FERRIS FOOTBALL TO WEAR NEW UNIFORMS THIS SEASON

Bulldogs Change Appearance On The Field

The home "crimson" jerseys display the word "Bulldogs" embroidered on the front and will be worn primarily with gold pants. The away "white" jerseys have the words "Ferris State" on the front and will be typically worn with crimson pants. The new jerseys, which are manufactured by Russell Athletic, will replace the ones which have been worn since the 2003 season.

Senior fullback/H-back John Vandenberg (left) displays Ferris' new home jersey while senior guard Allen Feigel (right) is wearing the Bulldogs' new away jersey.

"The guys really like the appearance of the new jerseys and more importantly, the comfortable fit," said FSU head coach Jeff Pierce. "We were in a situation where we needed to replace some of our jerseys and the cost would have been the same.

"We had a significant number of jerseys which needed repair so our equipment manager (Ben Mumah) recommended we go ahead and purchase new ones," added Pierce.

Although the jersey style will change for Ferris, the Bulldog football program will continue wearing their maroon helmets with the Bulldogs script on both sides of the helmet and the maroon facemasks.

Ferris State will officially kickoff its 2006 season this Saturday, Sept. 2, against the Kentucky State Thorobreds in a non-conference contest at Frankfort, Ky. The game, which marks the first-ever meeting between the two schools, is slated for a 1 p.m. (EDT) start time at KSU's Alumni Stadium.

The Bulldogs' home opener will be held two weeks later, Saturday, Sept. 16, versus the nationally-ranked Saginaw Valley State Cardinals at FSU's Top Taggart Field. The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest is set for 7 p.m. (EDT) with the annual fireworks display to follow upon the game's conclusion.