GVSU-NMU Gamenotes

The #5 Grand Valley State football team will hit the road for the 2018 GLIAC opener at Northern Michigan Saturday (Sept. 15). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in the Superior Dome. All of the action can be heard live on the radio at ESPN 96.1 FM beginning at 12 noon with the pregame show. 

The Game: #5 Grand Valley State (2-0, 0-0) at Northern Michigan  (1-1, 0-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018
Time: 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Site: Superior Dome (8,000) 
Radio: ESPN 96.1 FM - Steve Lloyd-Jones (play-by-play) and Tim Nott (color)
Web/TV: Wildcat Sports Network - nmuwildcats.com

RADIO AFFILIATES
ESPN-FM 96.1 Grand Rapids**, WMUS-FM 107.9 Muskegon**, WDFN-AM 1130 Detroit, WHTC-AM 1450 Holland, WHTC-FM 99.7 Holland, 
WKMI-AM 1360 Kalamazoo, WIMS-AM 1420 Michigan City, Ind.**, WIMS-FM 95.1 Michigan City, Ind.**, WBRN-AM 1460 Big Rapids
WBRN-FM 107.7 Big Rapids, WBRN-FM 95.1 Reed City, WHFB-AM 1060 Benton Harbor**, WHFB-FM 102.5 Benton Harbor**
WFNT-AM 1470 Flint, WTVB-AM 1590 Coldwater, WTVB-FM 95.5 Coldwater, WCAR-AM 1090**, WKAD-FM 93.7 Cadillac**
Flagship station in BOLD
**carrying Matt Mitchell Show

The Coaches
Grand Valley State • Matt Mitchell (Cornell College, 1997) • 79-23 (9th) 
Northern Michigan • Kyle Nystrom (Michigan State, 1988) • 2-10 (2nd)

The Series
Grand Valley State leads the all-time series with Northern Michigan by a 23-17-1 margin, having won three consecutive and 14-of-the-last-15. This will be the Lakers first trip to the Superior Dome since 2012 and the first time anyone on the current GVSU roster has played in the Superior Dome. The Grand Valley State-Northern Michigan series has gone in cycles over the years. NMU won 12-of-the-first-13 meetings between the schools, but the Lakers rebounded and went 7-1-1 from 1989-1997. The Wildcats won three straight meetings (1998-2000) prior to the Lakers' 11-game winning streak from 2001-2011). GVSU averaging 44.5 points in the last 12 meetings, while yielding 13.0. GVSU is 21-5-1 vs. NMU since 1989.  

• Grand Valley State is the winningest FBS, FCS and Division II program in the country, boasting a record of 393-142-3 (.733) in 48 years of playing football. In addition, GVSU is also the winningest GLIAC program all-time with a 285-72-3 mark (.796).  

• GVSU has won four NCAA Division II Football National Championships, made 19 playoff appearances, won 17 league titles, captured nine NCAA regional titles, made nine trips to the NCAA DII semifinals and six to the NCAA DII title game. 

• Grand Valley State is the only GLIAC team to win at least 12 games three times since 2013 and make two NCAA DII Playoff semifinal appearances.
• GVSU head football coach Matt Mitchell is second in all-time wins at GVSU with 79. Current Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly is first with 118 career wins. 

• On the heels of a road game in Cleveland, Mississippi (1,464 miles round trip) to take on Delta State, the Lakers will stay on the road for a trip to Marquette, Michigan (828 miles round trip) to take on Northern Michigan. The Lakers will have traveled 2,392 miles between the back-to-back road games.

• Grand Valley State is 31-14 all-time in GLIAC openers and 13-6 in GLIAC openers on the road. 

• Grand Valley State has started the season 2-0 for the 16th time in the last 18 years.

• Grand Valley State is now 28-20 in road openers, including a 14-4 mark since 2001. Head coach Matt Mitchell is 5-4 in road openers and 2-1 in road openers when flying to the game under Mitchell.  

• After leading the nation in pass defense in 2017 (127.5 yards per game), the Lakers yielded 109 passing yards to Indianapolis in the opener and 110 at Delta State. GVSU ranks 12th in passing yards allowed (109.5). and fifth in pass efficiency defense (72.45). 

• The GVSU pass defense has allowed just four TD passes in its last 14 games. 
 
• The Lakers rank eighth nationally in scoring defense (8.5 ppg) and 21st in toal defense, yielding 270.0 ypg.

• Grand Valley State ranks second nationally in team tackles for loss per game (13.0 pg)...The Lakers have 26.0 tackles for loss (-91) in two games.

• GVSU ranks third in blocked kicks with two and 13th in third down defense (.214).
 
• The Laker offense has recorded 16 first downs rushing and 17 first downs rushing.

• GVSU ran 70 offensive plays vs. Indianapolis compared to the Greyhounds' 50 plays, however, that changed in game two when Delta State ran 86 plays to the Lakers' 69.  

• The Laker offense was forced to punt on its first four possessions versus Indianapolis, however, GVSU scored on five of its next six possessions, including all five (4 TD/1 FG) that entered the redzone. The Lakers had four drives that consisted of nine plays or more.   

• Grand Valley State punted 12 times at Delta State for an average of 45.3 yards per punt. 

• Senior DE Dylan Carroll was named the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week after recording a career, single-game high 13 total tackles (8 solo/5 assisted) at Delta State. Carroll added a team-high three tackles for loss (-8) and a QB sack in the non-conference win.

• Senior punter Collin Cribley was named GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week after playing a key role in the Lakers 21-10 road win at Delta State. Cribley, who averaged 45.3 yards on 12 punts, punted into a brisk wind five times in the first quarter from deep in GVSU territory. In addition, he had a long punt of 61 yards and dropped one inside the Delta State 20 yard line. Cribley punted from inside his own 10 yard line nine times, but was able to keep Delta State's average starting field position its own 27 yard line. Collin has now earned the GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice in his career. 

• GVSU tallied 18 tackles for loss, five QB sacks (-32), forced 10 punts and allowed just one touchdown at Delta State. 

• Grand Valley State will again face the toughest schedule in Division II football, evidenced by the 2018 ledger having four teams that advanced to the 2017 NCAA DII Playoffs. GVSU opened the season at home versus 2017 GLVC Champion and playoff participant Indianapolis, followed by a road tilt at DII power Delta State.. The Lakers will also host Ferris State (Oct. 13) and Ashland (Nov. 3) at Lubbers Stadium. 

Bart Williams (Sr, QB)
    2018: Completed 26-of-62 passes for 376 yards and four TDs.
    Career: Tallied a 34-7 record as a starting QB...Completed 668-of-1,152 passes for 10,230 yards and 109 TDs...First in NCAA DII active TD passes (109) and second in passing yards (10,230) and total offense (10,117)... Ranks 5th in pass efficiency rating (157.73)...Needs one TD passes to tie Cullen Finnerty for second on the Lakers' all-time list (110).
    Set a GVSU single-game record with 15 consecutive completions to start a game. Williams was 15-for-15 for 290 yards and three TDs in the first half at Truman State (2017).

Nick Dodson (Sr, WR)
    2018: Caught three passes for 30 yards.
    • Hauled in three passes for 30 yards vs. Indianapolis.     
    Career: Tallied 111 catches for 1,588 yards and 22 TDs...Led team with 58 catches for 864 yards and 13 TDs in 2016.

Austin Paritee (Jr. WR)
    2018: Hauled in 12 passes for 196 yards and four TDs...Averaging 16.3 yards per catch and 98.0 yards per game receiving.
    • Set career-highs in receptions (8), yards (134) and TD catches (2) vs. Indianapolis in season opener.
    • Caught four passes for 62 yards and two TDs at Delta State.
    Career: Hauled in 25 catches for 538 yards and six TDs.

Brandon Wadley (So, WR)
    2018: Caught four passes for 95 yards.
    Career: Hauled in 10 passes for 174 yards and rushed 11 times for 53 yards.

Chawntez Moss (Jr, RB)
    2018: Rushed for 227 yards and two TDs on 38 carries...Averaging 113.5 rushing yards per game. 
    • Rushed for 135 yards and two TDs on 15 carries vs. Indianapolis.
    • Toted the ball 23 times for 92 yards and one TD at Delta State. 

Jack Provencher (RFr, RB)
    2018: Rushed 31 times for 142 yards and one TD...Caught five passes for 49 yards. 
     • Rushed 12 times for 53 yards and a TD and caught five passes for 49 yards vs. Indianapolis...110 all-purpose yards.
    •Toted the ball 19 times for 89 yards at Delta State.

Dylan Carroll (Sr, DE)
    2018: Recorded 15 total tackles, 3.0 TFL (-9) and a QB sack (-2).
    • Tallied a single-game, career-high 13 total tackles and 3.0 TFL at Delta State.
    Career: Played in 41 career games...Tallied 132 tackles, 29.0 TFL and 14.0 QB sacks.

Mike Pettis (Jr, DE)
    2018: Tallied 10 total tackles, including 2.5 TFL and one QB sack.
    • Notched six tackles, 1.5 TFL (-16) and 1.0 QB sack (-14) at Delta State.
    • Recorded four tackles and 1.0 TFL (-2) vs. Indianapolis.
    Career: Recorded 55 tackles and 11.0 TFL and 4.5 QB sacks.

Isaiah Nkansah (Jr, LB)
    2018: Leads GVSU in total tackles with 18 total...Recorded 1.5 TFL.
    • Recorded a single-game, career-high 11 tackles at Delta State, including 1.5 TFL (-2). 
    •Tallied seven tackles vs. Indianapolis in opener.
    Career: Recorded 53 tackles, 3.5 TFL (-21).

Tyler Bradfield (So, LB)
    2018: Recorded 14 tackles and 3.5 TFL (-4).
    • Tallied seven stops and 2.0 TFL (-2) at Delta State.
    • Recorded seven tackles and 1.5 TFL vs. Indianapolis.
    Career: Notched 59 tackles, 8.5 TFL (-26), 2.0 QB sacks...Picked off one pass.

Tyree Horton (Sr, LB)
    2018: Tallied 10 tackles and one TFL.
    • Recorded seven tackles and a 1.5 TFL (-4) at Delta State.

Jailyn Harden (Jr, SS)
    2018: Ranks third in total tackles with 15.
    • Tallied nine tackles at Delta State
    • Recorded six stops vs. UIndy.
    Career: Notched 86 total tackles and three PBU.

Brendan McMahon (Sr, LB)
    2018: Fifth on the team in total tackles with 11, including two tackles for loss and a QB sack.
    • Notched six tackles and a TFL at Delta State.
    • Tallied five stops vs. UIndy.
    Career: Recorded 43 total tackles

Jacob Studdard (Sr, SS)
        2018: Recorded six total tackles and an interception.
        • Tallied three stops at Delta State.
        • Notched three tackles and picked off a pass vs. Indianapolis.
        Career: Tallied 108 tackles 3.5 TFL, picked off three passes and recovered three fumbles. 

Collin Cribley (Sr, P)
        2018: Cribley has punted 17 times for a 42.6 yards per punt average and four of 50 yards or more...Dropped four inside the opponents 20 yard line. 
        • Named GLIAC Special teams Player of the Week after averaging 45.3 yards on 12 punts at Delta State.
        Career: Averaging 40.0 yards per punt for his career on 64 puntes.