FERRIS STATE RELEASES 2007 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Bulldogs To Play Six Home Games For First Time Since 1997

Senior flanker Nate Fricke and the Bulldogs will open their 2007 season Sept. 1 with a non-conference home contest versus Kentucky State at Top Taggart Field.

For the first time since 2004, Ferris State University will open its football season at home as the Bulldogs begin the 2007 campaign playing host to the Kentucky State Thorobreds Saturday, Sept. 1 in the team's season opener. The 2007 Ferris State gridiron slate was recently announced by FSU Athletics Director Tom Kirinovic.

Along with the season opener, the 11-game regular-season schedule features six home contests. Back-to-back matchups against two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) teams (Grand Valley State and Northwood) which finished in the top 20 nationally a season ago are another highlight of the 2007 schedule.

“I believe this year's schedule will challenge us each Saturday and force us to play at the top of our game,” said Ferris State head coach Jeff Pierce, who enters his 13th season at Ferris State this fall. “The schedule is as challenging as anyone's in the country as our conference has emerged as one of nation's best in Division II. Our goal is to play in the postseason and if we can be successful in our conference then I believe we will be prepared for the NCAA (Division II) Playoffs.

"The opportunity to play six home games gives us an opportunity to build on the momentum we produced last season," added Pierce, the school's all-time winningest coach.

Among Ferris State's six home outings is the non-conference season opener against Kentucky State on Sept. 1 at FSU's Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Mich. Opening kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. (EDT). The two teams met for the first-time ever in last season's opener (Sept. 2) with FSU claiming a 31-13 victory over Kentucky State in Frankfort, Ky. The last time the Bulldogs made six home appearances during the regular season was in 1997.

Following the season opener, Ferris will remain at home to host Mercyhurst (Sept. 8) in its conference opener with the traditional Fireworks Night festivities to be held following the Community Night game before taking to the road for the first time the next Saturday (Sept. 15) at Saginaw Valley State. The Bulldogs then close out September with a pair of home GLIAC encounters against Hillsdale (Sept. 22) and Northern Michigan (Sept. 29). The tilt versus Northern Michigan will mark FSU's eighth annual Bulldog Hall of Fame game as this year's inductees will be recognized in conjunction with the contest.

After visits to Michigan Tech (Oct. 6) and Gannon (Oct. 13), Ferris returns to Top Taggart Field on Oct. 20 for its 81st annual Homecoming contest with Ashland serving as the opposition in a 2 p.m. (EDT) conference matchup.

Ferris State will square off against current two-time (2005 & 2006) NCAA-II national champion and GLIAC champion Grand Valley State on Oct. 27 in Allendale, Mich. The league matchup will represent the 36th meeting in the all-time series between the West Michigan archrivals with the game's winner being presented with the sixth annual Anchor Bone Trophy, which is sponsored by Huntington Bank. Grand Valley State concluded the 2006 season as the unanimous number-one ranked team in all NCAA-II polls.

The Bulldogs then wrap up the home portion of their regular-season slate Nov. 3 entertaining Northwood in FSU's Senior Day as the team will honor its senior class prior to the home finale. The Timberwolves finished 18th in the final 2006 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll. Ferris then closes out the 2007 regular season on Nov. 10 at Wayne State.

Ferris has compiled a combined 136-149-13 (.478 winning pct.) all-time record against its 2007 opponents. The opposition for the 2007 season registered a combined 64-56 (.533) ledger a season ago.

The Bulldogs turned in their best season since 1996 last season with an 8-3-0 overall record, which included a third-place 7-3-0 GLIAC mark. Ferris concluded the campaign ranked among the NCAA-II's Top 25 by two gridiron media outlets.

The 2007 season will represent the 99th year of varsity competition for the Ferris State football program.

For single-game ticket information, please contact the FSU Athletics Ticket Office at (231) 591-2888 or charge by phone at 1-800-585-3737 via Star Tickets Plus. Tickets will go on sale around July 1 and also be available for purchase online at www.starticketsplus.com.

2007 Ferris State Football Schedule

Sept. 1 Kentucky State, 7 p.m.
Sept. 8 Mercyhurst* (Community & Fireworks Night), 7 p.m.
Sept. 15 at Saginaw Valley State*, 12 p.m.
Sept. 22 Hillsdale* (Community Health Day), 7 p.m.
Sept. 29 Northern Michigan* (Hall of Fame Inductees Day), 2 p.m.
Oct. 6 at Michigan Tech*, 1 p.m.
Oct. 13 at Gannon*, 1 p.m.
Oct. 20 Ashland* (Homecoming), 2 p.m.
Oct. 27 at Grand Valley State*, 7 p.m.
Nov. 3 Northwood* (FSU Senior Day), 2 p.m.
Nov. 10 at Wayne State*, 12 p.m.

All starting times are Eastern and subject to change
*Denotes Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) game
All home games are in bold and will be played at Top Taggart Field