DETROIT - The Wayne State University football team improved to 5-1 for the first time since 1976 with a come-from-behind 47-40 win over Ashland University (3-3 overall, 3-2 GLIAC) Saturday afternoon in the Homecoming contest at WSU's Adams Field.

The Warriors are tied for second in the GLIAC with a 4-1 conference ledger.

Trailing 33-20 at halftime and having allowed 323 yards of total offense to the Eagles, the WSU defense held the visitors scoreless in the third quarter while the offense put up 13 points to knot the game at 33.

Senior running back Joique Bell (Benton Harbor, Mich.) had a five-yard touchdown run on WSU's first drive of the second, while freshman quarterback Mickey Mohner (Painesville, Ohio/Harvey) tossed a five-yard pass to senior fullback Brian Rilley (Taylor, Mich./Allen Park Cabrini) on the Warriors' next drive.

On AU's ensuing drive, the Warrior defense held on three consecutive plays from the 1-yard line. Following a WSU punt, sophomore cornberback Myles McNichols (Battle Creek, Mich./Central) forced a fumble in WSU territory that was recovered by senior linebacker Matt Shango (West Bloomfield, Mich./Brother Rice).

Two Bell runs accounted for 53 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown which broke the school record for rushing touchdowns in a game (5).

Eagle signal caller Billy Cundiff engineered an 11-play, 67 yard scoring drive throwing a five-yard pass to Mike Knueven with 56 seconds left to knot the game at 40.

Rilley went six yards on the squib kickoff giving the Warriors good field position at their own 42. After an incomplete pass on first down, Mohner hit Ed Sanders (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) with a 13-yard strike and a first down in Eagle territory. On the very next play, Mohner found Bell in the middle of the field and after a few moves around three AU defenders, Bell had his school-record sixth touchdown of the game.

Ashland had 25 seconds remaining and the ball at their own 34 following the kickoff. Cundiff had back-to-back completions for a total of 26 yards, followed by a 9-yard completion to Dawon Harvey, who was tackled at the WSU 31 with three seconds left. Cundiff's deep pass in the end zone to Christian Livingston went off the receiver's fingertips and was batted out of the end zone by WSU cornerback Stan Thornton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Withrow).

Bell rushed 32 times for 272 yards and five touchdowns. The rushing total is the fifth-highest mark in school history. Mohner completed 8-of-13 for 153 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Seven different Warriors had receptions with Sanders the lone player with more than one.

WSU sophomore Josh Renel had 245 all-purpose yards (148 on six kickoff returns, 68 on two punt returns, and 29 rushing).

D'Marris McCoy led the AU ground game with 170 yards on 38 carries. Cundiff completed 27-of-36 for 331 yards and four touchdowns. Joe Horn had five receptions for 127 yards and two first half scores. Livingston had a game-high eight receptions for 66 yards.

Wayne State travels to Northern Michigan (4-1 overall, 4-1 GLIAC) next Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff in Marquette.

Notes:

Joique Bell became WSU's all-time leader in total offensive plays passing Ed Skowneski's (1972-75) mark of 1,036.

Bell moved from tied-for-23rd in all-time NCAA scoring (including all divisions) to 15th with his 36 point contest. He passed both Walter Payton (Jackson State, 1971-74) and Ricky Williams (Texas, 1995-98) and others today.

Bell went from 17th to 14th in all-time NCAA Division II rushing. His career total is 5,806.

Bell moved from 26th to 20th in all-time NCAA Division II all-purpose yards with 6,941. He is one yard behind Portland State's Curtis Delgardo (1986-90) for 19th place.

Josh Renel moved into fifth on the WSU all-time punt return yards list with 417.

Stan Thornton moved into third place on the WSU all-time passes defended (interceptions plus break-ups) list with his three pass break-ups today.