GAME STORYLINES
On Senior Day, Wayne State will attempt to keep The Wooden Shoes trophy in Detroit.  The Warriors will finish their home season this Saturday against Grand Valley State before concluding the 2021 season at Ferris State next week.

SCOUTING GRAND VALLEY STATE
GVSU enters week 10 at 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the league, with its only loss coming at home to top-ranked Ferris State.  The Lakers are currently ranked seventh nationally.  Head coach Matt Mitchell is in his 12th season with the program.

Quarterback Cade Peterson has thrown for 1,475 yards and 17 touchdowns with six interceptions, while completing over 64 percent of his passes.  Peterson is also the team's leading rusher with 466 yards and four scores on the ground.  

The backfield trio of Tariq Reid, Bryce Young-Wells and Aryuan Cain-Veasey have combined for 1,091 yards and 14 TDs.  Hunter Rison has a team-best 26 receptions for 382 yards and five touchdowns.

ALL-TIME SERIES
WSU won in Allendale, 31-17, to end the 2019 season and that was the first victory for the Green & Gold in the series since 1984.  The Lakers own a 35-6 all-time series advantage, including a 17-3 edge in Detroit.  

LAST TIME OUT
Wayne State won 56-21 over Northwood last Saturday.  Myren Harris rushed for a school record 327 yards on 20 carries with four touchdowns.  Nick Isley (5-for-37), Chandler Edwards (4-for-20), and Avery Hall (3-for-15) contributed to WSU averaging over 10 yards per carry (37-for-393) before the three kneel downs.  Chase Churchill completed his last 12 pass attempts to finish 13-of-14 for 175 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions.  Kendall Williams had a game-high six catches for 23 yards.  Kameron Ford totaled a game-best 65 receiving yards.

Wayne State had a 562-302 edge in total offense, including a 387-189 advantage in rushing yards.  WSU scored touchdowns on eight of its first 10 possessions (two punts), before running out the clock on possession No. 11.

VETERAN OFFENSIVE LINE
Four of the five starters on the offensive line had combined to start 62 career games prior to the start of the 2021 campaign, led by Lane Potter's 33 consecutive starts.  The other three were Landin Mitchell (11 starts), Reid Thompson (10 starts) and Joe Ziedas (8 starts).  Both Chrishoun Roberts and Noah Nicklin made their first collegiate starts this season.  The six aforementioned O-Line guys have totaled 107 career starts heading into the contest vs. GVSU.

RUSHING DOWN THE FIELD
Redshirt freshman running back Myren Harris rushed for a career-high and program record 327 yards vs. Northwood, including four touchdowns.  Over his last five games, Harris has gained 873 yards on 103 carries with eight touchdowns.  The 327 rushing yards is the most in Division II this year.  Harris earned GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance.  It is the first weekly award of the season for the program.

RED ZONE TRENDS
The Warriors struggled in the red zone out of the gate, posting a 56% (9-for-16) red zone percentage through the first four games.  Over the last five contests, the Green & Gold are converting 86 percent (12-for-14) of their red zone trips.  Additionally, WSU is a perfect 9-for-9 with drives inside the 20-yard line over the last four weeks.

FIRST CAREER TOUCHDOWNS
Both Nick Isley and Kameron Ford found the end zone for the first time in their careers on Saturday against Northwood.  It was Isley's 15th career game played and Ford's 10th appearance.

NEXT MAN UP
Junior quarterback Chase Churchill had made only one appearance as a signal caller (2019 vs. Ferris State) prior to stepping in for the injured Jake AmRhein and Josh Kulka at Missouri S&T.

Churchill has passed for 1,140 yards and 10 touchdowns, with only five interceptions, while completing 78-of-161 passes.  He has had a completion of at least 40 yards in six of his last seven games.

ALMOST  A SCHOOL RECORD
Warrior freshman Eli Haddad recorded the second-longest non-scoring punt return in school history with a 68-yard return at Northern Michigan.  The school record for longest non-scoring punt return is 73 yards set by James "Tex" Whisonant vs. Akron on October 2, 1937, exactly 84 years ago to the day prior to Haddad's return.

WIDE RECEIVER DUO
Tre Davis and Jesse Prewitt III have combined for 53 receptions in nine games this year for 966 yards and eight touchdowns.  Davis is currently leading the GLIAC in both receiving yards (624) and yards per catch (18.4), is second in receiving touchdowns (5) and fourth in receptions (34).  Prewitt would be second in the GLIAC in yards per catch (18.0) if he had enough receptions to qualify.

OFF THE FIELD ACCOLADES
Linebacker Julius Wilkerson was selected to the AFCA Allstate Good Works Team earlier this season.  He became the fourth Warrior, joining Alan Guy, Trent Brodbeck and Luke Bevilacqua, to be selected to the 11-man non-NCAA Division 1 squad in the history of the program.

For the second straight year, offensive lineman Lane Potter was named a national semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.  He was the only GLIAC player recognized.

SPECIAL TEAMS IMPACT
Redshirt freshman Myles Harris had one kickoff return at Missouri S&T in his first collegiate game.  On Sept. 25th vs. Saginaw Valley State, Harris averaged over 30 yards per kickoff return, including a WSU season-long 43-yard return which set up WSU's final touchdown.  Ironically, the scoring play was a 32-yard reception by his twin brother, Myren.  Myles has 11 kickoff returns for 267 yards this season and leads the squad with a 24.3 yards per return average.

SCOOP & SCORE
Kori Moore's fumble return for a touchdown vs. Saginaw Valley State was the first by a Warrior since Nores Fradi took a Northwood miscue 12 yards in a 31-17 Wayne State victory on October 5, 2013.  Ironically, WSU had two fumble returns for a touchdown in 2013 as Ed Viverette had a 42-yard fumble return against Ashland in the first collegiate night game in Adams Field history on Sept. 14, 2013.

CAUSING HAVOC
Linebacker Brandon Tuck-Hayden forced three fumbles versus Saginaw Valley State, equaling the school record set by Greg Hasse in a second round playoff game at Nebraska-Kearney on November 26, 2011.  Tuck-Hayden recorded two forced fumbles in both 2018 and 2019, and is tied-for-third in program history (with Hasse with seven forced fumbles in a career.  Hall of Famer Ed Viverette is first with nine, while Nores Fradi had eight forced fumbles.

MORE TUCK
Tuck-Hayden had at least one tackle for loss in seven of his eight games played this season and leads the squad with 8.5 tackles for loss.  His 25.5 tackles for loss in a career are the most among active players on the WSU roster.

IMPRESSIVE OFFENSIVE OUTPUT
The Warriors eclipsed the school record of 671 yards of total offense (set Sept. 30, 1967, at Wisconsin-Milwaukee in a 39-31 WSU win) by totaling 673 yards at Missouri S&T.  The 673 yards is the seventh-highest output in Division 2 this season.

The 96 combined points by the Missouri S&T Miners and Wayne State was only the second-highest scoring extra session game in program history.  WSU lost 58-50 in triple overtime at Mercyhurst on Sept. 15, 2007.  Joique Bell ran for 227 yards and four touchdowns vs. the Lakers.

The 94 offensive plays at Missouri S&T were the fourth-most in program history and the most since the school-record mark of 103 at Ashland on Nov. 3, 2007, as Wayne State fell 63-42 at the 23rd-ranked Eagles.  The 94 plays are the most by an NCAA Division 2 team this fall.

The 735 all-purpose yards recorded by WSU was the fifth most in school history and the most since the school-record total of 787 vs. Lake Erie College on Nov. 7, 2015, in a 56-54 Warrior victory at Tom Adams Field.

OVERTIME WOES
The overtime contest in Rolla, Mo., was the first for Wayne State since the 42-41 double-overtime triumph over Ashland on Oct. 19, 2019.  WSU is 5-10 all-time in overtime contests, including a 3-5 road mark.  The Warriors are 2-8 in games that a winner was decided in the first overtime.

WARRIORS & BROTHERS
The football roster has five sets of brothers on the squad, including Lane and Ty Potter, Myren and Myles Harris, Noah and Max Nicklin, Jacob and Aaron Mass, and David and Caleb Green. The Harris' and Green's are twins.  In addition, senior right tackle Joe Ziedas is the younger brother of former lineman Alex Ziedas.  Furthermore, wide receiver Darrin King II is the son of former Tartar Darrin King, who recorded 295 tackles (142-153), while playing in all 41 games during his Tartar career (1988-1992).

NEW FACES
Of the 69 players who have donned the Green & Gold this season, 30 are former letterwinners, and Kameron Ford has been in the program, but has not lettered.

Four student-athletes made their Wayne State debuts this year - Tyler Beck played at North Carolina A&T in 2017; Shavez Hawkins, Jr. played in eight games for Minnesota Crookston in 2017 and suited up for the Papago Pumas Junior College in 2019; Karmi Mackey spent the last four years at Eastern Michigan; and Darien Tipps-Clemons appeared in 10 games for Eastern Kentucky in 2018.

In addition, 34 football players have made their collegiate debuts this year.  The lone true freshmen to take the field this season are Davison product Te'Avion Warren and Warren (Ohio) Harding alum Emarion Perkins.

Making their collegiate debut in the Slippery Rock contest, in addition to Warren, were Blake Bustard, Damond Duncan, Chandler Edwards, Blake Gilliam, Eli Haddad, Myren Harris, Dayton Keller, Kofe Kimbrell, Darrin King II, Jesse Prewitt III, Kane Quinlan, Donte Reed, Drake Reid, Chrishoun Roberts, Cameron Rogers, Kaveon Ross, Arnold Saidov, Jeremy Taras, A.J. Terry, and Kendall Williams.  Jelani Harbor, Josh Kulka and Cole Price made their collegiate debuts in the Truman game.  David Green, Myles Harris, Martell Hill and Griffin Milovanski made their collegiate debuts at Missouri S&T.

Amari Hampton and Ty Potter made their WSU debuts at home vs. Saginaw Valley.  Emarion Perkins played his first game against Michigan Tech, while Onyeka Ojinnaka saw action at Davenport, and J.D. Johnson played at SVSU.  Tyler Schompert is the latest Warrior to make his collegiate debut, which he did against Northwood.

The lone players in their fourth season of competing are Jake AmRhein, Luke Bevilacqua, Jalen Lewis and Lane Potter.  Eleven (11) players began their third season and another 15 started their second year of active competition.

NATIONAL STATISTICS
Chase Churchill ranks 12th in NCAA Division II with a GLIAC-leading 14.62 yards per completion, while Myren Harris is fifth in yards per carry at 7.85 (1,028 yards on 131 rushing attempts).  Brandon Tuck-Hayden is 14th in forced fumbles per game (0.38 / three in eight games played).  Tuck-Hayden is also tied-for-first among all active D-2 players with seven career forced fumbles.

TURNOVERS
The Warriors had at least one turnover in each of the first eight games this season and is -7 in turnover margin this year.  WSU has 18 turnovers (10 fumbles lost and eight interceptions), while garnering 11 turnovers (six interceptions and opponents have lost five fumbles).  Wayne State did not turn the ball over in the victory over Northwood, while recovering a miss played pooch kickoff return by the Timberwolves.

DON'T MISS ANY OF THE ACTION
There are several ways fans can watch or listen to Wayne State Football this season.  Every contest can be heard live on WDTK - The Patriot (1400 AM / 101.5 FM) or online at PatriotDetroit.com.    Veteran Detroit broadcaster Sean Baligian is in his 13th season calling Warrior football.  Former Warrior tailback and kick returner Josh Renel will again be joining Baligian in the booth.  Renel provided color commentary for one game in 2012 and nearly every game for seven seasons (2013-19).  In addition, former WSU defensive end Brady Beedon will fill-in for Renel on selected broadcasts and will also handle the Locker Room Report and Senior Spotlight features for WDTK.  Former Warrior defensive back Ryan Oshnock served as the analyst for the Sept. 25th broadcast.

Every home game can be seen live on Comcast CN900 in the state of Michigan.  Check your local listings for replay times.  Joe Abramson returns is in his 13th year on the Comcast broadcast and sixth as play-by-play announcer.  Rod Beard is in his 10th year as a member of the WSU broadcast crew, while WWJ Afternoon Co-Anchor Tony Ortiz is in his fifth year as a member of the broadcast crew.  Kevin Brechmacher, who has served as the radio voice of Wayne State basketball the last six seasons, filled-in on the crew for selected games.  In addition, every home clash will be streamed for free via WSU All-Access at WSUAthletics.com.