GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Wayne State University football squad (5-6 overall, 4-5 GLIAC) won its first overtime game in six seasons with a 34-27 triumph at Davenport University (1-10 overall, 0-9 GLIAC) Saturday afternoon at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Warriors took the opening kickoff and drove 67 yards in seven plays with senior running back Romello Brown (Westland, Mich. / Livonia Churchill) scoring on a one-yard plunge just 3:39 into the contest.

The Panthers answered back with an 11-play, 80-yard drive as Nate Couturier hauled in a 38-yard scoring pass from Haiden Majewski.  Sophomore defensive end Brady Beedon (Marysville, Mich.) blocked the PAT to keep the Warriors ahead 7-6.

After a fumble by WSU and an exchange of punts, DU drove 71 yards but on third-and-goal junior defensive end Derrick Coleman (Beverly Hills, Mich. / Country Day) forced a fumble with senior safety Ronny Brant II (Uniontown, Ohio / Green) recovering at the WSU one.

WSU had a 10-play, 82-yard drive but senior place-kicker Paul Graham (Commerce Twp., Mich. / Orchard Lake St. Mary's) missed on a 34-yard field goal.  

On the ensuing drive, senior James Howard (Detroit, Mich. / Chandler Park Academy) blocked a Davenport punt with Graham converting a 24-yard field goal attempt with just 64 seconds left before intermission.

On DU's second play after halftime, sophomore defensive tackle Justin Hollins (W. Bloomfield, Mich.) recovered a Panther fumble at the DU 25.  Graham made a 24-yard field goal attempt to increase Wayne State's lead to 13-6.

After a punt by both teams, Davenport drove 53 yards in four plays to knot the game at 13-13.  Couturier had a 41-yard rushing touchdown for the tying score.

Following three consecutive punts (two by WSU and one by Davenport), Majewski was intercepted at the WSU 46 by junior cornerback Devyn Manson (Lansing, Mich. / Waverly).  It was Manson's first collegiate pick.

After three rushes by WSU running back Demetrius Stinson (Detroit, Mich. / Douglass) netted eight yards, WSU used a timeout with 6:34 remaining in the contest.  On the ensuing play, Stinson went around left end and gallopped 46 yards into the end zone.

Davenport went 73 yards in five plays with Majewski tossing a 57-yard scoring strike to Deondre Moore with 4:31 remaining in regulation to even the score at 20-20.

Following a 28-yard kickoff return by sophomore DeOntay Moffett (Muskegon Heights, Mich. / Mona Shores), Warrior junior receiver Corey Ester (Lake Orion, Mich.) hauled in a 41-yard completion on third-and-seven from sophomore quarterback Dakota Kupp (Waterford, Mich. / Mott) giving WSU a first-and-goal.  On third-and-goal, Brown went in from a yard out giving Wayne State a 27-20 advantage with 2:05 left.

The Panthers responded with an 11-play drive that covered 71 yards in 1:51.  Collin Smith caught a 12-yard scoring toss from Majewski on fourth-and-10 from the WSU 12, with 10 seconds remaining in regulation.

Following a squib kickoff, Stinson took a handoff and nearly scored gaining 59 yards to the Davenport eight as the clock expired.

DU won the overtime coin toss and decided to go on defense first.  A brown rush for four yards followed by a seven-yard completion from Kupp to Ray'Jon Williams-Jackson (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Ypsilanti Community) garnered a first down.  After a quarterback keeper from Kupp, he had a nine-yard toss to Williams-Jackson setting up a first-and-goal at the four.  On the next play, Brown rumbled in from four yards out.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty assessed to Davenport following WSU's PAT, gave the Panthers a first-and-10 at the WSU 40.  After an incompletion, WSU received a 15-yard penalty moving the ball back to the 25.  William Gist had a seven-yard carry and Majewski gained two yards setting up a third-and-one from the WSU 16.  Senior linebacker Dustin Carlin (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson) knifed his way through the DU offensive line to tackle Majewski for a two-yard loss.  After a timeout by each team, Majewski's fourth down pass was batted down by junior linebacker Anthony Pittman (Birmingham, Mich. / Groves).

The win was WSU's third in the final four games of the season.

TEAM STATS

Wayne State held a 457-427 edge in total offense, including a 276-147 advantage in rushing yards.  The Warriors were 7-of-15 on third down and held the ball for nearly 32 minutes.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Demetrius Stinson produced a career-high 201 rushing yards and one touchdown.  Brown garnered three rushing touchdowns in his 17 carries.  Kupp completed 14-of-24 passes for 181 yards with no interceptions and no sacks.

LEADING THE PANTHERS

Nate Couturier had a team-best 44 rushing yards and one touchdown, while Majewski passed for 280 yards and three touchdowns on 18-of-35.  Deondre Moore had seven catches for 127 yards.

UP NEXT

Wayne State will hold its annual Spring Game in April at Tom Adams Field before hosting Walsh University in a non-conference contest on Thursday, August 30th to begin the 2018 campaign.