GVSU Gamenotes

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• #18 Grand Valley State will hit the road for a GLIAC matchup at #1 Ferris State. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
 
THE SERIES
Grand Valley State leads the all-time series with Ferris State by a 32-24-1 margin. The Lakers are 16-13 at Lubbers Stadium versus the Bulldogs and 16-11-1 at Top Taggart Field. GVSU and FSU have met twice in a season six times since 2015, including  three of the last four years. Saturday's game will be the eighth meeting since 2021. GVSU is 3-2 versus Ferris State in the last five meetings. The Lakers claimed a 22-21 victory over the Bulldogs in the last meeting in Big Rapids (2022) when FSU was ranked #1.  

Saturday's meeting will mark the 14th consecutive meeting that both teams are ranked, including seven of the last eight when both teams are ranked in the top six. Grand Valley State holds a 14-11 advantage when either team or both are ranked since 2001. GVSU has been ranked number one at the time of the meeting between the two programs eight times and the Lakers are 6-2 in those games. Ferris State has been ranked number one four times at the time of the meeting (2023, 2022, 2021, 1996) and the Lakers  hold a 3-1 advantage. GVSU holds an 9-3 advantage over the Bulldogs when either team is ranked number one. Since 2001, GVSU holds a 15-12 advantage in the series
     
Grand Valley State is under the direction of third-year head football coach Scott Wooster. Wooster has led the Lakers to a 26-6 mark, including two NCAA Division II playoff appearances and a GLIAC title his first two years.

• GVSU opponents are 25-63 for 342 yards, one TD and five interceptions in the last three games (Davenport/Northern Michigan/SVSU) through the air.

• Andrew Schuster hit the 1,000-yard passing mark in the fifth game of his career. He has completed 96-of-154 passes (62.3) for 1,337 yards and 13 TDs.

• The GVSU defense ranks third in the country in redzone defense. Opponents have scored on 10-of-20 (50.0) opportunities. 

•  The Laker offense ranks second in the GLIAC, converting 17-of-21 opportunities (.810), 15 of 20 which have been touchdowns 

• Senior punter Trace Hrgich is averaging a nation's best 46.6 yards per punt. He has punted 19 times, with five of 50 yards or more and eight inside the 20 yard line.

• The Lakers have a 3-headed monster at quarterback. Andrew Schuster has completed 96-of-154 for 1,337 yards and 13 TDs, while Brady Drogosh has toted the ball 24 times for 149 yards and four TDs. Zak Olejniczak, who has played in just three games, has 58 rushing yards on 10 carries, while completing 2-of-3 passes for 44 yards and a touchdown.

•  Versus Davenport and Northern Michigan, the GVSU defense has yielded 154 yards of total offense and zero points on 12 drives in the second half. 

• The Laker defense ranks 10th in the country in tackles for loss with 49 for -199 yards.
• The Laker defense ranks 10th in the country in first down defense, yielding 106 through six games (17.6). 

• PK Mathew Bacik is 25-for-26 in PATs this season.

• Senior LB Anthony Cardamone has 229 tackles, 32.5 tackles for loss and 17 QB sacks mark for his career.

• Junior LB Jimmy Downs hit the 100-tackle mark (108) for his career. 

• Kellen Reed surpassed the 2,000-yard all-purpose yard mark (2,112). He has 1,273 kickoff return yards, 672 receiving yards and 167 rushing yards. 

• 10 different receivers caught passes vs. Davenport, led by Sean Byrd's three receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown. 

• Riley Simpson set a GVSU record with his 96-yard fumble return for a touchdown at Pitt State, breaking the mark of 95 held by Scott Mackey vs. Findlay in 2002. 

• Other than the opening drive of the game and a 1-play, 75-yard touchdown on the first play late in the second quarter, the Laker defense limited Davenport to 152 yards of total offense on nine drives.


• GVSU Offense vs. Black Hills State...
   - 7 scoring drives under 2:39
   - 6 scoring drives with 5 plays or less
   - 4 scoring drives of 65 yards or more

• GVSU tallied 18 plays of 10 yards or more vs. Black Hills State, including eight explosive plays of 20 yards or more.

• The Lakers recorded 436 yards of total offense on 56 plays vs. Black Hills State for an average of 7.8 yards per play.

• GVSU recorded four scoring plays of 27 (37, 55, 27, 33) yards or more and five of 14 yards or more, averaging 33.2 yards per scoring play vs. Black Hills State. 

• The Laker passing game averaged 11.5 yards per attempt and 17.0 yards per completion vs. Black Hills State.

• Grand Valley State redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Schuster was named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week. Schuster completed 22-of-32 passes for 391 yards and four touchdowns in the Lakers' 48-36 victory over Black Hills State. The 391 passing yards is a GVSU freshman record and tied for ninth on the list of all-time, single-game passing yards list. Schuster completed passes to 10 different receivers, tallied seven completions of 30 yards or more and he engineered seven scoring drives that did not eclipse 2:39. In addition, five touchdown drives were 65 yards or more. 
• The Laker defense tallied 11.0 tackles for loss (-53) and 4.0 QB sacks (-25) vs. Black Hills State. 

• The Laker offense has produced 13 plays of 20 or more through the first two games, including six that have gone for touchdowns. 

• GVSU defense vs. Lincoln...
  - 5 drives of three and out
  - 7 drives of 5 plays or less
  - 6 drives of 6 yards or less
  - 8 drives of less than 2:30 in possession

• The GVSU offense was efficient, producing seven scoring drives and 10 possessions that ended with a kick. The Lakers picked up 26 first downs total. 

• RS freshman QB Andrw Schuster completed a freshman, single-game record 80.9 percent (17-of-21) of his passes vs. Lincoln. In addition, he completed passes to seven different players and completed three passes of 30 yards or more. 

• Junior LB Jimmy Downs tallied eight tackles, 2.0 TFL (-8), 1.0 QB sack (-8) and two QB hurries vs. Lincoln. 

• The Laker defense tallied 9.0 tackles for loss (-25) and picked off three passes vs. Lincoln, followed by an 11.0 (-53) TFL and 4.0 QB sack outing vs. Black Hills State.

• LB Torian Wyatt notched a career-high eight stops, a TFL and a QB sack at Pitt State. 

• DB Quin Wills recorded a career-high seven tackles at Pitt State.

• DL Jamari Buddin tallied six tackles, 2.0 TFL and a QB sack at Pitt State.

• DT Khamani Potts registered four tackles, 2.5 TFL and two QB hurries at Pitt State.

• GVSU has led the nation in total attendance for 13 consecutive years and 2025 is off to another outstanding start. The Lakers have drawn 41,160 through two home games (13,720 pg).