Ferris State’s D2 Playoff Run Comes To Finish In National Semifinals
Re-posted From FERRISSTATEBULLDOGS.COM Release ––
Big Rapids, Mich. – The Ferris State University Bulldogs’ NCAA Division II Playoff run came to a finish on Saturday (Dec. 14) night as West Florida pulled out a 28-14 run over FSU in the national semifinals at Top Taggart Field.
In a battle between the last two national runner-ups, the Bulldogs took a 14-7 lead in the third quarter and were driving towards another potential score near the end of the period before a fumble bounced thru the endzone and resulted in a touchback.
The fumble was one of six turnovers in the game for Ferris State in the Bulldogs’ trip to the national semifinals in the past four years. It denied FSU a return trip to the national championship game in McKinney, Texas.
West Florida struck first as the Argonauts marched 75 yards in eight plays on the opening drive of the contest to take an early 7-0 lead on quarterback Austin Reed’s 34-yard scoring pass to Tate Lehtio.
However, Ferris State answered back near the end of the opening stanza when tailback Tyler Minor found paydirt on a six-yard scoring run to finish an 11-play, 61-yard FSU drive.
The score stood until the opening drive of the third period when FSU moved 65 yards in seven plays to surge ahead 14-7 on senior slot receiver Dion Earls‘ 11-yard scoring run.
After a 21-yard West Florida field goal from Austin Williams pulled UWF back within four points, erris State got the ball back and drove down the field and was nearing another score when senior QB Travis Russell found wideout Xavier Wade at the one-yard line on a long throw. However, the ball popped loose thru the endzone, resulting in the touchback and momentum changed.