Ferris State grabbed a piece of history Saturday, becoming the second Division II team in NCAA history to win four national titles in five seasons.
Ferris State grabbed a piece of history Saturday, Dec. 20, in McKinney, Texas, becoming the second Division II team in NCAA history to win four national titles in five seasons with a 42-21 rout of Harding.
The top-seeded Bulldogs outscored the Bison — the last non-Ferris State D-II team to win a championship, back in 2023 — 14-0 in the first quarter and 21-7 in the second half behind a ground game that racked up nearly 340 yards, en route to nearly 600 total yards.
It’s also the fourth title for Ferris coach Tony Annese, who after leading the Bulldogs to a 2018 title game loss won titles in 2021, 2022, 2024 and this season. The feat matches Ferris State’s GLIAC rival, Grand Valley State, which won four titles in five seasons from 2002-06 under coaches Brian Kelly and Chuck Martin.
Quarterback Chase Carter led the rushing attack with 111 yards and a touchdown on seven carries while quarterback Wyatt Bower scored three times on the ground and completed 10 of 16 passes for 177 yards and two more TDs.
The win was Ferris State's 30th straight, and 16th this season in completing a perfect season.
Here are some highlights from Saturday's Division II national championship game:
Wyatt Bower lights it up in the first half
Bower had three touchdowns at halftime (two rushing, one passing). His TD pass to Cam Underwood with 2:08 – a rocket thrown through the Bison defense to find a leaping Underwood as he crossed the goal line – put an exclamation on the first half, capping off a 95-yard TD drive to make it 21-7.
Bower completed seven of 13 attempts for 91 yards and rushed for 35 yards. Franklin led Harding with 57 rushing yards and 15 receiving yards.
But a late, tip-drill touchdown by Harding's Christian Franklin brought the score to 21-14 just before halftime. Cole Keylon's throw was nearly picked off twice, but Franklin, the senior running back, came down with the 15-yard catch to keep it close.
Two TDs in 12 seconds
Ferris State and Harding traded TDs early in the second half for some scoring excitement.
First, Carter jetted 64 yards for the Bulldogs' fourth TD just 39 seconds into the third quarter, for a 28-14 lead.
But on the ensuing kickoff, sophomore G'Kyson Wright returned it 90 yards for a TD, making it a seven-point game again.
But Ferris State answered three plays later as Bower completed a 32-yard pass to Brady Rose and a 40-yard pass to Tae Boyd before running in his third rushing touchdown to make it 35-21.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ferris State crushes Harding for 4th Division II title in 5 years
Category: General Sports
