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The Game  - #19 Grand Valley State (8-2) vs Wayne State (7-3)
Date - Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019
Time - 1:00 p.m. 
Site - Lubbers Stadium

13 Seniors will play their final game at Lubbers Stadium Saturday. This group has combined for a 38-9 record, the 2016 GLIAC Championship and two playoff appearances. 
1    DaMario Johnson    DB
2    Jaylen Moore    DB      
3    Isaiah Nkansah    LB        
4    Jailyn Harden    DB        
5    Austin Paritee    WR    
12    Johnathon Williams    DL
24    Kalen Dunham    DB        
29    Dé Aundre Simpkins    DB        
39    Bryce Lovelace    K    
44    Michael Pettis    DL
56    Dan Madden    P        
78    Calvin Graves    OL        
94    James McBride    DL

Grand Valley State leads the all-time series by a 35-5 margin, including 30 straight wins. GVSU is 17-2 at Lubbers Stadium and 18-3 at Wayne State. The average margin of victory in the 30-game Laker winning streak is 38.7-13.8 and GVSU has scored 40 or more points 11 times and held WSU to 10 points or less 11 times. The Lakers claimed a 45-21 victory over the Warriors a year ago in Allendale. WSU's last win in the series was in 1984 (30-3). 

• GVSU is the winningest team in Division II football history with a record of 409-149-3 (.732). 

• The Grand Valley State offense is 27-for-35 in redzone scores (77%) and 22-for-35 in redzone TDs (63%), while the Laker defense has held their opponents to 11-for-24 overall (46.0%) and 8-for-24 (33%) in redzone touchdowns.

• The Lakers are averaging 197.0 yards per game rushing, while holding opponents to 115.4 yards per game rushing.

• GVSU holds a 2,193 - 1,426 advantage in passing yards (219.3 - 142.6), yielding six TD passes through the first 10 weeks of the season. 

• GVSU is converting 42.0% of its third downs (53-for-126), while opponents are converting just 28.0% (42-for-148). 

• The Grand Valle State pass defense has yielded six TD passes on the season, five coming in the second half and three in the fourth quarter. 

• The Laker defense has forced 60 three-and-outs in 10 games this season and opponents have tallied 56 drives that have not reached the two minute mark. In addition, GVSU opponents have been held to five plays or less on 93-of-152 (61.1 %) total drives in 10 games.  

 NCAA TEAM RANKINGS
3rd Down Def. - 11 (.284)
Defensive TDs - 11 (4)
Total Defense - 11 (270.3)
Total Offense - 46 (414.8)
Defensive Passing Effic. - 14 (100.3)
Offensive Passing Effic. - 22 (155.07)
Scoring Defense - 12 (15.6)
Team TFL - 7 (9.3)
First Down Def. - 5 (141)
Red Zone Def. - 1 (.458)
Passing Yds. Allowed - 4 (142.6)
Passing Yards Per Comp. - 5 (18.7)
NCAA Individual Rankings
Yards Per Comp. - Cole Kotopka 2 (17.9)
Yards Per Att. - Cole Kotopka 10 (9.31)

PLEASE NO MORE RAIN
Grand Valley State played four consecutive home games in either a driving rain storm or some other form of inclement weather. During the Lakers' game with Davenport Mother Nature dumped over two inches of rain in Lubbers Stadium.

BIG PLAY OFFENSE
The GVSU offense has 47 offensive plays of 20 yards or more, 17 of which have gone for touchdowns. In addition, the Lakers have 19 plays of 40 yards or more.  

Plays of 40 yards or more - 
94 yard Run - TD Cain-Veasey vs. Edinboro
76 yard Pass - TD DeLong from Kotopka at Northern Michigan
75 yard Pass - TD Paritee from Peterson vs. Delta State
74 yard Pass - TD Anderson from Kotopka vs. Delta State
63 yard Pass - TD Wadley from Kotopka vs. William Jewell
63 yard Pass - TD Slager from Kotopka at Northern Michigan
62 yard Pass - TD Wadley from Kotopka at Ferris State
59 yard Pass - Young-Walls from Kotopka vs. Edinboro
58 yard Pass - Paritee from Kotopka at Northern Michigan
52 yard Pass - TD Anderson from Peterson at Northwood
50 yard Pass - TD Wadley from Kotopka at Northern Michigan
49 yarad Pass  - Paritee from Peterson at Michigan Tech
48 yard Run - TD Cain-Veasey vs. Edinboro
47 yard Pass - Anderson from Peterson at Northwood
45 yard Pass - Wadley from Kotopka at Ferris State
45 yard Pass - Anderson from Kotopka vs. Delta State
44 yard run - Tariq Reid vs. SVSU
42 yard pass - Crawford from Kotopka vs. Davenport
41 yard Pass - Paritee from Peterson at Northwood

• RB Aryuan Cain-Veasey leads the Lakers in rushing yards (603) and rushing TDs (7), despite playing in just six games. Cain-Veasey is averaging 100.5 yards per game rushing. He has led the Lakers in rushing in five of the six games played and broke the 100-yard rushing mark three times. 
- 17 for 90  at Ferris State
- 10 for 65 and 1 TD vs. William Jewell
- 22 for 116 vs. Ashland
- 27 for 101 and 3 TD at Michigan Tech 
- 11 for 200 and 3 TD vs. Edinboro

Cain-Veasey was the first Laker running back to reach to the 200-yard rushing mark since Marty Carter went for 218 yards on 11 carries at Wayne State in 2017.

• WR Brandon Wadley tallied career-highs in catches (8), yards (212) and TD receptions (3) vs. William Jewell. His 212 receiving yards is seventh all-time in Laker annals for a single-game. Brandon followed that game up with four receptions for 138 yards and one TD at Ferris State. Wadley has 12 catches for 350 yards and four TDs in his last two games. Wadley also moved past the 1,000-yard receiving mark (1,100) on 45 receptions. 

• WR Austin Paritee became the 19th player in GVSU history to reach the 100-catch mark vs. Davenport. Paritee needs 83 receiving yards to become the 13th player to reach the 2,000-yard receiving mark (1,917).  

• Junior QB Cole Kotopka completed 18-of-25 passes for 402 yards and five TDs at Northern Michigan. The 402 yards ranks sixth all-time in Laker annals, while the five TD passes ranks third. In addition, Kotopka rushed three times for 51 yards for 453 yards of total offense, sixth all-time.  

• Grand Valley State is one of three schools nationally to rush/pass for over 300 yards one week and pass/rush for over 400 yards the following week in the other category. The Lakers rushed for 313 yards versus Saginaw Valley State (10/12), followed by a 405-yard passing outing just one week later (10/19). 

• GVSU has toted the ball 40 or more times six times this season and hit the 300-yard rushing mark twice (319 vs. Edinboro/313 vs. SVSU).

• Grand Valley State is the only school in the country to have two different running backs reach the 200-yard rushing mark in a game this season. 
 - Aryuan Cain-Veasey - 11-200, 3 TDs versus Edinboro.
 - Tariq Reid - 39-287, 3 TDs versus SVSU.

• The GVSU running game has had four different leading rushers in nine games this season. 
 - Aryuan Cain-Veasey - 5
 - Bryce Young-Walls - 2
 - Tariq Reid - 2
 - Johnt'e Crawford - 1

• From The One - GVSU opponents have run seven plays from the Laker 1-yard line and they have been stuffed for no gain or a loss of yardage on six of those plays. SVSU scored on a 1-yard TD run. 

• Playing It Close - Grand Valley State has trailed in the fourth quarter with under four minutes left in 3-of-9 games this season. In addition, the outcome of the game was in doubt with under a minute to play in four games.

Delta State - GVSU scores go ahead TD (28-24) with 3:34 left in the game. Trailed 24-14 with 9:32 left in the game.

Michigan Tech - GVSU scores go ahead TD (21-16) with :24 seconds in the game.

Ashland - GVSU scores go ahead TD (17-14) with :49 seconds left in the game. AU completes 52-yard Hail Mary as time expires for the win (20-17).

Saginaw Valley State - GVSU led 35-28 and stopped SVSU on consecutive plays from the 1-yard line with 15 seconds left, the second as time expired. 

• RS Freshman running back Johnt'e Crawford toted the ball 11 times for a career-high 82 yards and a TD at Northern Michigan. 

• RS Freshman running back Tariq Reid rushed for 287 yards and three TDs on 39 carries vs. Saginaw Valley State. His 287 yards ranks second all-time in GVSU annals and his 39 carries is fifth all-time. The 287 rushing yards is fifth in D2 this season.

• Bryce Young-Walls toted the ball a career-high 23 times for 90 yards and a TD at Northwood. 

• Grand Valley State currently has four running backs that have broke the 100-yard rushing mark in a game. 
 - Bryce Young-Walls (2)
 - Aryuan Cain-Veasey (3)
 - Jack Provencher (1)
 - Tariq Reid (1)

• GVSU was 11-for-15 on third down conversions at Northwood (.733), including a perfect 8-for-8 in the second half. The Lakers were 9-for-15 in third downs vs. SVSU and 8-for-13 vs. William Jewell. GVSU is 15-for-24 (62.5%) in the third quarter this season on third down converstions. Laker opponents are 14-for-79 on third downs (0.177) in the first half this season. 

• GVSU's 319 rushing yards vs. Edinboro marked the most rushing yards for a Laker offense since a 345 yard effort vs. Lake Erie in 2016. The Lakers rushed for 313 yards and three TDs vs. Saginaw Valley State. 

• The Lakers have broke the 547-yard total offense mark three times this season. GVSU put up 592 yards of total offense at Northern Michigan and 572 yards of total offense in the season-opener vs. Edinboro. The Lakers tallied 547 yards vs. William Jewell. 

• GVSU held two of its first three opponents (Edinboro and Northwood) without an offensive TD. Prior to Edinboro the last time the Lakers have held an opponent without an offensive TD was Northern Michigan (28-3) in 2017. 

• Edinboro's 120 yards of total offense was the lowest total for an opponent since Truman State managed 127 yards vs. the Lakers in 2016. 

• The Laker defense held Edinboro to 13 rushing yards, the fewest yards for an opponent since holding Truman State to 27 yards in 2016. 

• RS Freshman Daevon Anderson has 13 catches for 344 yards and four TDs in eight games. Anderson caught two passes (45 and 74 TD) for 119 yards and a touchdown in his first collegiae game vs. Delta State. He followed that up with four-receptions for 121 yards and two TD effort at Northwood. Daevon is averaging 31.0 ypc and a TD every three receptions. Played just one series vs. Ashland and DNP vs. SVSU. 

GLIAC DEFENSIVE POW
Grand Valley State senior linebacker Isaiah Nkansah was named the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season. Nkansah tallied a game-high 13 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss (-12) and a QB sack (-8) in Grand Valley State's 27-7 victory over Davenport in a Saturday night monsoon at Lubbers Stadium. Isaiah was a key figure in a defense that recorded 11.0 tackles for loss (-67) and six QB sacks(-41), holding the Panthers to 161 yards of total offense. In addition, the Laker defense forced three turnovers.

GLIAC OFFENSIVE POW
Grand Valley State junior QB Cole Kotopka was named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance at Northern Michigan. Kotopka completed 18-of-25 passes for 402 yards and five touchdowns (76, 63, 58, 50, 12), while toting the ball three times for 51 yards in the Lakers' 45-17 victory at Northern Michigan. Kotopka, who averaged 22.3 yards per completion, tossed five TD passes to five different receivers and four of his TD passes covered 50 yards or more. His 402 passing yards ranks as the sixth-best total in GVSU football history and his five TD passes ranks third all-time. In addition, Kotopka rushed for 51 yards on three carries for 453 yards of total offense, which ranks sixth all-time in GVSU annals.

GLIAC SPECIAL TEAMS POW
Grand Valley State RS Freshman kicker Josh Gorball was named the GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the Lakers' 45-17 victory over Northern Michigan Saturday (Oct. 19) the GLIAC announced Monday. Gorball was 6-for-6 in point after attempts and kicked a career-long 35-yard field goal in the Laker win. In addition, Gorball kept Northern Michigan's average starting field position at the 28-yard line after kickoffs. On the season Gorball is 28-for-28 in PATs and 4-for-4 in field goals.

GLIAC OFFENSIVE POW
Redshirt Freshman running back Tariq Reid was named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Lakers' 35-28 win. Reid, who rushed for 287 yards and three TDs on 39 carries, etched his name in the GVSU single-game record books. His 287-yard rushing effort is now second on the all-time single-game list, while his 39 carries ranks. Both marks are freshman single-game records. Making his first collegiate start, Reid entered the game with nine carries for 56 yards in two games. He rushed 14 times for 105 yards in the first half, followed by a 182-yard effort on 25 carries in the second half. His TD runs covered 21, 5 and 1 yard. 

GLIAC DEFENSIVE POW
Grand Valley State senior linebacker Isaiah Nkansah was named the D2Football.com National and GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the Lakers' 28-24 win over Delta State. Nkansah recorded a career-high and the third-best, single-game total tackles mark in GVSU football history with 20 stops (6 solo/14 assisted), while adding two tackles for loss (-10) and two QB sacks (-10). Nkansah played a key role in the Lakers' defense holding Delta State to three consecutive field goal attempts (2 missed/1 blocked) and a fourth quarter goal line stand from the 1-yard line that netted -3 yards.  His two QB sacks came at crucial times, the second on a third down when DSU needed a first down to keep a drive alive late in the fourth quarter. 




GLIAC OFFENSIVE POW
Grand Valley State sophomore running back Aryuan Cain-Veasey was named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the Lakers' 35-10 win over Edinboro. Cain-Veasey, who rushed for a career-high 200 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries, scored on runs of 48, 94 and 29 yards. In addition, he averaged 18.2 yards per carry and his 94 yard TD run was the third longest in program history, while also becoming the 22nd player to reach the 200-yard rushing mark in a single-game. In 2018, Cain-Veasey rushed for 210 yards and one TD on 30 carries.

• GVSU is the winningest team in Division II football history with a record of 409-149-3 (.731).

• Grand Valley State has been ranked in the AFCA national poll in 214 of a possible 251 weekly polls since 2001, including 168 weeks in the top 10 and 87 weeks at #1. 

NATIONS LEADING WINNING %
• Grand Valley State is the winningest FBS, FCS and Division II program in the country, boasting a record of 409-149-3 (.732) in 49 years of playing football. In addition, GVSU is also the winningest GLIAC program all-time with a 298-75-3 mark (.799).

10 WIN SEASONS
• Grand Valley State has won 10 or more games 17 times in the 48-year history of the program, including 15 times since 2001.

WINNING WAYS
• Grand Valley State is the only GLIAC program to win at least 12 games three times since 2013 and make two NCAA DII semifinal appearances.

• Since 1985 (35 seasons), the Lakers have had 34 winning seasons and one (1999) in which they finished .500 (5-5). GVSU has tallied 43 winning seasons in 49 years of playing football.

NCAA ATTENDANCE LEADERS
• Grand Valley State currently leads the nation in total attendance (63,329) and rank second in average attendance (10,605) after six home dates, three of which have been played in monsoon like conditions. The Lakers led the nation in attendance for the seventh consecutive year in 2018, drawing 77,725 fans in seven home dates for an average of 11,104.