#23 Grand Valley State claimed a 35-28 decision at #18 Davenport Saturday afternoon to finish the 2026 regular season 8-3 overall and 4-3 in GLIAC action. GVSU will await its fate by the NCAA to determine if the Lakers will get a bid into the NCAA Playoffs.
In a wild affair that went down to the final play the Lakers kept postseason hopes alive. The game was tied 28-28 in the fourth quarter, and the Panthers were deep inside Laker territory when the defense held and forced a field goal attempt. Grand Valley State's
Derek Rood blocked the Davenport field goal attempt with just over five minutes left in the game to set up the game-winning drive. The Lakers picked up two key third down conversion, the second on third and 10 when Schuster hit Reed with a screen pass that he took to the 50-yard line.
Kellen Russell-Dixon went 46 yards for a touchdown and after the Basik PAT GVSU led 35-28. Davenport drove down the field and had two plays inside the Laker one yard line, but the GVSU was able to get two stops and claim the win.
GVSU struck first on the first play of the game when sophomore QB
Andrew Schuster hit senior WR
Kellen Reed with a 75-yard touchdown pass, PK
Mathew Bacik added the PAT for a 7-0 lead. Davenport answered in just two plays to tie the score. Schuster hit Reed once again in the first quarter, this one covering 54 yards and Bacik added the point after for a 14-7 lead. The Lakers turned the ball over twice in the first half and unable put point on the board when taking over possession on the 50 yard line. Davenport scored two second quarter touchdowns to take a 21-14 lead at the half.
Davenport took a 28-14 lead with a touchdown on the opening possession of the second half. Junior RB
Paschal Anyanwu scored on a 75-yard run on the Lakers' first play of the second half to pull the Lakers with seven (28-21). The Lakers tied the game at 28-28 with a bit of trickery with a reverse went back to Schuster who then hit TE
Harrison Unger with a 30-yard TD pass.
Schuster completed 12-of-17 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns to bring his season total to 35. Reed hauled in four passes for 153 yards and two TDs and now has 24 touchdown catches on the year. In addition, Reed has 82 receptions for 1,395 yards. Russell-Dixon toted the ball 16 times for 101 yards and a touchdown, while
Paschal Anyanwu added 92 yards on seven carries.
LB
Keegan Sell led the way with a career-high 18 tackles, a QB sack and a tackle for loss. LB
Ryer Snow added a career-high 11 tackles, DT
Carlo Aybar chipped in nine stops and LB
Torian Wyatt added seven tackles.
