Football | 10/27/2016 8:39:00 AM

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University football program (7-1, 7-1 GLIAC) will play the first of two straight road games at No. 22 Ferris State (6-2, 6-2 GLIAC) on Saturday with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. at Top Taggert Field.

GAME STORYLINES
In a match-up of two top-25 teams with playoff implications, 19th-ranked Wayne State (7-1) will travel to 22nd-ranked Ferris State (6-2) this Saturday for a 1 p.m. contest.  The Warriors are one of the hottest teams in the nation having reeled off six consecutive wins.  After scoring early and often during most of the first seven games, WSU scored the final 26 points in a 42-14 victory over Saginaw Valley State last Saturday.  Wayne State will play its final three regular-season contests against schools that went a combined 25-5 in league play a year ago and are currently 18-5 in the conference in 2016.

With the top seven teams in the region advancing to post-season play (not including the eighth-place earned access squad), Wayne State was ranked sixth this week by the NCAA Regional Ranking Committee, while the Bulldogs were ranked ninth.

LAST TIME OUT
The 22nd-ranked Wayne State program blanked visiting Saginaw Valley State Cardinals over the final 33 minutes to turn an eight-point halftime advantage into a 42-14 triumph.  The sixth consecutive win for the Warriors marks the longest in program history since the 2010 and 2011 squads combined for 10 consecutive victories from October 23, 2010, through October 8, 2011.

WSU took the opening kickoff and used 7:40 on the clock to take a 6-0 lead.  Romello Brown scored on a four-yard run to conclude the 14-play, 86-yard drive.  He had nine carries for 61 yards on the scoring drive.  Donovan Zezula completed 3-of-4 passes for 19 yards on the drive, including an eight-yard completion to Logan Smith on a third-and-six.

After an exchange of punts, SVSU took its only lead of the game, 7-6, on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Conklin to Max Corcoran with 1:49 remaining in the opening stanza.

The Warriors grabbed the lead for good after Deiontae Nicholas recovered a fumbled punt by the opposition for the second consecutive week.  WSU covered the final 12 yards in three plays with Demetrius Stinson scoring on a four-yard run up the middle with 10:04 left in the second period.

SVSU cut the deficit to two at 16-14, but WSU would outscore the Cardinals  26-0 from that point forward.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Ferris State has comfortably won back-to-back games after a 35-23 loss at Grand Valley State on Oct. 8th.  The 22nd-ranked Bulldogs are 6-2 both overall and in GLIAC games.  Head coach Tony Annese is in his fifth season leading FSU.  He is a member of the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame after being inducted in the spring of 2011 for his work during 22 seasons as a prep head coach at Montrose, Ann Arbor Pioneer, Jenison and Muskegon High Schools.

FSU's offense is paced by junior quarterback Reggie Bell who has tallied 832 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns (11 rushing plus 8 passing), while junior running back Jahaan Brown has rushed for 592 yards and three scores. Brown is averaging nearly 20 yards per kickoff return.  The senior duo of Jamel Lockett and Shakur Sanders have combined for 64 receptions, 740 yards and four TDs.  Ferris State also boasts two of the league's defensive leaders in senior linebacker Anthony Darkangelo and sophomore defensive end and current GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week Zach Sieler.  Darkangelo ranks third in the league with 79 tackles, while Sieler tops the league with 16.5 tackles for loss.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Wayne State trails 22-26 in the all-time series, which began in 1920 when Detroit Junior College defeated Ferris Institute 48-0.  The Warriors are 9-12 all-time in Big Rapids, including a 19-0 WSU triumph on Oct. 18, 2008, at Top Taggart Field.  Paul Winters has a 2-4 mark against the Bulldogs, including a 1-2 record in games at FSU.  The teams did not meet in six of the last 12 seasons.

THE EFFICIENT (AND EXPLOSIVE) ROMELLO BROWN
Romello Brown's 6.43 yards per carry for a career is the second-highest by any WSU player with at least 75 rushing attempts behind Gary Baillargeon, who averaged 7.29 (166-1,210) in 1951-52.  In addition, he is gaining 8.3 yards per carry (min. 40 attempts) this season, which is a program record (8.14 -- Gary Baillargeon, 1951).  

RARE AIR FOR BRODBECK
Trent Brodbeck enters Saturday's game at Ferris State, third in WSU history in receptions by a tight end with 57.   Richard Hall (1991-94) is second with 59 receptions, while Joe Benke (1987-88) is the all-time leader among tight ends with 67 catches.  Additionally, Brodbeck was selected to the Allstate AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) Good Works Team®, which recognizes football student-athletes for their community service efforts.  He is only the second player in school history (Alan Guy, 2007) to receive the honor.  He is featured in a two-page spread in the Oct. 3rd edition of ESPN The Magazine.  Also, Brodbeck was named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's William Campbell Trophy on Sept. 28th.

QUARTERBACK WIN TOTALS
In baseball, the starting pitcher gets a win for going at least five innings so we thought we would take a look at the best win totals for WSU starting quarterbacks since 1972 (except 1980-83).  The same rules from baseball apply here -- the QB that was in when the winning points were scored received the decision.

1.  Mickey Mohner (2009-12), 30-15-0, .667
2.  Ed Skowneski (1972-75), 20-12-0, .625
3.  Jim Gendron (1976-78), 15-7-0, .682
4.  Donovan Zezula (2015-16), 13-5-0, .722
5.  Mark Friday (1991-93), 13-13-0, .500
6.  Richard Popp (1983-86), 8-15-1, .354
      Trent Pohl (2006-07), 8-10-0, .444
8.  Kevin Smith (2008), 7-2-0, .778
      Carl Roscoe (2012-15), 7-7-0, .500
      Anthony Frederick (1992, 94-95), 7-12-0, .368
      Michael Gluski (1994-95, 97-98), 7-16-0, .304

WINNING WHEN EXECUTING
Wayne State has won 15 of its last 16 games when rushing for over 200 yards, including last week vs. SVSU.  The only setback when accomplishing the feat came at Ashland, where the Warriors ran for exactly 200 yards in a losing effort.  During the past four-plus seasons (2012-16), Wayne State is 25-5 when rushing for 200 yards including a 10-2 mark on the road.  Under Coach Winters, the Green & Gold are 44-14 under those parameters, including a 26-6 mark at home.

TOP OF THE LEAGUE
Since the start of the 2008 season, here are the most successful teams in the GLIAC in terms of conference victories:
Grand Valley State - 69
Ashland - 65
Ferris State - 54
WAYNE STATE - 53
Michigan Tech - 53
Saginaw Valley State - 49
Ohio Dominican - 44

WORTH NOTING
Wayne State had five rushing plays of at least 86 yards in the first 98 years of football, but the Warriors have two (both 86-yard touchdown runs) in the last six games.  Romello Brown scampered 86 yards against Lake Erie, and Deiontae Nicholas' TD run against Findlay put WSU ahead 27-14 late in the third period.

Romello Brown had his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season and 12th of his career last Saturday vs. SVSU.  He currently ranks second in the country in rushing yards per carry at 8.34 and ranks fourth in total rushing yards.

Brown's 1,000-yard rushing season makes him the third running back in the Paul Winters' era to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons joining Joique Bell (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009) and Josh Renel (2010 and 2011).  WSU has had 11 1,000-yard rushers in the last 12 seasons (only 2012 and 2013 without a 1,000-yard rusher, but the Warriors had two in 2011).

Brown tied Hall of Famer Joe Gough (1991-94) for fourth place on the all-time rushing touchdowns chart with 33.  Brown has rushed for at least 145 yards in 10 of the last 13 games, including the final five contests of the 2015 campaign.

Jamel Hicks needs one catch to become the seventh player in school history with at least 100 career receptions.

A STRONG CONNECTION
QB to WR touchdown totals (Since 1991)
24 - Mickey Mohner to Troy Burrell
22 - Jason Charron to Pierre Brown
18 - Michael Gluski to Jimmy Hill
10 - Carl Roscoe to Michael Johnson
10 - Dan Gray to Pierre Brown
9 - Donovan Zezula to Jamel Hicks
9 - Dan Gray to Brandon Brown
9 - Richard Brown to Elbert Richmond
8 - Anthony Frederick to Nate Bush
7 - Randy Hutchison to Nick Body

STREAKING WARRIORS
In eight of the last nine seasons (2008-16), WSU has had at least a four-game winning streak.  This year's Warriors currently have a six-game winning streak, which ranks 12th nationally.  Northwest Missouri State holds the longest winning streak at 23 games.

The six-game winning streak for the Warriors marks the longest in program history since the 2010 and 2011 squads combined for 10 consecutive victories from October 23, 2010, through October 8, 2011.  The Tartars produced two seven-game winning streaks from Sept. 23, 1967, through Nov. 4, 1967, and Oct. 25, 1975, through Sept. 25, 1976.  The first six-game winning streak in program history was accomplished by the 1951-52 squads from Oct. 20, 1951, through Sept. 20, 1952.

CONSISTENT LEADER
Paul Winters is the second-longest tenured football coach in program history this fall with 13 seasons.  He passed the founder of WSU athletics David Holmes in 2014 at 11 seasons (1918-28).  Hall of Fame coach Joseph Gembis holds the WSU record with 14 seasons (1932-45).

LAST 100 GAMES
Wayne State has compiled at least a .500 season in eight of the last nine years (2008-16) combining for a 63-37 mark over the last 100 games.  Prior to Coach Winters arrival in 2004, the Tartars/Warriors had 10 consecutive losing seasons on the field and only one winning season on the field in 19 years.

THE FRONT LINE
The running game has always been a calling card of Wayne State football and 2016 looks to be no different as the strongest units of the team appear to be its running backs and offensive line.  This year, WSU has rushed for 2,374 yards and 30 touchdowns.  This year's offensive line contingent has quality, versatility and depth.  The five projected starters have made 131 collegiate starts after the first eight games.  Leading the way are graduate student and captain Nate Theaker, fifth-year seniors Robert Kelly, Andrew Zimmerman and JT Pillars, along with junior Tommy Richardson.  Kelly leads the corps having started 38 times, while both Theaker and Richardson have 30 starts with Zimmerman (18) and Pillars (15) getting most of their starts a year ago and in 2016.

TOP 25 POLLS
Wayne State gained three spots in the AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) top 25 poll and is now ranked 19th.  Two weeks ago, the Warriors were in the poll for the first time since the 2012 campaign (Oct. 8, 2012).  In addition, WSU is also ranked 19th in the D2Football.com poll released on October 25th.  WSU is ranked 16th in the Massey Ratings, which compiles several types of data, including home field advantage, strength of schedule and strength of future schedule.

NCAA RANKINGS
The NCAA released its national statistics on Oct. 25th for Division II Football.  In terms of team rankings, WSU is third nationally allowing just one fourth-down conversion by its opponents (1-for-14).  In addition, the Warriors are also ranked in the top 20 nationally in the following categories:
4th in rushing offense (296.8 yards per game)
8th in kickoff return average (25.86) 
9th in fumbles recovered (11)
9th in winning percentage (.875)
10th in passing yards per completion (15.78)
13th in fewest passes had intercepted (4)
14th in kickoff return defense (16.65 yards per return allowed)

Romello Brown is second in yards per carry (8.34), fourth in both rushing yards (1,159) and rushing yards per game (144.9), 12th in rushing touchdowns with 13, and 35th in all-purpose yards per game (145.75).

Demetrius Stinson ranks 16th in rushing touchdowns with 12.

Donovan Zezula is fifth in yards per pass attempt (9.79), ninth in passing yards per completion (15.98) and 12th in passing efficiency (165.7).

FIRST HALF DOMINATION
Wayne State has been at its best in the first 30 minutes of the game this season.  The Warriors are outscoring their opponents 107-14 in the first quarter and 186-51 during the first half.  However, on the other side of the coin, WSU is only outscoring its opponents 119-95 in the second half.

TOUGH ROAD AHEAD
WSU's final three-game schedule ranks as the fifth-toughest schedule in Division II.  The three opponents are a combined 19-5 for a .792 winning percentage.

GOOD COMPANY
For only the fifth time in the last 82 years of Wayne State football, a team has started 7-1.  In this, the 99th season of Warrior football, the only previous 7-1 starts were in 2011, 1976, 1967 and 1934 (that squad finished 7-1).

The only previous Tartar/Warrior teams with eight win seasons were in 1975 (8-3), 1976 (8-2), 2008 (8-3), 2010 (9-2) and 2011 (12-4).  No WSU squad has ever gone 5-0 in a month.  This year's team is 4-0 heading into this Saturday's contest at Ferris State.

GOING OUT IN STYLE
This year's senior class has produced three winning seasons and are 20-10 since the start of their redshirt sophomore season.  The 23 wins by this year's senior class is tied-for-ninth all-time with the classes of 1934-37, 1976-79 and 2006-09.  Three more victories this year, would tie this class for eighth all-time with the 2007-10 group.  The 2008-11 contingent holds the school record with 35 wins.

TURNOVER MARGIN SUCCESS
Wayne State has improved in several areas from last season but perhaps the most important is in the turnover margin department.  The Warriors are +6 this season (16 takeaways and 10 giveaways) compared to a -9 mark in 2015 (23 giveaways and 14 takeaways).

WARRIORS IN OCTOBER
Five of the last seven October's have seen WSU go .500 or better.  The Warriors went 4-1 in 2010, 3-2 in both 2011 and 2015, and 2-2 in 2012.