Posted: Oct 30, 2025
PREVIEW: #1 Ferris State Hosts Northern Michigan For Senior Day This Saturday
The defending NCAA D2 National Champion Ferris State University Bulldogs face Northern Michigan this Saturday in the regular-season home finale at Top Taggart Field. The Bulldogs won their third NCAA D2 Championship in the last four years a season ago and have made four national championship game appearances in the last six seasons.
The Bulldogs have also made a nation-leading 10 consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II Playoffs, including back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022 prior to the 2024 crown.
The Matchup
Ferris State is coming off a 38-31 win over rival Grand Valley State in the Anchor-Bone Classic this past Saturday. The Bulldogs are unbeaten at 8-0 and leading the GLIAC with a 4-0 record. NMU sits at 1-7 overall and 1-4 in conference play following a 56-17 home setback to Michigan Tech. The Wildcats posted their first win since 2022 two weeks ago by beating Roosevelt in conference action.
Defending National Champion
Ferris State won its third national title this decade a season ago with a memorable 49-14 win over Valdosta State (Ga.) in the title game in McKinney, Texas. FSU's playoff run included dominating wins over Central Oklahoma and Harding along with a 48-38 comeback win over Slippery Rock (Pa.) in the national semifinals prior to the title contest. FSU has won the Super Region Three Championship six times in the last eight years. .
Media Coverage
Saturday's game will be televised by FloSports and will also be aired 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. Radio pregame coverage gets underway at 11 a.m. (ET). The contest will also be streamed with FREE live audio online at FerrisStateBulldogs.com. Visit FerrisStateBulldogs.com for all links.
Ten Straight Playoff Berths
The Bulldogs, who are midst their 116th season of varsity competition this fall, have made a nation-leading 10 consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II Playoffs. FSU made six-straight NCAA Division II National Quarterfinal appearances from 2016-22 and was one of only four teams in all of college football to win at least 11 games for eight-straight years prior to the 2023 campaign.
Great Bulldog Stretch
The Bulldogs reached the NCAA DII 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 85-7 in the last seven seasons on the field.
Memorable Bulldog Run
Over the last decade, the Bulldogs have compiled a 130-14 overall record and claimed three national titles, six conference championships, posted five unbeaten regular-seasons, captured six regional titles and reached the national quarterfinals six 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 24 postseason games in addition to an appearance in the 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2024 NCAA D2 National Championship Games.
National Power & State's Best
Now in the 13th season under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs have become a national power on the Division II level. FSU has posted a 145-21 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 370 wins to date, which is the most of any current GLIAC member head coach at all levels.
Team #116 For FSU
This year represents the Bulldogs' 116th season of varsity football on the Ferris State campus. FSU owns a 523-450-40 all-time mark and notched the program's 500th victory in 2023.
Bringing Back The Band
This fall marked the return of the Ferris State Marching Band for the first time since the mid-1990's. The 77-member band took the field and performed during pregame activities along with being featured during the Hungry Howie's Halftime Show. In addition, the Bulldogs also have an expanded cheer squad thanks to the official addition of a varsity cheer and STUNT program beginning this fall.
Ticket & Game Information
For complete game and ticket information, along with more details on the fan experience all season long, please visit FerrisStateBulldogs.com.
The Head Coaches
Ferris State – Tony Annese (Alma, 1983), 13th season, 145-21-0 (.873) – 12-0 vs NMU). 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 370-66 (.849) to date and includes three prep state championships and two national JUCO crowns along with three D2 National Championships. He claimed his 300th win in 2018 with a national semifinal win at Minnesota State. The Bulldogs are 75-10 at home and 65-10 on the road under Annese in his FSU tenure.
Northern Michigan - Shane Richardson (NMU, 2001), 3rd season, 1-29 (.033), 10th overall (Career: 40-79)- (0-2-0 vs. FSU). The 2025 marks Richardson's third season at NMU following nine years as the head coach at North Carolina-Pembroke. The NMU alum started his coaching career with the Wildcats and also spent time as a graduate assistant on the staff at North Dakota State.
Saturday's Matchup
Ferris State has won the last 13 games in the series' and the Bulldogs own a 29-15-6 all-time mark against the Wildcats. Two years ago, Ferris State rolled to a 78-3 homecoming win over the Wildcats at Top Taggart Field before beating NMU a year ago by a 55-9 score in Marquette.
Ferris State head coach Tony Annese is 12-0 against the Wildcats also currently unbeaten at 25-0 against Michigan's Upper Peninsula schools during his Bulldog head coaching career, including a 38-10 win at Michigan Tech two weeks ago.
Anchor-Bone Win
Ferris State has now beat rival Grand Valley State in 13 of the last 18 matchups overall following last week's 38-31 win before a sellout crowd of more than 10,000 fans at Top Taggart Field. The win came in FSU's first home game against the Lakers since 2022. won 12 of the past 17 overall. Ferris State has now won each of the past two games against the Lakers, including a 34-7 win a year ago in Allendale.
School-Record Streak
Ferris State is currently riding a school-record win streak of 22 consecutive games dating back to a season-opening loss at Pittsburg State (Kan.) a year ago. FSU had won its previous four games by an average of 57.3 points prior to the Anchor-Bone Classic, outscoring the opposition 239-10 with three shutouts in the stretch. The Bulldogs have also currently won their last 24 home games in a row at Top Taggart Field dating back to a loss to Grand Valley State during the 2022 regular season.
Awesome Stretch
Under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs have lost only six regular-season games over the past 10 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 three times to Grand Valley State and twice to Ashland in regular-season action along with a close setback last season at FCS member Montana and last year's game at Pitt State. The Bulldogs own a 111-7 (.941) regular-season mark since closing the 2013 season by winning their final four games.
Super Region Rankings
Ferris State is ranked among Super Region Three's top squads in the initial NCAA Division II Regional Rankings announced on Monday. The initial rankings this week are in alphabetical order only. The top 10 will be listed by rank starting next week and the regional rankings help determine the NCAA D2 Playoff field at the end of the season. Along with Ferris State, the other teams featured in the top 10 in Super Region Three include Ashland, Augustana (SD), Findlay, Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota State, Northwood, Truman State (MO), Indianapolis and Upper Iowa.
Four-Straight Final Four's
Prior to 2023, the Bulldogs made four consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II National Semifinals and advanced to the final four five times in six seasons overall. FSU became the first program in GLIAC history to advance to four-straight semifinals, the fourth program ever and the first since Northwest Missouri State (2005-10) to accomplish the feat. The Bulldogs also advanced to three national championship games in four seasons of action on the field from 2018-22. The 2024 season marked FSU's sixth national semifinal berth in the last eight years.
School Record Effort
The Bulldogs' 788 yards of total offense versus Roosevelt this year marked the highest figure in school history, topping the previous mark of 767 yards set in a home win over Tiffin in 2014. Additionally, it marked the sixth time in program history in which FSU totaled 700 plus yards in a game and all six efforts have come under current Bulldog head coach Tony Annese. Along with the previous mark, FSU also totaled 761 yards at McKendree (2014), 744 yards at American International (2024) along with 706 yards against Lake Erie (2014) and 705 yards versus Northern Michigan (2023). The 788 yards versus Roosevelt also represents the highest figure for any D2 school to date this year in a single contest.
All-Time Winningest Coach
Ferris State head coach Tony Annese became the Bulldogs' all-time winningest coach in 2022, surpassing former FSU head coaches such as Jeff Pierce and Keith Otterbein. Annese has posted a 145-21 (.873) mark in his Bulldog tenure to date, moving past Pierce (102-85) atop the all-time chart. Otterbein, who retired as the head coach at Hillsdale pror to last year, is third on the list with a 60-39 record during his Ferris State coaching career.
D2 Elite 100 Preseason All-Americans
Two Ferris State University football standouts garnered preseason All-America mention as D2Football.com unveiled its 2025 Elite 100 Watch List. The D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List was selected by the staff of D2Football.com with the input of small college draft expert Josh Buchanan. The Bulldogs had a second-team honoree in senior center Jarvis Windom along with a honorable mention choice in senior defensive back Justin Payoute.
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. FSU then went 14-0 in 2021, 14-1 in 2022, 8-3 in 2023 and 14-1 in 2024 for a cumulative 130-14 record in the span.
Only Team In The Nation
The Bulldogs were the nation's only team to reach the NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals six-straight seasons from 2016-22. 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 prior to back-to-back national title campaigns in 2021 and 2022.
Last GLIAC Team Standing
Ferris State finished as the last GLIAC school standing in the NCAA Division II Playoffs six consecutive years prior to 2023 and has accomplished the feat seven times in the last eight seasons overall. 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 and beat rival GVSU in the 2021 playoffs in the second round followed by a quarterfinal win over the Lakers in 2022.
GLIAC Player Of The Week
Junior slot reciever Taariik Brett had four TD's last week and was the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week while senior safety Justin Payoute earned GLIAC Defenisve Player of the Week honors for the second time this year. Overall, FSU has now had a total of 11 honorees this year, including kickers Mitch Middleton and Eddie Jewett (Special Teams), quarterbacks Wyatt Bower (twice) and Chase Carter (Offensive) along with defensive tackle Kailib Davis, defensive end Tyrone Fowler and safety Gyasi Mattison (Defensive) in addition to Payoute twice and Brett once.
Playoff Record Under Annese
The Bulldogs have posted a record of 25-7 in the NCAA Division II Playoffs under head coach Tony Annese, which includes a 4-0 mark in 2024 en route to the school's third NCAA Division II National Championship. The Bulldogs had not had a season end prior to the national quarterfinals since 2015 before the 2023 season. FSU advanced to at least the D2 National Semifinals five times in a six-year period from 2016 to 2022 under Annese.
A Look At The Dawgs
A strong nucleus returns from last year's national championship team, including nearly 12 starters and more than 50 letterwinners. Over the past four seasons of action, the Bulldogs now own a 57-5 overall record, including last week's win. FSU is 85-7 over the last six seasons of on-field action, including back-to-back NCAA D2 National Championships in 2021 and 2022 and last fall.
Another 11-Win Season
Last year marked the 11th time in school history in which the Bulldogs had won at least 11 games in a campaign, but also the ninth time in the last 10 seasons. FSU's 14 wins tied for second in program history, trailing only 2018 (15-1). FSU also won 14 games in back-to-back title campaigns in 2021 (14-0) and 2022 (14-1).
D2 Playoff History
Ferris State's berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs last year represented the 15th appearance in school history with the other five berths prior to the last 10 years all coming during a memorable five-year stretch from 1992-96. Overall, the Bulldogs hold an all-time NCAA Playoff mark of 30-12 to date and made their deepest runs in 2021, 2022 and 2024 with NCAA Division II National Championships. In 2018, FSU also reached the NCAA Division II National Championship Game. Ferris State has reached the national quarterfinals or beyond now seven times since 2016 with now six national semifinal berths and four title game appearances in the stretch. The Bulldogs had won nine-straight NCAA D2 Playoff games prior to a 2023 opening-round setback at Grand Valley State. Last year marked FSU's seventh national semifinal game with the first coming back in 1995.
GLIAC Preseason Favorite
The Bulldogs were picked again to finish at the top of the league in the 2025 GLIAC Football Preseason Poll. Ferris State received six of eight first-place votes and totaled 47 points in being chosen as the favorite.
Extended Pregame Coverage
The Bulldog Sports Network and local flagship station Sunny 97.3 FM will once again have extended Bulldog Football pregame coverage this fall. This season, the network will offer two hours of pregame coverage for all regular-season home matchups along with an hour pregame show for all road games. The "Bulldog Tailgate Show" airs from the Top Taggart Field parking lots two hours prior to each home game with the "Johnson Auto Pregame Show" an hour from kickoff inside the broadcast booth for both home and away games. All are carried live both on Sunny 97.3 FM and online across the Bulldog Sports Network at FerrisStateBulldogs.com. All home games this fall along with conference matchups will also be televised on a pay-per-view basis on FloSports.
Bulldog Blitz Football Radio Show
This season, the Bulldog Sports Network will continue the "Bulldog Blitz" Football Radio Show on Sunny 97.3 FM and FerrisStateBulldogs.com. The show airs each Wednesday during the fall from 6-7 p.m. (ET) and also be available in podcast format via Spotify, YouTube and other social media platforms.
Leading The Nation
Presently, the Bulldogs lead the nation in Division II football in total offense at 522.9 yards per game and FSU is also first nationally in scoring offense, averaging 51.9 points per game. Along with the offensive success, the Bulldog defense ranks eighth nationally in total defense (257.5 ypg.) and is third in scoring defense (11.5 ppg.) in addition to second in red zone defense (.438). FSU is also first in the country with 18 interceptions to date this year.
October Success
The month of October has been kind to the Bulldogs. Following last week's win, the Bulldogs are now 44-3 in the month of October dating back to 2014.
Rushing Success
The last 90 times the Bulldogs have rushed for more than 130 yards in a contest as a team, FSU has compiled a 88-2 overall record. The lone setbacks in that mark were in the 2019 national semifinals versus West Florida along with the 2018 national championship game against Valdosta State.
Alumni In The NFL
Ferris State has had a total of 13 different players in a NFL Preseason Camp over the past four summers, which is the most of any D2 school in the country. A total of 10 of the alums have played in at least one NFL regular-season game since 2016, including current NFL players Zach Sieler (Miami), Caleb Murphy (New England) and Tavierre Thomas (Tampa Bay), who all remain with pro organizations. Former tight end Mason Pline, who was a two-time national champion for the Bulldogs before playing his final season as a graduate transfer on the FCS level at Furman University last season, is on injured reserve with the New Orleans Saints. Sieler was chosen last year as the AFC National Defensive Player of the Week and is a Pro Bowl candidate.
Playoff Stretch Under Annese
Ferris State has currently won its last 13 NCAA Division II Playoff games in a row with head coach Tony Annese on the sideline and has not dropped a postseason contest with him at the helm on gameday since 2019. A five-time GLIAC Coach of the Year, Annese was not present for the 2023 playoff road loss at Grand Valley State.
National Title Game Appearances
Last year marked the Bulldogs' fourth title game appearance in the past six seasons of on the field action. FSU fell to Valdosta State (Ga.) 47-45 in 2018, but came back to beat the Blazers in the title game 58-17 in 2021 before topping the Colorado School of Mines 41-14 in the title game in 2022. All four previous national championship game appearances have been at the McKinney ISD Stadium.
Among The Nation's Best
Ferris State head coach Tony Annese currently ranks as the nation's winningest active D2 head coach, based on a minimum of six seasons, with a 145-21 (.873) overall record in his 13 seasons. He's also presently third in all of NCAA D1 and D2 football regardless of level, trailing only Ryan Day (Ohio State, .885) and Kalen DeBoer (Alabama, .877).
National Rankings Info
The Bulldogs were a consensus preseason #1 team in the nation heading into the 2025 season by D2Football.com along with the AFCA, Lindy's Sports and the NCAA Power Rankings. FSU topped every major poll at the end of last season and held onto the top spot in each poll this week.
Top Taggart Field Success
The Bulldogs have won 76 of their last 83 home games overall at Top Taggart Field dating back to the 2013 season following the homecoming win. FSU has been unbeaten at home each of the past two seasons with a 5-0 mark in 2023 and a 9-0 home record in 2024. FSU has won its last 24 home games in a row since a 2022 setback to GVSU.
Great Road Record
The Bulldogs have also been highly-successful on the road under head coach Tony Annese with a 65-10 road mark since 2012. FSU is also 5-1 in neutral site games for a combined 70-11 mark away from home in the span.