CALEDONIA, Mich. – The seniors who walked on Senior Day were looking for a signature win on Saturday to cap off an excellent two-year span, but too many miscues led to a 28-10 loss to No. 7 Ferris State for their first loss of the season (8-1, 4-1 GLIAC). In a highly-anticipated matchup between top-10 teams in NCAA Division II, the Panthers played a tough first half and saw themselves take a 10-7 lead into the half.
Myren Harris opened the scoring at 9:27 of the second quarter on a 21-yard touchdown pass from
Jason Whittaker. The Davenport defense set up a short field after recovering a Xavier Wade fumble at the FSU 35-yard line.
The Bulldogs had the answer on their next drive as Mylik Mitchell hit Tyrese Hunt-Thompson for 50 yards on the first play to the DU 40-yard line. Mitchell then completed a 22-yard pass to Brady Rose on 3
rd-and-10 down to the DU 3-yard line. Trinidad Chambliss got the Bulldogs on the board at the 6:07 mark on a three-yard touchdown run.
Davenport led at the half because they took over with 1:56 left in the quarter and marched into field goal range. Whittaker had a 23-yard scramble to the FSU 25-yard line and then
Brandon Gielow booted a season-long 42-yard field goal with two seconds left until the break.
The back-breaking play was the second-half kickoff as the Panthers kicked it away to the goal line and Shon Stephens returned it 100 yards for the score and a 14-10 lead. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown against Davenport in six years.
Davenport went three-and-out on their next drive and the Bulldogs took advantage. Brady Rose on a trick play passed 33 yards to Wade on the first play to get the ball near midfield. Carson Gulker and Markel King pounded the rock into a first-and-goal at the DU 8-yard line. After two negative yard plays by Ferris State, it was Gulker hitting Wade on a crossing route for a 10-yard score at the 8:41 mark of the third quarter for a 21-10 lead.
Davenport got to the FSU 29-yard line on their next drive but moved backwards three yards and had to attempt a 49-yard field goal. It would have been a school record but the kick went wide right despite having the distance.
The Bulldogs drove down to the one-yard line on their next possession, but Gulker fumbled on 3
rd-and-goal and it was recovered by
Jamar Mills at the one-yard line. Whittaker was intercepted however to start the fourth quarter by Stephens for a 15-yard pick six. It was the second interception of the game for Stephens and gave FSU a 28-10 lead.
No scoring happened over the final 14:54 as the Panthers went to
Grant Thwaites under center. He completed 3-of-8 passes for 46 yards but was sacked three times after Whittaker was sacked just once. Whittaker was intercepted four times and DU also lost a fumble. The five turnovers tied for the most in a game by the Panthers.
Xavier Marquez and
Julius Wilkerson each led the defense with eight tackles.
Josh Fusco also had a solid game with a season-high six tackles. The defense held their own giving up just 14 points and limiting the Bulldogs to 371 yards, which was well under their season average of 474.4. DU was hurt by going just 2-of-9 on third down.
The Panthers will conclude the regular season next week at Grand Valley State. A win over the Lakers would give Davenport a share of the GLIAC championship. Kickoff is set for 1 PM at Lubbers Stadium in Allendale, Mich.
