ALLENDALE, Mich. — #4 Grand Valley State claimed a 49-28 victory over #1 Ferris State Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 16,577. GVSU improves to 5-1 (2-0 GLIAC), while Ferris State falls to 4-2 (2-1 GLIAC). The Lakers will hit the road for a GLIAC matchup at Northern Michigan next Saturday.
The Lakers exploded for five touchdowns in the first 18 minutes of the game to take a 35-0 lead. The Laker defense forced a three and out on the first Bulldog possession and it took the Lakers just one play to cash in on a 16-yard punt. Senior QB Case Peterson hit junior WR Cody Tierney with a 36-yard completion for a touchdown and senior PK Josh Gorball added the first of his seven PATs. Junior safety Ian Kennelly picked off FSU QB Mylik Mitchell's on second down at the Bulldog 44 yard line, but GVSU was unable to manufacture points. The Laker defense continued to dominate and pinned Ferris State deep in their own territory. Following a 36-yard Bulldog punt the Lakers drove 59 yards in five plays for a touchdown. Junior QB Avery Moore started the drive with a 7-yard run, followed by a Peterson to Jordan Johnson 14-yard completion. Facing a third-and-two, Moore connected with junior WR Kyle Nott on a 36-yard, one-handed touchdown catch that some are calling the catch of the year in college football.
The Laker defense continue to shut down the Bulldogs and the Lakers needed just three plays to go 60 yards. Peterson hit Tierney with back-to-back completions for 11 and 12 yards, followed by 37-yard TD run by Avery Moore. The Laker special teams unit then joined the mix with a perfectly executed onside kick by Kollin Kralapp that sophomore receiver Stone Smeenge recovered. Nott took a first down run 36 yards to the FSU 15 and Peterson then hit Tierney with a 15-yard pass and catch for a touchdown to up the Laker lead to 28-0. The onslaught continued as sophomore LB Anthony Cardamone got in on the action when he picked off a Mitchell pass and returned it 20 yards a touchdown to up the Laker lead to 35-0.
The Bulldogs reeled off 21 points late in the second quarter to pull within 35-21 at the half and eventually cut the score to 35-28 heading into the fourth quarter. However, Peterson connected with Donovan Johnson for a 16-yard completion to pick up a huge first down on third-and-11 from the GVSU 10-yard line and Moore raced 44 yards for a touchdown to conclude the 9-play, 89-yard drive to give the Lakers a 42-28 lead. GVSU tallied one last defensive stop and drove 57 yards for a touchdown. Peterson raced 43 yards to the Bulldog16 yard line and then hit Jordan Johnson with a 16 yard touchdown to complete the scoring.
Cardamone led the GVSU defense wit ha career-high 12 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss (-25), 3.0 QB sacks (-23) and returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown. Junior safety Kobe Hayward tallied a career-high 10 stops and a pass breakup, while senior all-america LB Abe Swanson chipped in nine tackles, 2.0 TFL (-9) and a QB sack (-8). Sophomore DE Niles King notched four tackles, 3.0 TFL (-11) and 2.0 QB sacks (-7). Jay'Viar Suggs added a QB sack (-26) and a tackle for loss (-26), while junior DT Jack Gilchrist also tallied a TFL and QB sack (-2). GVSU, which recorded 13.0 tackles for loss (-79) and 8.0 QB sacks (-66), limited Ferris State to 55 rushing yards on 29 attempts.
GVSU rushed for 252 yards and two TDs, while passing for 181 yards and three TDs. Moore led the ground game with 126 rushing yards and two TDs on nine carries, while Peterson rushed for 40 yards on six rushes. Peterson completed 15-of-25 passes for 151 yards and three TDs, while Moore tossed his one completion to Nott for 30 yards and a TD. Tierney hauled in four catches for 74 yards and two TDs, while Nott caught three passes for 43 yards and one TD. Jordan Johnson caught three passes for 38 and one TD. Punter Trace Hrgich averaged 46.7 yards on three punts and WR Kellen Reed returned three kickoffs 63 yards.
