bulldogs closed out the season with a 16-0 record, becoming the first NCAA Division I or II squad in modern history with a perfect season. They also scored 844 points during the season, good for 52.8 points per game, which is the most points in NCAA history.
The Bulldogs were led on offense by their two quarterbacks, redshirt sophomore Wyatt Bower and junior Chase Carter. The two quarterbacks threw for a combined 2,952 yards, 25 touchdowns, and six interceptions. While on the ground, Bower and Carter combined for 1,981 yards and 34 touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs led all of DII in interceptions with 30, 10 more than second-place Minnesota State. The defense only allowed 18.7 points per game during the season, while having three shutouts in a row during the season. During the playoffs, they stepped up to another level, only allowing 21 points per game during the playoffs, including just 21 points during the national championship game against Harding.
The Bulldogs lost multiple starters to the transfer portal to FBS schools, including Carson Gulker, who transferred to Michigan State, who totaled 541 rushing yards and five touchdowns, while catching 34 passes for 548 yards and seven touchdowns. Bulldogs also lost starting 2025 First Team All-GLIAC offensive lineman Dayne Arnett to South Carolina, while also losing defensive back Ahlston Ware to Florida Atlantic. Ware earned First Team All-GLIAC, while totaling 58 tackles, 10 pass breakups, and two interceptions.
Heading into the season, junior wide receiver Tae Boyd is confident his squad can pull off winning three national championships in a row.
“I have the utmost confidence in our guys this season,” Boyd said. “Some new spots are being filled by players graduating after last season. But we still have the same goal and mindset heading into this season. We have a three-peat in our minds, but we are taking it one step at a time, preparing for each and every game.”
The first game of the 2026 season will come on August 27 against the squad that served the Bulldogs their most recent loss, that being the Pittsburg State Gorillas. The Gorillas took down the Bulldogs 19-3 on August 31, 2024, and since then, the Bulldogs have won 30 straight games and two national championships.
The Gorillas are coming off a 10-3 season and a Co MIAA regular season championship that was shared with Northwestern Missouri, and a playoff appearance, which saw them take down Chadron State 21-17, but then got taken down 37-21 against Harding in the second round.
Pittsburg State is coming off an offseason that saw them lose their starting quarterback Jackson Berry to graduation. While also losing their starting running back, Zahmari Palode-Gary to the transfer portal, committing to Mercer University.
This season will see redshirt senior Jake Wolfe take over the starting quarterback job after holding the backup job for the past two seasons. While at running back, the Gorillas will be trotting out new transfer, redshirt junior Diego Cearns. He spent the last three seasons at Emporia State University, which in the 2025 season he had 788 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, while catching 23 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown.
Carter is elated to get back on the field against Pittsburg State.
“I am just happy to be back with the guys, having fun and getting better every day,” Carter said. “While we study the opponent and prepare the best we can, our main focus is playing and executing for one another to play at the level we know we are capable of.”
The reigning back-to-back national champions Ferris State Bulldogs will travel to Pittsburg, Kansas to take on the Pittsburg State Gorillas at Carnie Smith Stadium for the inaugural game of the 2026 season on Thursday, August 27 at 8 p.m.