December 6, 2025

Final four: Ferris State football team heads to NCAA DII semifinals with ‘gritty’ win over Minnesota State

The Ferris State University football team is headed to the NCAA Division II Final Four with a convincing 52-29 win over Minnesota State University.

The defending national champion Bulldogs advance to the DII National Semifinals for the eighth time in school history. The victory extends a school record now 28 wins a row, highlighting what head coach Tony Annese called a gritty performance.

"Obviously, it's a huge win against a really good program," Annese said. "I'm really pleased by that. We made our mistakes today, but all in all, we were just gritty. We kept on fighting, kept on trying to execute and make plays. We've got a lot of playmakers, got good offensive and defensive lines. I thought our secondary played really well and were well prepared. All in all, it's a huge win."

The Bulldogs dominated with a strong rushing attack, accumulating 307 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The home team capitalized on the Mavericks' turnovers, converting two interceptions into 14 points.

Ferris opened the first quarter with a 23-yard field goal by Eddie Jewett at 11:18, capitalizing on a drive bolstered by Chase Carter's effective rushing, including gains of 16, 18, and 19 yards.

Penalties hindered progress, nullifying a potential touchdown. Minnesota State responded with a 75-yard drive, highlighted by Sam Backer's 45-yard rush, culminating in a 1-yard touchdown run by Mitchell Thompson at 5:23. The quarter ended with the Mavericks leading 7-3.

Ferris State capitalized on a robust ground attack in the second quarter, adding two rushing touchdowns to their lead. Carter's 15-yard touchdown run at 8:18 capped a drive aided by a Minnesota State penalty, pushing the advantage to 17-7. Justin Payoute's interception at 1:02 halted the Mavericks' scoring threat, while Carter's 30-yard rush at 6:03 extended Ferris's lead to 24-7 before Minnesota State closed the quarter with a touchdown, making it 24-14.

The Bulldogs maintained a narrow advantage in the third quarter, driven by a series of effective drives and a key 7-yard rushing touchdown by Carson Gulker at 2:37.

The Bulldogs converted four of five third-down attempts to sustain momentum, despite an interception by Minnesota State's Amaun Williams, who returned it 96 yards for a score at 6:33.

Ferris State solidified its lead in the fourth quarter with a decisive offensive display, starting with Brady Rose's 41-yard touchdown reception. The team capitalized on a turnover on downs, as Gulker rushed for a 10-yard touchdown, extending the lead. Jake Price added another score with a one-yard rushing touchdown.

"Part of the deal going into the game was can they keep the ball, churn the game out, keep the time of possession," Annese said. "We held them to 118 yards rushing. So, it's a good sign for us because everybody was questioning our capacity to stop the run in recent weeks. We were once one of the top rushing defenses in the nation. So, hopefully that shows up again. I'm very pleased that we were able to do a really nice job containing a really good offensive rushing team."

Carter delivered an impressive performance with 149 rushing yards on 22 carries, finding the end zone twice, and added 175 passing yards with two touchdowns on 15-of-24 attempts. Payoute stood out defensively, intercepting two passes and returning them for a total of 12 yards.

"So, last week we didn't really come out and perform the way that we wanted," Payoute said. "We were just trying to get back to our regular defense and just play that gritty football that coach was just talking about from us. And I feel like we did that at a high clip."

Annese said the team’s continuing run of success is a reflection of the commitment from the players, the Athletic Department, and people throughout the university – including the crews plowing the field before the game.

Annese said he lacks facilities other teams enjoy, including an indoor athletic center that would allow players to practice more effectively in challenging weather. 

He noted the Minnesota State coach said his team practiced indoors during the week because it was so cold on the campus in Mankato, southwest of Minneapolis.

“It was cold here, and we have no choice,” Annese said during the postgame press conference. “Okay, we have played three teams now in the playoffs, all have indoors.”

The D2 semifinals will take place on Dec. 13 at two campus sites with the national title game set for Dec. 20 in McKinney, Texas.