September 15, 2025

Top-ranked Ferris State football team battles tough Tiffin squad for 17th-straight victory

A national championship, a No. 1 ranking, and Sports Illustrated calling the Ferris State University Bulldogs “the gold standard” for Division II football adds pressure when the team takes the field.

But head coach Tony Annese said he’s proud of his team for holding on for a 41-34 victory over a tough Tiffin University team on Saturday to extend the Bulldogs’ winning streak to 17 games. 

“Give Tiffin a lot of credit. I could have told you that this was going to be a dog fight,” Annese said after the game.
Annese said he sensed him team was frustrated because the game was close. 

“They’re discouraged because, it’s Ferris State, ‘the invincible, nobody-can-even-come-close-to-us team,’ which is a bunch of crap,” he said. “It’s hard to win. I’m extraordinarily proud that we have the grit that we have, and we continue to fight and believe.”

Annese said the winning streak brings pressure, as does a recent post by Sports Illustrated that noted an ESPN columnist’s rankings putting the Bulldogs ahead of 18 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. FBS teams, in the NCAA Division I, represent the sport’s top tier.

“Ferris State’s placement is a testament to Annese’s program, which now serves as the gold standard for Division II football,” SI’s Matt De Lima wrote. “The Bulldogs aren’t just aiming for another national title. Their brand of dominance is pushing them into conversations typically reserved for the FBS ranks.”

Annese noted the team, now 3-0 on the season, is thriving even after losing a number of top players through the transfer portal.

“It is hard to win,” he said. “I think we’ve got the longest winning streak of any team in the division. It brings a little bit of pressure. I don’t know if our guys feel the pressure. But there is pressure when some publication puts us as the superstar team of Division II. I’m proud that our guys continue to practice hard and show the grit that they show.”

Tiffin jumped out ahead by scoring on its opening possession, driving 75 yards on 10 plays. The Bulldogs then put together four touchdown drives and 28 unanswered points to rush ahead 28-7 with 4:57 left in the first half.

The Dragons bounced back for another score before halftime, to bring Tiffin to within 28-14 with 2:09 left. The Bulldogs came right back with a one-play, 75-yard run by quarterback Wyatt Bower that put them ahead at the half.

Bower, a freshman from Corunna, accounted for five touchdowns and 378 all-purpose yards. 

The Dragons clawed back in the second half, scoring 20 points after the break, highlighted by Malik Baker's 77-yard return of a blocked field goal in the third quarter that trimmed the margin to 35-27 when Ferris State had an opportunity to go up by 18 points. But the Bulldog defense produced just enough stops to preserve the win.

Along with Bower, tailback Zak Ahern ran for 89 yards on 10 carries for FSU and Brett caught five balls for 76 yards. Tae Boyd had three grabs for 57 yards.

Defensively, the Bulldogs came up with three sacks, including two from Tyrone Fowler. Ahlston Ware led the Bulldog defense with 12 tackles, including eight solo stops, while Fowler had nine stops and two tackles for loss. Ferris State’s defensive limited Tiffin  six-of-13 on third down and one-of-three on fourth downs in the game. The Dragons also were held to 65 rushing yards on 32 carries.

Ferris State hasn’t lost a game since the 2024 season-opener and improved to 8-0 versus Tiffin. 
Ferris State will host the University of Rio Grande, from Ohio, for homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 20, at Top Taggart Field. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. and tickets are on sale now.