Football Game Notes: GVSU (Oct. 23)

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* This Week: The Ferris State University football team will host archrival and nationally top-ranked Grand Valley State in the Anchor-Bone Classic this Saturday (Oct. 23) afternoon at FSU's Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Mich. A large crowd is expected for the game with the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest between the two West Michigan rivals set to kickoff at 2 p.m. (EDT).

* Ticket Information: Tickets for the game will be available on gameday at the stadium or for more info, please contact the FSU Ticket Office at (231) 591-2888. General admission tickets for this premium game are $10 adults or $7 students (K-12), senior citizens and FSU faculty/staff. Ferris students with ID will be admitted free as will children not yet of school age. Additionally, entertainment book coupons will be redeemable based on availability.

* Media Coverage: Saturday's game will be carried live locally by WYBR (102.3 FM) with Jason DaDay handling the play-by-play duties for the game and Sandy Gholston offering color commentary.  It will also be streamed live online.  A live video webcast will be available thru America One (formerly B2 Networks) along with live statistics. Links for all available media can be found by clicking on the "upcoming events" scoreboard tab on FSU's Athletics Website at www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com.

* Follow On Twitter: In addition to radio and internet coverage, Bulldog fans can also follow Saturday's contest and all other FSU games this year with live scoring via Twitter.  Please visit www.twitter.com/ferrisathletics to follow the tweet-by-tweet coverage with periodic scoring updates.  

* Tough Road Loss: Ferris saw its five-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday (Oct. 16) as the Bulldogs suffered their first GLIAC loss of the season with a hard-fought 22-20 conference setback to the Northern Michigan Wildcats in Marquette. The Wildcats' Rockne Belmonte converted three field goals on the day, including a game-winning 31-yard try with only 4:16 remaining in the contest before a crowd of 3,773 fans at the Superior Dome.

* The GLIAC Race: Saturday's game will be for a share of first place in the GLIAC standings as the Lakers are unbeaten (6-0) in the league and FSU has only a single loss (5-1).  Hillsdale leads the South Division (5-1) and is tied for second overall along with FSU.  Four other teams have 4-2 records in conference action to date.  GVSU also holds a one-game lead over FSU in the North Division race going into this weekend.

* Coming Up Next: The Bulldogs are back on the road as they take on the Indianapolis Greyhounds next Saturday (Oct. 30) in a 6 p.m. (ET) league tilt at Key Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.

* The Records: Ferris State is presently 5-2 overall and 5-1 in the GLIAC after posting a 1-10 overall mark in 2009, including an 0-10 league record.  Ferris previously registered a 6-5-0 overall record in 2008 and placed seventh in the GLIAC with a 5-5 mark.
  
Grand Valley State is currently 7-0 overall and 6-0 in the GLIAC this campaign after a 57-23 conference home win over Lake Erie this past Saturday (Oct. 16) evening.  The Lakers registred a 13-2 overall record and a first-place (9-1) mark in the GLIAC in 2009 en route to the NCAA-II National Championship game.  

* The Coaches: Ferris State  – Jeff Pierce (Ferris State, 1979), 16th season, 96-76-0 (.558) – (2-12-0 vs. GVSU).  Pierce is 50-33 (.602) overall in home contests at FSU and he owns a 34-32-0 (.515) record in October contests to date.  Pierce, who played at Ferris (defensive back) from 1974-77, is the 12th head coach in Ferris State's history.
   
Grand Valley State – Matt Mitchell (Cornell, 1997), 1st season, 7-0-0 (1.000); Career: 1st season, 7-0-0 (1.000) - (0-0-0 vs. Ferris State). Mitchell took over as the seventh head coach in GVSU history this fall and is the first Laker coach to win his first seven games. The former Cornell letterwinner was a six-year Laker assistant, including the final two years as defensive coordinator.  He previously was an assistant coach at Wartburg (Iowa).

* The 102nd Season: The 2010 campaign represents the Bulldogs' 102nd season of varsity competition.  The program actually began in 1900, but no football was played in 1908-09, 1917-18, 1932 and from 1942-45 for various reasons.  Additionally, no scores are available from either the 1912 or 1916 seasons.  Ferris has posted an all-time record of 372-420-40 (.471) to date.

* Anchor-Bone Classic: The Anchor Bone Trophy, which is sponsored by Huntington Bank, is awarded annually to the winner of the Ferris State-Grand Valley State football game. The trophy debuted in 2002 and GVSU has maintained possession of the trophy the last seven years with four wins in Allendale along with three at FSU's Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids.

* Nice Win Streak: The Bulldogs' five-game winning streak prior to last Saturday's loss at NMU was their longest overall since winning their final two games of the 2007 season along with their opening three contests of the 2008 campaign for five in a row.  It marked the first time the Bulldogs had won five consecutive games over the course of a single-season since winning five-straight in 2004.

* Milestone Win: FSU head coach Jeff Pierce registered his 50th career home win at Top Taggart Field in Ferris' most recent home game versus Findlay (Oct. 9).  Pierce presently owns a 50-33 (.602) mark in home games played at FSU.  Additionally, he's only four victories shy of notching his 100th win overall as he enters Saturday's contest with a 96-76 (.558) all-time mark.
   
* Shutting Them Down: Ferris State has given up 28 points or less in each of the last six games, including 22 or less in three consecutive games.  FSU gave up only 229 yards of total offense in last week's loss at Northern Michigan after allowing a season-low 210 yards of total offense to Findlay (Oct. 9).  The Oilers recorded only 21 yards of total offense and a single first down in the second half of play.
   
* Posting Big Numbers: Ferris State has currently tallied 300 yards of total offense or more in each of the last five contests, which marks the first time the Bulldogs have accomplished the feat since posting 300 or more yards in five consecutive outings during the 2004 season.  Ferris has not put up 300 or more yards in six-straight games since doing it eight times in a row in 2000.
   
* Interesting Note: When FSU and GVSU squared off in 2008 at Lubbers Stadium, it marked the fourth time both teams had been ranked when they played and the first since 1995.  The Bulldogs were ranked 24th in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll and the Lakers were second the week they faced each other in '08.  Both teams were also ranked when they played each other from 1993 to 1995 with FSU winning two of those games and the other resulting in a tie (1993).   Ferris was listed among other teams receiving votes in last week's AFCA poll prior to its loss at Northern Michigan.
   
* Facing Number One: This year marks the second consecutive year the Lakers have been ranked number one nationally in the AFCA Division II poll heading into Big Rapids.  A year ago, the Bulldogs nearly upset the top-ranked Lakers in a 17-10 setback at Top Taggart Field.
 
* Scoring First: The opposition has scored first in five of FSU's seven contests this campaign with the Bulldogs owning a 3-2 mark in those games to date.  The season opener at Hillsdale (9/3) represented the Bulldogs' first such loss in those tilts prior to last week's setback at Northern Michigan when the Wildcats marched 66 yards for a score on their opening possession.
 
* Scoring Trends: The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 60-20 in the fourth quarter of games to date this season and also own a 58-46 edge in points scored during the second period.  On the flip side, FSU trails 38-36 in third quarter scoring and 48-35 in the first stanza.  Overall, FSU has outscored its opponents 189-152 this year.

* Growing Up Quickly: In the first four games of the season, the Bulldogs' defense gave up more than 200 yards passing three times.  However, in the last three games, FSU has held the opposition to less than 110 yards passing all three times with only 90 at Lake Erie (Oct. 2), 77 versus Findlay (Oct. 9) and 109 at Northern Michigan (Oct. 16).  The Bulldog secondary featured two redshirt freshmen, a first-year junior college transfer and a sophomore in its starting four positions prior to the return of senior safety Chad Wilson (Howell) against NMU.
 
* Welcome Back: FSU senior safety Chad Wilson returned to the Bulldog lineup in last week's outing at Northern Michigan after missing the previous four contests due to injury.  Wilson missed all of the 2009 campaign following a season-ending preseason injury suffered in training camp.  He was a GLIAC Honorable Mention honoree as a junior in the 2008 season.

* Ticket & Gate Times: The ticket gates will open at 11 a.m. (ET) with the stadium gates opening at 12:30 p.m.

* Ticket Information: Tickets for the game will be available on gameday at the stadium or for more info, please contact the FSU Ticket Office at (231) 591-2888. General admission tickets for this premium game are $10 adults or $7 students (K-12), senior citizens and FSU faculty/staff. Ferris students with ID will be admitted free as will children not yet of school age. Additionally, entertainment book coupons will be redeemable based on availability. Tickets can also be bought online at www.startickets.com.

* Parking: In an effort to help accomodate the large crowd and ease traffic congestion, stadium parking lots will open for tailgating starting at 10 a.m. (ET).  Parking will be on a first-come, first-served basis at $5 per vehicle or $10 for motor homes and vehicles longer than 22 feet.

* Tailgating: Tailgating parking lots open at 10 a.m. (ET) and tailgating is permitted in lots 3, 35, 36 and 37 only to the west and north of the stadium.

* Paint Pink Rapids Pink: In conjunction with Paint Big Rapids Pink Week, both teams will be wearing pink ribbon decals on their helmets in support of breast cancer research.  Coaches from both institutions will also be supporting the cause as well with pink ribbons.  Halftime activities will feature a check presentation to the local Susan P. Wheatlake Foundation and a "Save the Cups, Toss the Saucers" frisbee event.  Five hundred pink frisbees will be thrown onto Top Taggert Field at a pink target with the winner receiving a free i-pod compliments of Huntington Bank.

* Gameday Sponsor: Huntington Bank is the official gameday sponsor of the Anchor-Bone Classic. The Anchor Bone Trophy is awarded annually to the winner of the Ferris State-Grand Valley State football game. The trophy debuted in 2002 and GVSU has maintained possession of the trophy the last seven years with four wins in Allendale along with three at FSU's Top Taggart Field.

* Top Taggart Field: Ferris State is 91-65-2 (.582) at Top Taggart Field since 1980 and sports a 76-54-2 (.583) conference home ledger during that span. The Bulldogs are 70-38-2 (.645) overall since 1990, which includes a 62-35-2 (.636) league record at home. The facility features a recently-installed Mondo Ecofill playing surface, which is the first of its kind in Michigan and came as part of a $1 million dollar renovation to the facility prior to the 2008 season.

* The Final Five: Last Saturday's contest against Northern Michigan was the first of FSU's final five games this season. Ferris has registered a 61-40-1 (.603) record in its final five regular-season contests per season since 1990. The Bulldogs posted a 0-5 overall record in 2009.  FSU was 2-3 in the last five games of the 2008 season and posted a 3-2 such record in the last five games of the 2007 campaign. FSU compiled a 4-1 mark over the final five games of the 2006 season.

* Follow The Bulldogs: A live video and audio webcast is slated to be offered for all 2010 Bulldog home football games and selected road games via an agreement with America One (formerly B2).  Visit the FSU Athletics Website (www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com) and click on the B2 icon.

* The "Bulldog Beat" Football Show: A special internet talk show on FSU football will air each week this fall as the "Bulldog Beat" Football Show hits the web airwaves on Thursday nights throughout the season. The talk show, which will be powered by a service called Blog Talk Radio, will be co-hosted by FSU Associate Athletics Communications Director/Football SID Rob Bentley and local journalist Sandy Gholston. The approximate 60 to 90-minute show will take place Thursday evenings starting at 9 p.m. (ET) and can be heard live by visiting: www.blogtalkradio.com/ferrisathletics.  

* Bulldog Gameday: Complete information on every Bulldog home and road contest this year can be found by visiting the Bulldog Gameday page on the FSU Athletics Website at www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com (click on football and then Bulldog Gameday).  The Gameday information, which will be updated several days prior to each game, includes links to all pertinent notes and statistics for both teams as well as links for the respective broadcast and internet media coverage available for the contest.