November 17, 2025
Top-ranked Ferris State football team earns perfect regular season, 25th consecutive win by topping Davenport in Calder City Classic
The top-ranked Ferris State University football team capped off an unbeaten regular season and extended a school record win streak by defeating Davenport University 44-23 on Saturday in the Calder City Classic.
The Bulldogs rallied from an early 14-0 deficit to finish the regular season with an 11-0 record and 25 consecutive wins dating back to last season.
"It is emotional, but I'm super proud of our guys and our staff," head coach Tony Annese said. "When we love a group of guys as much as we love them as coaches, you want to see them succeed. We lost eight guys to the transfer portal after winning the national championship and then they have the audacity to name us No. 1 in the nation in the preseason. (Legendary coach) Nick Saban always said that's the worst, worst circumstance you can ever be in to be ranked first in the preseason. What you need to do is to just keep it going, keep it moving, keep on believing, keep on winning and our guys have done that."
Ferris State dominated on the ground, rushing for 375 yards and scoring six touchdowns, including a 64-yard TD run from quarterback Chase Carter. Despite the Panthers' early lead, Ferris State capitalized on all four red zone opportunities to secure the win. The Bulldogs finished with 458 yards of total offense.
Davenport opened the first quarter with a strong rushing attack, accumulating 137 yards on the ground, including a 48-yard run and a 39-yard touchdown run by Cephus Harris, which led to a 14-7 advantage at the end of the period.
The Bulldogs responded with a 19-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman quarterback Wyatt Bower to cut into the lead, but a fumble on their next possession led to a quick Panthers' score. Both teams demonstrated efficient passing, with Ferris State completing three of four attempts for 29 yards, while Davenport was successful on all three of their pass attempts early for 23 yards.
The Bulldogs mounted a significant comeback in the second quarter, overcoming an initial deficit. An early second period drive was marred by a fumble that led to a 68-yard touchdown return by Markell Gilford at 10:36, giving DU a 20-7 lead, but the Bulldogs responded swiftly.
Carter's 64-yard touchdown run at 4:06 helped level the score at 23-23 by the end of the quarter. The teams entered halftime tied, with Ferris State totaling 158 yards and securing two touchdowns in the period.
The Bulldogs capitalized on a strong ground game in the third quarter, rushing for 86 yards and notching six first downs, while converting a critical fourth down to maintain possession. Brady Rose's eight-yard touchdown run at 8:45 capped a 56-yard drive as the Bulldogs took a 30-23 lead. FSU's defense held the Panthers scoreless in the second half, forcing a turnover on downs and limiting them to just seven passing yards during the third period.
Ferris State capitalized on an effective ground attack to secure a commanding finish in the final period, scoring two rushing touchdowns to extend the lead. Carter's dynamic performance was highlighted by a crucial 21-yard gain that set up his own two-yard touchdown run at 12:02 of the final period.
Taariik Brett sealed the victory with a 48-yard touchdown dash, contributing to the Bulldogs' 96 rushing yards in the fourth frame. The Ferris State defense also held Davenport scoreless, including a pivotal sack by Nolan Ziegler that resulted in a turnover on downs late in the game.
"We have the best offensive line in the country, I think, no doubt," Carter said. "So, they're just a huge comfort, definitely. It's hard to not be confident standing behind them, whether we're running the ball, passing the ball, or doing whatever. I know we can put games away or we can come back in games if we have to with them. They're coached so well, they're strong and they work so hard. There's nothing we can't do with them."
Carter led the offense with 153 rushing yards on 20 carries, scoring three touchdowns. Bower added 34 rushing yards on six attempts and scored one touchdown while completing 6-of-10 passes for 56 yards.
On the defensive side, Justin Payoute and Gyasi Mattison each recorded eight tackles, contributing significantly to the team's defensive efforts. Brett added to the ground game with 118 yards on seven carries and one touchdown while adding five catches for 33 yards.
"It feels good to get the win," said defensive end Tim Allen. "In the first half, we definitely had some things that we had to fix and work on. And after the second half, we figured out what to do, and we just solidified the game.
"We knew we just had play more physical," he added. "We really weren't getting the job done so we knew we had to come out and pick it up and be more physical."
The win was Ferris State’s 10th in as many tries against the Panthers.
This year marks the 12th time in school history in which the Bulldogs have won 11 games or more in a campaign and the 10th time in the last 11 seasons. It also represents Ferris State’s sixth unbeaten regular season since 2014.
The Bulldogs will make their nation-leading 11th consecutive NCAA Division II Playoff appearance this year and are expected to be the number one seed in Super Region Three and host a first-round playoff match on Nov. 22.
The official NCAA Playoff announcement with pairings and additional information will be unveiled on Sunday night with the NCAA Selection Show set for 6 p.m. at NCAA.com.