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#4 Grand Valley State will hit the road for NCAA DII Football Second-Round action at #1 Ferris State. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Michigan. GVSU is coming off a 20-3 victory over Lindenwood in NCAA First-Round playoff action, while Ferris State received an opening round bye. 

THE SERIES
Grand Valley State leads the all-time series with Ferris State by a 29-21-1 margin. The Lakers have won 16-of-the-last-26 meetings between the schools. GVSU is 14-12 at Lubbers Stadium versus the Bulldogs and 15-9-1 at Top Taggart Field. Ferris State in 1996 at Lubbers Stadium. GVSU holds a 12-8 advantage when either team or both are ranked since 2001.  

LAST WEEK
#4 Grand Valley State used a dominating defense to claim a 20-3 NCAA DII First-Round playoff win over #22 Lindenwood. The Laker defense held the Lions to 22 rushing yards and 228 total yards. Lindenwood tallied one first down and 37 total yards in the opening half. Senior RB Bryce Young-Walls rushed for 81 yards and a TD on 16 carries, while catching one pass for two yards and a TD. Sophomore RB Tariq Reid chipped in 55 yards and Kyle Nott added 32. Junior WR Jacob Miller caught four passes for 30 yards and Hunter Rison caught three passes for 48 yards. Sophomore Abe Swanson led the defense with nine tackles and junior FS Antionio Strong tallied five. The Lakers notched seven tackles for loss, recovered two fumbles and picked off a pass. 

LAKER BYTES
• The Lakers lead the GLIAC and rank 13th nationally in total defense per game 258.6. 

• GVSU leads the GLIAC and ranks 16th nationally in rushing defense per game (91.6). The GVSU defense has yielded just four rushing TDs games and 1,008 rushing yards in 11 games.

• GVSU concluded regular season action as the top scoring defense in GLIAC play and rank 13th nationally at 15.4 ppg. 

• The Laker offense ranks second in the GLIAC and 10th nationally in scoring (39.6 ppg). 

• GVSU ranks second in the GLIAC and 34th nationally in total offense, averaging 424.0 yards per game. 

• GVSU ranks second in the GLIAC and 10th nationally in rushing yards per game,  averaging 233.5 yards per game...The Lakers are averaging 6.1 yards per carry and have rushed for 30 TDs this season. Four different Lakers (Cade Peterson, Tariq Reid, Aryuan Cain-Veasey and Bryce Young-Walls) each have six or more rushing TDs.

• The Laker defense has yielded just two TDs in the last 16 quarters of action and none in the last 11 quarters of action. A TD pass by Michigan Tech in the final minutes, while Wayne State ran for a TD in the first quarter. 

• The GVSU defense has forced its opponents into 49 three-and-out possessions and 93-of-106 total possessions that have NOT resulted in points have consisted of six plays or less. 59 drives have consisted of 10 yards or less on the season. 

• 17 different Laker receivers have caught a pass, while 10 different players have caught a TD pass.

• GVSU broke the 300-yard rushingmark three times in 2021. The Lakers rushed for 640 yards and 10 TDs versus UW-La Crosse and Michigan Tech. GVSU rushed for 320 yards and four TDs vs. UWC, followed by a 320-yard, six-TD rushing game at MTU. GVSU concluded the regular season with a 305-yard, two TD rushing performance vs. Davenport. 

• The Lakers are yielding 91.6 yards per game rushing, 2.8 yards per carry and opponents have four rushing TDs in 11 games. The Laker defense limited CSU-Pueblo to 29 rushing yards on 20 attempts (1.5 ypr), Michigan Tech to 82 yards on 31 carries (2.6 ypc), Northwood to 95 yards on 34 carries, Michigan Tech in game two to 94 yards on 29 carries, Davenport to 82 yards on 43 carries and Lindenwood to 22 yards on 14 rushes. Six of 11 opponents have rushed for 95 yards or less. 

• GVSU ranks second in the GLIAC and 13th nationally in third down percentage defense .287 (43-for-150).

• The Lakers rank second in the GLIAC and 53rd nationally third down conversion at .412 (47-for-115). 

• Grand Valley State held Lindenwood to just a field goal, marking the first time since a Nov. 19, 2005 the Laker defense held a playoff opponent without a TD. GVSU defeated North Dakota 17-3 in that 2005 meeting en route to the National Championship.

• GVSU is converting .483 percent (29-for-60) of its 3rd down attempts in the first half, while opponents are converting .273 percent (20-for-73). 

• GVSU has recorded 25 drives that consisted of eight plays or more and have resulted in points. 

• GVSU has produced 89 explosive plays (20 yards or more) this season, including 32 via rush, 35 via pass. 

• GVSU has converted 40-of-47 red zone opportunities, including 36 TDs and four FGs. 

• The GVSU defense recorded 80 tackles for loss (-258), 22 QB sacks (-116), 72 QB hurries, 46 pass deflections, recovered 14 fumbles and picked off seven passes.  

• Twenty-seven different defenders have recorded a tackle for loss, including a team-high 9.5 (-35) by Jake Hlava, 8.0 by Abe Swanson (-43) and 6.0 by Colton Hyble (-15). 

• Grand Valley State true freshman kicker Kollin Kralapp converted 36-of-37 PATs in his seven four collegiate football games. 

• The group of Four 2021 - 
RB Tariq Reid (103-588-6)
QB Cade Peterson (83-558-7)
RB Bryce Young-Walls 72-535-6) 
RB Aryuan Cain-Veasey (69-452-6)
 327 carries - 2,133 yds., 25 TDs  (6.5 ypc). 

• Career Rushing
- Peterson    120-714-8
- Reid        191-1,095-9
- Cain-Veasey    218-1,488-16
- Young-Walls    227-1,407-15
- Provencher    180-898-13
        936-5,602-61

• The Lakers' roster breakdown for this second-round playoff game includes 21 freshman, 17 sophomore, 13 juniors and seven seniors.