Senior running back Joique Bell (Benton Harbor, Mich./Benton Harbor) rushed for six touchdowns, which tied a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record, and the Warrior defense accounted for 10 sacks while forcing two turnovers as Wayne State defeated Ferris State, 45-7, Saturday afternoon at Adams Field.
The win improves WSU's record to 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the GLIAC. Ferris State falls to 1-7 overall and 0-7 in the GLIAC with the loss.
Statistically speaking, Wayne State dominated virtually every facet of the game on Saturday. The Warriors totaled 510 yards in total offense to FSU's 100 and the WSU running game came away with 398 yards while the defense held the Bulldogs to -45 yards on the ground in one of its finest performances of the season.
WSU also held onto the football for over 13 more minutes than FSU (36:45 – 23:15) and converted on 8-of-11 third downs while holding Ferris State to just 1-of-10 on third-down conversions.
In addition to his six scores, Bell earned a game-high 263 rushing yards on 34 carries and hauled in two passes for 42 yards. Redshirt freshman quarterback Mickey Mohner (Painesville, Ohio/Harvey) completed 8-of-12 passes for 112 yards and sophomore wide receiver Troy Burrell (Port Huron, Mich./Port Huron) had a game-high four catches along with 50 yards receiving.
Sophomore linebacker Nick Thomas (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) led the Warriors' defense with 10 tackles, five for a loss, and 2.5 sacks. Junior defensive end Ronald Robinson (Ruffin, S.C./Colleton (Eastern Arizona)) registered two sacks and sophomore cornerback Myles McNichols (Battle Creek, Mich./Central) grabbed his first interception of the season.
Wayne State's offense set the tone for the day on the game's opening series with an 11-play, 65-yard drive that was capped off with a 13-yard scamper by Bell. Bell would add two more touchdowns for WSU and push the score to 21-0 before Ferris State was able to get its first, first down of the contest.
In the second quarter, a Thomas sack on fourth and nine halted Ferris State's third drive of the game. The Wayne State offense capitalized on the stand by mounting another scoring drive of six plays and 58 yards that ended with Bell's fourth trip to the end zone of the afternoon.
After FSU's Kyle Parrish and Chris Wilson hooked up for a four-yard touchdown pass to get the Bulldogs on the scoreboard late in the second quarter, WSU marched down the field and put three more points on the board before halftime thanks to a career-long field goal of 44 yards by senior kicker Anthony Morasso (Detroit, Mich./Harper Woods Notre Dame). The Warriors took a 31-7 lead into halftime.
Bell broke loose for a 33-yard run to score his fifth touchdown of the game on WSU's first series of the second half and added his final score of the day later in the fourth quarter to push the score to 45-7. The Wayne State defense continued to impress and limited FSU to just two first downs (other than a penalty) in the final two quarters.
Senior running back Bruno Shkreli (Livonia, Mich./Clarenceville) came in relief of Bell and ran for 66 yards on just eight carries. Sophomore linebackers Raleigh Ross (Detroit, Mich./Crockett) and Jordan Miller (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) both enjoyed big days with 1.5 sacks. Junior defensive end Nick Grundy (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto) also brought down the quarterback once as well.
The Bulldogs were led by Matt Ryan's game-high 20 tackles and Tyler Thomas' 60 rushing yards.
Wayne State will travel to Hillsdale next Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Notes:
Joique Bell had his third 200-rushing yard game of the season and ninth of his career.
Bell moved within 266 all-purpose yards of the GLIAC all-time mark of 7,227 set by Ferris State's Clarence Coleman (1998-01).
Bell moved into 11th place on the all-time NCAA Division II list with 6,175 rushing yards.
Stan Thornton passed Don Robinson (1968-71) for ninth place on the WSU all-time kickoff returns chart with his 34th.
With his 36 points today, Bell moved into 10th place in all-time NCAA Scoring (all divisions), and ranks sixth in Division II career scoring.
Bell needs 29 all-purpose yards to move into 25th place on the all-time NCAA list for all divisions.
