The No. 1-ranked Ferris State football team hosted the Rio Grande Red Storm on Homecoming Day at Top Taggart Field Saturday night.
The Bulldogs (3-0, 0-0 in GLIAC) started strong against the Redstorm (0-2,0-0 in AAC), with junior slot receiver Taariik Brett returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown before Rio Grande went three-and-out on their first possession.
Ferris State then scored three more times in the first quarter to make it 28-0, including a 17-yard fumble recovery touchdown by senior defensive back Justin Payoute.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Wyatt Bower went 7-for-11 and passed for 124 yards while rushing twice for 11 yards in the period before being replaced in the second quarter by sophomore quarterback Chase Carter, who immediately scored on a 28-yard rush.
The Bulldogs ended the half up 42-0. Ferris State had 270 total yards of offense compared to 68 total yards for Rio Grande. In the second quarter, Carter threw 2-5 for 19 yards and a touchdown while rushing four times for 39 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Defensive back Justin Payoute talked about his day on the defensive side.
“So, when I played, I guess I was just running to the ball on the fumble, and I was seeing the ball on the floor, and after that, I was seeing green towards the endzone and put the guys up several points.”
The second half started, and Ferris continued their momentum from the first half. Rio Grande received the kick and went three and out before junior quarterback Carson Gulker came in and started the third quarter for the Bulldogs. Gulker led their opening drive to the end zone, scoring on a 27-yard rush by redshirt freshman slot receiver Kevin Simes.
Ferris scored again on an 11-yard pick-six by freshman defensive end Maurice Adams, Jr., to make the score 56-0. Senior defensive back Jeremiah Housey scored on a blocked field goal attempt by Rio Grande to bring the score to 63-0.
Sophomore quarterback Leeshaun Mumphfield came in with 36 seconds left in the third quarter and scored on a 3-yard rush after Ferris had a team rush to tackle freshman punter Andy Meldick to make the score 70-0 in Ferris’s favor. Mumphfield scored again on a five-yard rush to make the score 76-0 after a missed extra point.
Head coach Tony Annese highlighted the importance of playing the bench guys for their experience.
“First off, I worry about these guys like, alright, we’re done playing, we can just go sit down and chill,” Annese said. “So at halftime, I said, ‘Listen, be in the game to support the guys that support you’. I was very proud of all our guys, and it’s all love at the end, like when Mo [Maurice] Adams had that touchdown. He’s a true freshman from the Panhandle in Florida, and everybody was so excited. It was so great to see.”
That would ultimately be the final score of the game. Ferris State ended the game with 404 total yards of offense, while the Red Storm had 106 total yards. The Bulldogs passed for 165 yards compared to Rio Grande’s 98 yards. On the ground, Ferris had 239 yards and Rio Grande had 8 total rushing yards.
Ferris State’s next game will be at the Roosevelt Lakers on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 1 pm.