The Ferris State Bulldogs claimed their fourth national championship in the last five seasons with a telling win over Harding University.
The Bulldogs cruised to their consecutive championship with a commanding 42–21 victory over Harding on Saturday, Dec. 20, securing the title in McKinney, Texas. This is the fourth national championship win under head coach Tony Annese, furthering the culture of winning that he has created.
Annese was more than pleased with his team’s performance as they secured another DII national championship.
“It’s unbelievable that we did it again, and I’m so proud of our players and staff for what they have accomplished,” Annese said. “This group came together and did so many great things to get back here to McKinney and find a way to get it done again.”
Ferris State football jumped out to an early lead and held off a late surge from Harding, taking a 21–14 advantage into halftime after a physical first half that was defined by strong defense and a dominant ground attack.
The Bisons opened the game with a slow, run-heavy drive as they attempted to establish their offense early. However, the Bulldogs’ defense set the tone immediately, flying to the ball and forcing a punt on Harding’s opening possession.
Ferris wasted little time capitalizing. On the Bulldogs’ first offensive snap, Senior slot receiver Brady Rose broke free for a 45-yard run, immediately flipping the field. The drive was capped off by a four-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Wyatt Bower, giving the Bulldogs a 7–0 lead after each team’s opening possession.
Rose reflected on what it meant to play his last football game and what the outcome of his final season meant to him.
“It means everything. 16-0 in my last season with a national championship, it’s all I could ask for,” Rose said. “It’s been setting in the last couple of days that this could be my last game. It’s unbelievable, four championships in five years. TA (Tony Annese) was saying to me on the stand up there that this doesn’t happen every day.”
The defense delivered again on Harding’s next drive. A misplayed pitch by the Bison quarterback resulted in a fumble, recovered by Bulldog defensive back Jalen Jones. Taking over at Harding’s 33-yard line, Ferris struck quickly.
Runs by senior wide receiver Cam Underwood and junior running back Carson Gulker set Bower up once again near the goal line, where he punched in his second rushing touchdown of the quarter to extend the lead to 14–0.
Gulker talked about the team’s momentum throughout the game and gave credit to the rest of the guys for giving the last game everything they had.
“Everyone played their hearts out. The effort was from snap one to the last snap of the game. Everyone was giving everything they got,” Gulker said. “There was no next week, so we really left it all on the line, trusted each other, and executed really well.”
Harding struggled to find a rhythm offensively throughout the first quarter, even attempting to throw the ball more than usual against the Bulldogs’ disciplined defensive unit.
The Bisons finally gained momentum early in the second quarter, starting their third offensive possession on the Bulldogs’ 30-yard line. Running back Christian Franklin sparked the drive with several strong runs, bringing Harding inside the 10-yard line before scoring within the first minute to cut the deficit to 14–7.
Ferris responded with another steady drive, highlighted by a big run from Gulker that pushed the Bulldogs to midfield. Bower continued to showcase his effectiveness on the ground, while junior slot receiver Taariik Brett added a few long runs of his own.
Harding’s defense stiffened, forcing Ferris into a fourth-and-long situation, where an incomplete pass resulted in a turnover on downs.
Despite the setback, the Bulldogs’ defense answered the call once more, forcing a punt. Ferris then struck quickly through the air, as Bower connected with Gulker for a 27-yard gain before delivering a contested 23-yard touchdown pass to Underwood to make it 21–7.
Harding responded with a late touchdown before the half, but Ferris ran out the clock to head into halftime holding a 21–14 lead.
Ferris wasted no time in the second half. Quarterback Chase Carter exploded for a 64-yard rushing touchdown, making it 28–14. Harding quickly responded with a rushing touchdown of their own, cutting the lead to 28–21.
Bower connected with Rose for a big gain and later found sophomore wide receiver Tae Boyd for another deep pass to set up a three-yard rushing touchdown for Bower’s third, extending the lead to 35–21.
The Bulldogs’ defense continued to play strong, forcing Harding to miss a 56-yard field goal attempt, giving Ferris good field position.
Bower continued to air it out, hitting freshman wide receiver Tarick Bower for a 38-yard gain, which came right before a 14-yard touchdown pass to Gulker, making it 42–21.
Due to injury, Gulker was unable to play in the 2024 national championship game against Valdosta State. He talked about what it meant to come away from the game with a victory.
“This is a get-back year for me. I didn’t get to play last year so to have the opportunity to come back and get this shot with these guys is special,” Gulker said. “I love this team. Every one of them. We got young guys, old guys, so just to be with this team is really special.”
A fumble late in the third quarter allowed Harding to take over heading into the fourth quarter.
Harding moved the ball steadily in the fourth, but Ferris’ defense stood tall, not allowing any points. The Bulldogs were able to recover a fumble later in the fourth, preventing any and all scoring opportunities the Bison had.
With just over a minute remaining, the Bulldogs took victory formation and sealed a 42–21 win, claiming their fourth National Championship in the last five years. The championship completed a 16-0 season, the program’s second in history and secured the most wins in a season for Ferris State football.