Football | 10/28/2021 9:19:00 AM

The Panther football team is back home this Saturday for a noon kickoff against Saginaw Valley State.

OPENING DRIVE
● The Panthers have their toughest stretch of games upcoming as they begin the last three with a home game against Saginaw Valley State. The final three opponents (SVSU, FSU, GVSU) have a combined record of 18-4. DU has two of their final three games at home and have a 1-2 record in Caledonia this season.
● This will be the fourth meeting between the teams and the Cardinals hold a 2-1 lead. The last meeting however was a big win for the Panthers as they closed out the 2019 season with a 33-23 victory at SVSU. DU scored the final 19 points of the game including 17 in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first five minutes of the game. Tye Mintz had a 10-yard run for a score and Nate McCrary followed with a 39-yard scoring run. The game changed at 7:04 of the first when Robert Clanton picked off a pass and the defensive lineman rumbled 70 yards to cut the deficit to 14-7. DU also had a 98-yard PAT return for two points by Deion Powers with 14 seconds left in the third and DU trailed 23-16. Nate Couturier tied it early fourth on a 43-yard punt return to paydirt. Deondre Ford followed with the game-winning score on a two-yard run with 11:20 to play. Chris Ahmed's 32-yard field goal with 6:59 remaining sealed the victory.
● Saginaw Valley State is riding a three-game win streak into The Farm on Saturday. The Cardinals started the streak with a non-conference win at Texas A&M-Commerce, 20-17, in overtime on Oct. 9. They then won the Axe Bowl on Oct. 16 in convincing fashion, 31-13, at home against Northwood. Last week, they hosted Wayne State and prevailed 41-25 over the Warriors. SVSU gained 350 total yards including 227 on the ground. Tommy Scott and Colby Newburg carried the load with a combined 29 carries and 133 yards. Mike O'Horo got the glory with two rushing touchdowns on seven carries for 38 yards. Newburg also completed 10-of-19 passes for 123 yards and a score.

DAVENPORT NOTEBOOK
● Caleef Jenkins became the first Panther this season with a multiple rushing touchdown game at Northwood. DU had three team rushing touchdowns heading into the game and scored all three of their touchdowns on the ground. Jenkins scored from eight yards at 10:17 of the first quarter and added another from one yard with 8:28 left in the third quarter. He carried eight times for 41 yards in the contest.
● The Panthers put together their longest touchdown scoring drive of the season at Northwood. Jenkins second rushing touchdown covered 82 yards in 11 plays and lasted 4:55. Van Dyke competed a six-yard pass to Gourney Sloan on 3rd-and-6 at the NU 45 and also tossed a 25-yard pass to Amonte Phillips to set up 1st-and-goal at the 8-yard line.
● Isaac Van Dyke got his first career action and start last Saturday. He became the third quarterback to earn a start and fourth QB to take a snap for Davenport this season. Van Dyke looked like a seasoned pro guiding the Panthers to touchdowns on their first two drives. He scored on a 12-yard touchdown run at 6:54 of the first quarter for his first career points. He finished the game 13-of-20 passing for 159 yards and also carried the ball 17 times for 75 yards.
● Davenport will need to figure out their struggles in the fourth quarter if they are going to pick up some more wins this season. They do not have an offensive point in the fourth quarter this season. In addition, the offense has just two plays over 40 yards this season. Cody Blankenburg caught a 53-yard pass from Blake Daniels at Walsh and Phillips caught a 43-yard pass from Deondre Ford at Michigan Tech.
● Elysee Mbem-Bosse looks like he's back to form after missing a few games. He led the team with 13 tackles and had a half tackle for loss at Northwood.

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