Posted: Dec 01, 2021
PREVIEW: #1 Ferris State Hosts Northwest Missouri State In NCAA D2 National Quarterfinals On Saturday
The nation's top-ranked Ferris State Bulldogs face longtime D2 power Northwest Missouri State in the national quarterfinals for the Super Region Three Championship on Saturday (Dec. 4). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (ET) at Top Taggart Field with the winner advancing to the semifinals. It will be the forurth playoff series' matchup between the two Division II powers in past five seasons.
The Matchup
The Bulldogs are currently 11-0 overall and won a third-straight outright GLIAC Championship this fall with a perfect 7-0 league mark. FSU reached the national semifinals in 2019 with a 12-1 overall record and 8-0 GLIAC mark. Meanwhile, Northwest Missouri State owns an 11-1 mark and went 9-1 in MIAA regular-season action. FSU beat #4 Grand Valley State 54-20 last week while NW Missouri topped #2 Harding 28-9 on the road in NCAA D2 Playoff action.
Media Coverage
Saturday's game will be carried live locally by the Bulldog Sports Network and Sunny 97.3 FM with the veteran broadcast team of Rob Bentley (play-by-play) and Sandy Gholston (color) calling the action. A free live video webcast will also be provided courtesy of Ferris State Television. A complete listing of coverage links can be found online at FerrisStateBulldogs.com.
Ticket Information
Tickets for Saturday's game can be purchased in advance online at FerrisStateBulldogs.com/Tickets. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $7 for senior citizens (age 65+) along with $5 for students in grades K-12. In addition, FSU students and college students from competing schools with a valid student ID card are also $5. Children ages five and under are free.
Third-Straight GLIAC Title
Ferris State secured the program's 12th GLIAC Championship in 2021. The Bulldogs went unbeaten in conference action for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. The Bulldogs claimed the outright league championship by beating Grand Valley State in the regular-seson finale in 2019. FSU has won its last 31 GLIAC games in a row dating back to 2017.
Seventh-Straight Playoff Berth
The Bulldogs, who are in their 112th season of varsity competition this fall, are making their seventh consecutive trip appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. FSU has now made five-straight NCAA Division II National Quarterfinal appearances and is currently one of only four teams in all of college football to win at least 11 games each of the previous seven years (not counting the 2020 COVID season). The Bulldogs along with Northwest Missouri State are the only programs in Division II football to make the playoffs each of the past seven seasons.
Great Bulldog Stretch
The Bulldogs reached the NCAA Division II National Championship game for the first time in school history in 2018, matching an all-time NCAA record with 15 victories (15-1). Over the two seasons of action in 2018 and 2019, not counting 2020 in which FSU did not play due to COVID-19, the Bulldogs were a combined 27-2 overall. FSU is now 38-2 in the last three seasons on the field.
Memorable Bulldog Run
Over the last seven seasons at Ferris State, the Bulldogs have now compiled a 83-9 overall record and claimed five conference championships, posted five unbeaten regular-seasons, captured three regional titles and reached the national quarterfinals five times. Ferris State has also accumulated three Harlon Hill National Player of the Year trophies, twice had a student-athlete tabbed as the nation's National Scholar-Athlete of the Year and won 13 postseason games in addition to an appearance in the 2018 NCAA D2 National Championship Game.
National Power & State's Best
Now in the ninth season under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs have become a national power on the Division II level. FSU has posted a 98-16 overall mark in his tenure and the Bulldogs have also posted the best winning percentage of all 21 collegiate programs in the state of Michigan along with the GLIAC since his arrival. Overall, Annese has won 86% of his games as a head coach on the collegiate and prep levels and owns 323 wins to date, which is the most of any current GLIAC member head coach at all levels.
Current National Rankings
Ferris State remains #1 nationally in the D2Football.com national poll along with #1 in the AFCA Coaches poll. FSU is also currently #1 in the NCAA.com D2 Power Rankings and is currently first in the CompughterRatings.com online poll along with third nationally this week in the Massey Ratings.
The Head Coaches
Ferris State – Tony Annese (Alma, 1983), 9th season, 98-16-0 (.860) – 2-1 vs NW Missouri State). Annese recorded a 195-41 (.826) mark as a head coach in four stops at the high school level before totaling a 30-4 (.882) record in three years as the head coach at Grand Rapids Community College. His overall career mark at all levels is 323-61 (.841) to date and includes three prep state championships and two national JUCO crowns. He claimed his 300th win in 2018 with the national semifinal victory at Minnesota State.
Northwest Missouri State - Rich Wright (Dana, 1995), 4th season, 42-9 (.824) - (0-2-0 vs. FSU). Wright took over the Bearcats' program prior to the 2017 season after serving for six years as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The Dana College graduate joined the staff in 2004 and has helped lead the Bearcats to four NCAA titles and eight national championship game appearances in the stretch.
Number One AFCA Ranking
Ferris State remains #1 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II National Poll after climbing to the top for the first time in program history following the regular-season win over GVSU. Previously, FSU was ranked as high as 1st nationally in 2015 by D2Football.com along with the Division II Power Rankings, but had never been #1 in the current coaches poll until the recent stretch. Ferris State was ranked #1 for two weeks back in 1996 when the NCAA Football Committee produced the weekly rankings prior to the creation of the head coaches' poll thru the AFCA. The Bulldogs' previous best in the AFCA poll was #2 at various stages with the first coming late in the 2015 regular season. FSU was also second early in the 2017 campaign along with different points in both 2018 and 2019 for the school's then highest ranking ever in the history of the coaches poll that dates back to 2000.
Series Information
Saturday will mark the fourth-ever series' matchup between FSU and Northwest Missouri State with the Bulldogs holding a 2-1 mark. It will also mark the Bulldogs' sixth-ever game against a school from Missouri and sixth versus a current MIAA school. FSU played its first game against a MIAA school when the Bulldogs faced NW Missouri State in the 2016 national semfinals and then beat Fort Hays State on the road in round two of the playoffs in 2017 before a win over the Bearcats in 2018 followed by 2019 playoff wins over the Bearcats and Central Missouri. The playoff win over Fort Hays State in '17 was FSU's first meeting against a team from Kansas. In the 2018 regular-season finale, FSU also played a team from Missouri on the road in William Jewell.
Gene Upshaw Award Finalist
Senior offensive tackle Dylan Pasquali (Trenton) is a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award. The Upshaw Award is presented annually to the top NCAA Division II senior offensive or defensive lineman in the nation. Sports information directors from the football-playing Division II institutions comprise the voters. Former Bulldog DE Austin Edwards was FSU's first-ever recipient of the award in 2019.
Fifth Consecutive Year
Ferris State continued two impressive streaks with last week's big 54-20 playoff win over rival Grand Valley State. The Bulldogs have now made the national quarterfinals five consecutive years, which is the longest such streak in Division II football, and the victory was also FSU's 11th win of the year. The Bulldogs have now also won 11 games or more seven-straight years and was one of only four teams in all of college football to accomplish the feat over the six-year stretch prior to the 2020 COVID season along with Ohio State, North Dakota State and Alabama.
Harlon Hill Trophy Nominee
FSU senior quarterback Jared Bernhardt (Longwood, Fla.) has been tabbed as a nominee for the 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year. Bernhardt is among 36 student-athletes from across the country nominated for the prestigious honor. He is one of only two potential candidates from the GLIAC. FSU is one of only three schools in the country to have won the award a nation-leading three times along with Texas A&M-Kingsville and Valdosta State. Former Ferris State University quarterback Jason Vander Laan was a two-time Harlon Hill Trophy recipient as the country's top player in both 2014 and 2015 and FSU quarterback Jayru Campbell claimed the distinction in 2018 as a Bulldog player has won the award in three of the past six years.
NCAA Super Region Three
Ferris State and Northwest Missouri State remain alive in the NCAA Division II Playoffs heading into Saturday's showdown. The winner will advance to the NCAA Division II National Semifinals next week (Dec. 11), which will be played on campus sites with the four remaining teams reseeded after this week's action. The national championship game is on Dec. 18 in McKinney, Texas.
All-GLIAC Honorees
The Bulldogs claimed four of the league's seven major awards and had a total of 21 student-athletes earn all-conference recognition in voting by the league's member head coaches, including 12 first-team honorees on the All-GLIAC squad announced recently. FSU senior quarterback Jared Bernhardt (Longwood, Fla.) was tabbed as the GLIAC's Player of the Year while senior offensive tackle Dylan Pasquali (Trenton) earned the GLIAC Offensive Lineman of the Year Award. FSU also had the league's defensive lineman of the year in sophomore end Caleb Murphy (Dowagiac) in addition to the Coach of the Year in FSU head coach Tony Annese.
School Record Streak
Following a 35-13 home win over Wayne State in the regular-season finale on Nov. 13, FSU has won 38 consecutive regular-season games, which is a school record. The Bulldogs had won 28-straight from 2013-16. Ferris State has also presently won 21 consecutive games played on the road and not at a neutral site. FSU's last true "road" & regular-season loss was a 20-3 setback at Ashland back in 2017 (9/23). The road stretch includes three road wins in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
Five-Time League Winner
FSU senior quarterback Jared Bernhardt was chosen as the GLIAC's Offensive Player of the Week for the fifth time this season following the Bulldogs' win over Wayne State in the regular-season finale. Bernhardt has now played in eight games to date this year and was recognized as the league's offensive honoree five different times.
School Record Performance
Ferris State sophomore quarterback Mylik Mitchell earned the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week after he threw for a school-record 508 passing yards and six touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 67-25 road win at Northwood (Oct. 2). He topped both FSU's all-time single game passing and total offense marks, completing 29-of-39 (74.4%) throws and added three yards on the ground. The FSU signal caller helped the Bulldogs generate 693 total yards in the game and became the eighth different starting QB under head coach Tony Annese to register five or more touchdowns in a single game. Both his passing yardage and total offense totals rank fourth all-time in GLIAC single game history.
Five Touchdowns Plus
Every starting quarterback under FSU head coach Tony Annese has now accounted for five touchdowns or more in a single game after Mylik Mitchell became the eighth QB to do so at Northwood (Oct. 2). Ferris State junior QB Evan Cummins earned the start against Saginaw Valley State the week before in place of the injured Jared Bernhardt and accounted for six TD's in the win over SVSU. Bernhardt totaled seven TD's in this year's season-opening win over Findlay.
Road Win Streak
Ferris State is currently riding a school all-time best 21-game winning streak on the road dating back to its last true road loss at Ashland in September of 2017. FSU closed its 2017 campaign by winning its last four road tilts, including a playoff win at Fort Hays State, and won seven games on the road in 2018 along with five in 2019 and four thus far this year. In 2018, FSU also posted a decisive neutral site win over Michigan Tech in the "Battle At The Ballpark" played at the home field of Minor League Baseball's West Michigan Whitecaps at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park. FSU's only setback away from home since 2017 came in the 2018 D2 National Champiosnhip game when the Bulldogs fell to Valdosta State in a neutral site tilt in McKinney, Texas.
Nation's Top Coach
Bulldog head coach Tony Annese is currently the winningest (.860) active coach among all FBS, FCS & D2 schools in the country, according to the NCAA based on a minimum of six years as a coach, topping names such as Dabo Swinney, Nick Saban & Jimbo Fisher. Overall, among all levels including NCAA Division III, he's listed fourth among active coaches at all NCAA levels in winning percentage (.860) for more than five years and second among those who have been a head coach for more than seven years. Those listed ahead of him are all D3 coaches.
Bulldog Graduates On The Field
The Bulldogs have a total of 10 student-athletes who are included in a group of collegiate standouts announced by the National Football Foundation (NFF) who have already completed their degree requirements and are playing as graduates this fall on the college football level. The list of Bulldog graduates includes:
Brandon Childress (grad transfer)
Marouf Hamade (grad transfer)
Jared Bernhardt (grad transfer)
Preseason Honors
Several Bulldog players received preseason recognition. Lindy's Sports tabbed a pair of Bulldogs as Preseason All-Americans, including senior offensive tackle Dylan Pasquali (Trenton) as a first-team honoree and junior wide receiver Sy Barnett (Willamston) as a second-team choice. Pasquali was also chosen to the 2021 College Football America Division II Starting Lineup as a Preseason First-Team pick along with senior back Marvin Campbell (Detroit), who was featured as the headliner of the team. Bulldog junior Mohammed Amen (Dearborn Heights) has earned recognition as one of the country's top 20 long snappers going into the fall by various sources.
The 100th Game Under Annese
FSU's Nov. 9, 2019, win over Grand Valley State represented the Bulldogs' 100th game under head coach Tony Annese dating back to his initial season in 2012. Prior to Annese's tenure, the Bulldogs had went 35-45 (.438 ) in their previous 80 contests, but they have now registered a 98-16 (.860) mark since his arrival. The Bulldogs currently have won 31-straight conference games and 38 consecutive regular-season games overall dating back to the 2017 campaign. Overall, FSU is 47-3 (.940) in its last 50 outings to date counting playoff action.
Streaks Continue Again
Ferris State continued two impressive streaks in 2021 with last Saturday's playoff win. The Bulldogs have now made the national quarterfinals five consecutive years, which is the longest such streak in Division II football. The Bulldogs have now also won 11 games or more seven-straight years and was one of only four teams in all of college football to accomplish the feat over the six-year stretch prior to the 2020 COVID season along with Ohio State, North Dakota State and Alabama.
Keeping The Streaks Alive
The Bulldogs' win over Wayne State on Nov. 13 was the 38th-straight regular season victory for the Bulldogs along with FSU's 31st consecutive GLIAC triumph. The Bulldogs are currently the only remaining unbeaten team left in NCAA Division II this year. The Bulldogs finished unbeaten in conference action for the fifth time in the last seven seasons this year.
Follow On Twitter
In addition to radio and internet coverage, Bulldog fans can also follow Saturday's contest with live scoring updates on several official social media platforms. Visit www.twitter.com/FerrisFootball to follow the tweet-by-tweet coverage with periodic scoring updates or visit www.facebook.com/FerrisFootball.
300 Plus Career Victories
Ferris State head coach Tony Annese notched his 300th career victory at all levels with FSU's 2018 NCAA Semifinal win over Minnesota State. Annese took over the Bulldog program following three impressive years as the head coach at Grand Rapids Community College, which came on the heels of a highly successful 25-season stint at the prep level. Annese has won championships at every level, including three high school state championships and two national titles on the junior college level. He is 323-61 (.841) at all levels in his head coaching career.
Great Road Record
In nine seasons under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs have been a dominant road team. Presently, the Bulldogs are 48-7 (.873) under his direction in games played away from Top Taggart Field over the course of his seven seasons at the helm. Ferris State's mark is even better outside of his first two seasons as the Bulldogs own a 39-4 mark since the start of the 2014 season away from Big Rapids.
Latest Home Game Ever
FSU's most recent home game against West Florida in the 2019 NCAA Division II National Semifinals represented the latest home game ever for the Bulldogs. FSU closed the 2017 season at home against Harding (Ark.) in the NCAA National Quarterfinals at Top Taggart Field, falling 16-14 on a game-ending field goal by the Bisons on Dec. 2, 2017. The game represented the first-ever home football playoff game in the month of December and the latest home game ever for FSU at the time. The Bulldogs also hosted quarterfinal-round playoff action in 1994, 1995 and 1996, but those games were played in late November. In 2018, the Bulldogs won their first two playoff games at home in November before winning two-straight on the road en route to the title game.
FSU Keeps The Anchor-Bone
With the win over rival Grand Valley State in the regular-season this year, Ferris State held onto the Anchor Bone Trophy awarded annually to the winner of the Ferris State-GVSU football game. The trophy debuted in 2002 and GVSU won the first nine matchups before FSU maintained possession of the trophy four consecutive years from 2012-15. The Lakers reclaimed the trophy in the regular-season in 2016, but the Bulldogs have now won the last four regular-season matchups. Head Coach Tony Annese improved to 10-2 versus GVSU with last week's playoff win and is also 5-1 against the Lakers on the road at Lubbers Stadium.
Best In The Country
Since the start of the 2014 season, the Bulldogs have the most wins of any NCAA Division II team in the country. The Bulldogs recorded back-to-back 11-1 seasons in 2014 and 2015 before a 12-3 mark in 2016 followed by an 11-2 showing in 2017 and a 15-1 mark in 2018 along with a 12-1 record in 2019 for a cumulative 83-9 record counting this year. Under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs have lost only three regular-season games over the past eight years dating back to mid-October of 2013. The Bulldogs now own a 76-3 (.962) regular-season mark since closing the 2013 season by winning their final four games.
Only Team In The Nation
The Bulldogs are the nation's only team to reach the NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals each of the past five seasons. Ferris State claimed the Super Region Championship in 2016 with a decisive road win at rival Grand Valley State in the quarterfinals to reach the national semifinals for the second time in school history. In 2017, the Bulldogs also made it back to the national quarterfinals, but fell to Harding on a game-ending field goal at home in Big Rapids. FSU reached the national title game in 2018 and the national semifinals in 2019 before falling at home to eventual national champion West Florida.
Big Win Seasons
The 2021 season marks only the ninth time in school history in which the Bulldogs have won at least 11 games in a campaign, but also the seventh year in a row. In 2016, FSU matched the school-record of 12 wins set in 1995 (12-1) and the Bulldogs topped the feat in 2018 (15-1). The last seven years on the field marks the first time FSU has won 11 games in a row for seven-straight years.
Michigan's Best Team
Ferris State was chosen by SB Nation as the state of Michigan's best college football team each of the past two seasons, regardless of division. It came on the heels of a similar recognition in 2017 by Hero Sports as the state of Michigan's best college football team, regardless of division. Hero Sports unveiled its top team from every state, regardless of division, and the Bulldogs were chosen tops among the 21 collegiate programs in Michigan. The award is the result of an equation created to level the playing field across all divisions of college football using specialized criteria.
Big Home Stretch
The Bulldogs have now won 48 of their last 54 home games overall at Top Taggart Field dating back to the 2013 season. In 2018, the Bulldogs went a perfect 7-0 at home in Big Rapids. In each of the previous five years, the Bulldogs lost a single game on their home field, posting records of 4-1 (2013), 5-1 (2014), 6-1 (2015), 7-1 (2016) and 6-1 (2017) including regular-season and playoff action. FSU finished 7-1 at home in 2019.
Did You Know?
This year marks the fifth time in the past six years (not counting 2020) the Bulldogs were tabbed as one of the country's top three teams in at least one preseason national ranking.
GLIAC Preseason Poll
The Bulldogs were picked again to finish at the top of the league as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) unveiled its 2021 GLIAC Football Preseason Poll with the Bulldogs first overall. Ferris State picked up 49 total points and seven of a possible eight first-place votes. Behind FSU was Grand Valley State in second place with 43 points and the other first-place mention.
Did You Know?
Ferris State has now been the last GLIAC school standing in the NCAA Division II Playoffs each of the past five seasons. The Bulldogs reached the national semifinals in 2016 and the quarterfinals in 2017. In 2018, FSU avenged a setback to Harding in the 2017 Super Region Three Championship Game by beating the Bisons 21-19 at home in round one of the postseason on Nov. 17. FSU eventually went on to reach the national championship game for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs were the lone GLIAC school to make the field in 2019.
FSU Matches School Record
With a national semifinal win at Minnesota State in 2018, FSU tied the school-record of 15 consecutive victories, which was also recorded in 2013 and 2014. The Bulldogs won their final four games in 2013 under head coach Tony Annese before reeling off a perfect 11-0 regular-season in 2014 prior to a playoff setback. FSU's 15-game streak in 2018 represented the longest streak inside of a single-season in school history. The Bulldogs had a 28-game regular-season winning streak from 2013-16 and owned a 42-game regular-season unbeaten (40-0-2) streak from 1992-96 prior to their current regular-season unbeaten stretch.
Former Bulldogs In The NFL
The Bulldogs had a total of seven different players in a NFL Preseason Camp this summer, which was the most of any D2 school in the country. The 'Dawgs who took part in NFL camps this summer includes former DB Tavierre Thomas (Houston), DL Zach Sieler (Miami), DT Justin Zimmer (Buffalo), WR Jake Lampman (New Orleans), WR Malik Taylor (Green Bay), DL Austin Edwards (Kansas City) and DT Chris Okoye (LA Rams). Four made NFL 53-man opening day rosters, including Thomas, Sieler, Zimmer and Taylor, tops among all D2 schools.
Last season, a total of six Ferris State alums saw action in at least one NFL regular-season game and eight were with various NFL franchises, which were the most of any NCAA Division II school in the country and topped many current NCAA Division I institutions. The Bulldog alums in the NFL have also included former linebacker Brady Sheldon and former two-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner Jason Vander Laan. Eight of the alums have played in at least one NFL regular-season game over the past four years. Three former Bulldogs were part of team's that made the NFL Conference Championship Games a year ago in Taylor, Zimmer and Edwards. Sieler became FSU's first-ever NFL Draft pick when he was chosen by the Ravens in 2018 in the seventh round.
Nation's Winningest Active Coach
Ferris State head coach Tony Annese currently ranks as NCAA Division II's winningest active head coach, based on a minimum of four seasons, with a 98-16 (.860) overall record in eight plus years. His current mark tops Lenoir-Rhyne's Mike Jacobs, who is in second according to the NCAA
Consensus Top Team In the Country
Ferris State was a consensus top three team in the country in every Division II preseason poll, including as high as #1 in the current Massey Online Computer Ratings and the CompughterRatings.com rankings. FSU was also picked third in the preaseson by Linday's Sports, D2football.com and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
Awesome Run
Under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs have lost only three regular-season games over the past eight years on the field dating back to mid-October of 2013. Two of the setbacks came in 2016 when the Bulldogs eventually made their deepest postseason run at the time with a trip to the NCAA-II National Semifinals. Since the middle part of the 2013 season, FSU has only lost once to Grand Valley State and twice to Ashland in regular-season action. The Bulldogs own a 76-3 (.962) regular-season mark since closing the 2013 season by winning their final four games.
Best Stretch In School History
Ferris State's 83 wins in the last seven years (2014-21) marks the Bulldogs' best stretch in school history. In addition, the 90 wins in the past eight seasons (90-11) from 2013-21 tops the 1991-97 era for the most wins over the span in program history. FSU went 52-8-2 while capturing five-straight Michigan Intercollegiate Football Conference (MIFC) crowns from '92-96.
The 112th Season
The 2021 campaign represents the Bulldogs' 112th 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 in addition to 2020. Additionally, no scores are available from either the 1912 or 1916 seasons. Ferris has an all-time mark of 476-445-40.
GLIAC Players Of The Week
The Bulldogs had nine players combine to win a GLIAC Player of the Week Award a total of 13 times in the 2021 campaign. FSU's list of honorees incldued a five-time winner in senior quarterback Jared Bernhardt in addition to senior cornerback Sidney McCloud (Miramar, Fla.), senior nickel back Cyntell Williams, sophomore QB Mylik Mitchell, senior cornerback Alex Thomas, junior wide receiver/specialist Sy Barnett, junior slot receiver Marcus Taylor, and senior linebacker Liam Daly. Bernhardt, who sparkled in his collegiate football debut in week one, was the NCAA Division I National Lacrosse Player of the Year at Maryland last spring. He accounted for seven touchdowns in his first college football game and also won the D2Football National Offensive Player of the Week honor.
NCAA Playoff Berth
This season marks Ferris State's 12th all-time NCAA Division II Playoff appearance and the school's seventh in a row after previously not making the field since 1996 prior to the 2014 season. Overall, FSU has compiled a 18-11 all-time playoff record with five consecutive national quarterfinal or better finishes. In 2016, the Bulldogs made their second-ever trip to the national semifinals and matched the 1995 squad, which fell on the road at North Alabama, for the highest finish in school history before reaching the national title game for the first time in 2018. Along with making the playoffs in both 2014 and 2015, the Bulldogs also captured back-to-back GLIAC Championships and completed the feat again in 2018 and 2019. Before the recent stretch, FSU had not won a league title since 1999. The 2014 outright title was the school's first since 1996. Overall, the 2021 season represented the 12th conference title in Bulldog football history and fifth in seven years.