BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Ferris State University football coach Tony Annese understands why people might have doubted his team after a season-opening loss. But he says sticking to his plan and believing in his team now has led to the top-ranked Bulldogs dominating defending champion Harding University 41-7 in the NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals on Saturday.
The victory in the NCAA Division II playoff quarterfinal game at Top Taggart Field now has the team riding a 12-game winning streak. They will now host Slippery Rock in the national semi final on Saturday, Dec. 14th.
“We lost our first game, and everyone was, like, 'Maybe Ferris isn’t all that great,' Annese said.
“Everybody was kind of doubting us. Even going into this game. I think most people picked Harding to win it. I don’t blame people. But Trinidad Chambliss has been a superstar, and we’ve got a lot of superstars on this team. We’re Region Three champs. We’ve got a semi-final game. But to be Super Region Three champs is a monumental task.”
Annese said he had a message for his team after the first game loss to Pittsburg State in Kansas in August and reminded them last week.
“I told these guys after the Pittsburg State game that I really believe in this team,” he said. “This team is a super team. It just all works out if you stick with the process. Stick with the process and keep on grinding, and we’ve done that.”
Chambliss, the junior quarterback from Grand Rapids, is one of eight finalists for the Harlon Holl Trophy, which goes to the Division II Football Player of the Year. He accounted for three touchdowns on Saturday.
The Bulldogs built a 20-0 halftime lead and limited the nation's top scoring offense to only seven points in the victory while improving to 12-1 overall this year. Ferris State dominated on both sides of the ball, generating 452 yards of total offense, including 287 yards rushing versus the nation's top-ranked defense.
On the opposite side, the defense forced a pair of turnovers and held Harding's vaunted ground attack to only 130 yards on 45 carries along with 193 total yards. The Bulldogs got on the board on their first offensive possession after an early defensive stop, moving 55 yards in only six plays before junior Harlon Hill Trophy finalist Trinidad Chambliss reached the endzone on an eight-yard carry less than five minutes into the game.
Later in the first, with only 16 seconds left, Chambliss hooked up with wideout James Gilbert on a seven-yard TD throw to cap a 13-play, 64-yard scoring drive, making it 13-0 after one.
The Bulldogs added a key score late in the first half with only 15 seconds to go as tailback Kannon Katzer finished a short five-play, 26-yard march with a one-yard TD run, giving Ferris State a 20-0 lead at halftime.
Ferris State then took the opening possession of the second half and drove 75 yards in 12 plays to make it a 27-0 game on Chambliss' four-yard touchdown run. The lead grew to 34-0 with 51 seconds left in the frame when Chambliss hooked up with Gilbert again on a 12-yard touchdown throw to finish off a 69-yard drive in 11 plays. Finally, the Bulldogs needed only two plays to cover 79 yards for another score with 11:48 to go as Katzer found paydirt again from seven-yards out one play after a 72-yard run from slot receiver Taariik Brett.
The Bisons got their only score of the day with only 6:20 remaining when quarterback Cole Keylon rambled in from 11-yards out to finish the longest Harding drive of the day, which covered 80 yards.
“I want to give tremendous credit to Ferris State and Coach Annese,” Harding coach Paul Simmons said. “That’s the best team I’ve ever coached against. They were so explosive offensively. No. 4 (Chambliss) is obviously a really special talent. We knew we’d have to play our best game to have a chance to win today. We didn’t do that.”
For Ferris State, Chambliss completed 18-of-27 passes for 145 yards and two scores. He also added 86 yards rushing on 17 carries. Brett had 89 yards on the ground and Katzer ran for 76 yards and two scores. Meanwhile, slot receiver Brady Rose led the team in the receiving game with seven catches for 45 yards.
The Bulldog defense was paced by Gyasi Mattison with nine total stops to go with an interception. Alston Ware had eight tackles and Sefa Saipaia finished with seven stops. The Bulldogs finished the game eight-of-13 on third down and three-of-four on fourth down while capitalizing on all six scoring opportunities in the red zone.
Annese praised Simmons and his team, noting that, “from 2016 through now, the regional champion has been a Ferris State team or a Harding team. That’s unbelievable considering that the NIAA is in there and we’ve got some great teams in the GLIAC that are fighting to do that as well.”
The victory over Harding follows a 78-17 win over University of Central Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA DII playoffs.
“I’ve coached probably 425 games, and I don’t know if I’ve had it back-to-back that good. Let’s hope we can go for the trifecta next week and play great again,” Annese said. “I’m very proud of the way we played.”
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