The game is set to kickoff at 6 PM at Tom Adams Field.

Football 10/20/2022 9:01:00 AM Zachary Manning, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Football Returns Home for Matchup with No. 24-Saginaw Valley State

The Warriors have three games left this season.

GAME STORYLINES
After a pair of nail biting losses on the road, Wayne State will return to Tom Adams Field this Saturday for a contest against 24th-ranked Saginaw Valley State. The Warriors will conclude the regular season with three straight games against ranked opponents.

SVSU notched a 38-14 win at home against No. 8-Indianapolis last Saturday, while the Green and Gold have dropped five straight contests, four of which have been by a combined 19 points.

SCOUTING SAGINAW VALLEY STATE
Saginaw Valley State's offense will look to run the ball, as the Cardinals have amassed more than 1,500 yards on the ground this season. They have plenty of options, with three players having more than 200 rushing yards this season.

Isaiah Malcome leads the way with 486 yards and four touchdowns. Quarterback Andrew Brito is also dangerous with his legs, gaining 257 yards and scoring five times on the ground. Dante Barthwell has 204 yards and four touchdowns this year to compliment his teammates.

Through the air, Brito has been efficient throwing for 1,048 yards and 11 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He is completing just under 60 percent of his passes.

Casey Williams is Brito's favorite target with 26 receptions for 315 yards and a touchdown. Derrick Hinton, Jr. is another top target in the passing game, as he has posted 18 catches for 342 yards and five touchdowns. Earnest Sanders IV is another weapon with 192 receiving yards and three touchdowns this season.

Trevor Nowaske is the premiere player on defense, leading the team in tackles (58), tackles for loss (6.5) and interceptions (3). Micah Crestinger has 48 tackles to rank second on the squad.

Up front, Leonard Henry IV has been tough to block. He has tallied 4.5 sacks among his five tackles for loss, while Victor Nelson has 5.5 tackles for loss.

The Cardinals have totaled 12 interceptions and 19 pass break-ups this year.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Wayne State trails the series 10-32-1, with the last victory coming over a ranked Cardinals squad in 2019. The Warriors upended SVSU 24-20 that season in Detroit.

Last year, WSU fell twice to Saginaw Valley. The Cardinals won 41-21 in a non-conference match-up at Tom Adams Field in September, then posted a 41-25 home field triumph in October.
The Warriors are 4-6 in the last 10 meetings. The Green and Gold have five home wins over the Cardinals all-time, and WSU's last three wins in the series have come in Detroit.

WINTERS' ANNIVERSARY
WSU's game on Saturday will mark the 11th anniversary of head coach Paul Winters becoming the Warriors' all-time winningest football coach.

Winters and the Warriors downed Hillsdale in double overtime on Oct. 22, 2011. Hall of Fame running back Josh Renel had six carries in overtime for 50 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 17-yard scamper in the second extra period.

Now in his 19th season, Winters has totaled 94 wins for the Green and Gold.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Wayne State's strength of schedule for games played is 11th at .650 (26-14). The future SOS is second nationally at .842 (16-3). The season SOS is first at .712 (42-17). The GLIAC has the top four teams in NCAA Division 2 in terms of season SOS. Trailing the Warriors are Ferris State (.661), Michigan Tech (.646) and Davenport (642).

OPTIONS IN THE BACKFIELD
Coach Winters has to be happy when he looks into the running back room and sees a pair of consistent performers. Myren Harris and Kendall Williams both rank in the top four in the GLIAC in terms of rushing yards per game. On the season, the duo has combined for 1,116 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground, while adding 32 catches for 377 yards in the passing game.

The duo was a nightmare for the Huskies on Oct. 8 in Houghton, Mich., as Harris and Williams helped the Warriors rack up 414 yards on the ground. Harris led the way with 296 yards and a pair of scores. It was the sixth-best rushing performance in Wayne State history.

Williams was strong as well, carrying the ball 11 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 29 yards and returned four kickoffs for 72 yards.

The pair continued that strong play last Saturday at Davenport, combining for 212 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, while adding three receptions for 47 yards in the receiving game. As a team, WSU rushed for 272 yards vs. the Panthers.

PLAYING RANKED OPPONENTS
Wayne State is 12-37 against teams ranked inside the top 25 under Coach Winters (does not include forfeit by SVSU in 2005). The Warriors topped two ranked teams in 2019 - SVSU (#25) and GVSU (#19) - and also beat Ashland, who was ranked 27th when the teams met on Oct. 19, 2019. Prior to the 24-20 win over SVSU in 2019, WSU's last victory came on Sept. 13, 2014, against 13th-ranked Carson Newman at Tom Adams Field.

The Warriors have played one of the toughest schedules in the country thus far, and the road doesn't get easier. WSU has dropped games to #23-Slippery Rock (Sept. 3) and #3-Grand Valley State (Sept. 24) so far this year.

The Green and Gold will meet three ranked opponents to conclude the season. Wayne State plays Saginaw Valley State on Saturday, which is coming off of a victory over eighth-ranked Indianapolis. Following that, WSU will travel to GVSU for a rematch against the Lakers, who are currently ranked No. 1 in the country. To conclude the regular season, Wayne State will square off with the defending national champion Bulldogs of Ferris State.

BUSCHMAN CREATING HAVOC FOR OPPONENT OFFENSES
Graduate student linebacker Matt Buschman leads the Warriors in tackles for loss (5.5), sacks (3), quarterback hurries (4) and fumble recoveries (3). Buschman was not credited with a hurry since he deflected a Davenport pass which was picked off by Jacob Mass.

Buschman leads the GLIAC and is tied-for-second nationally with three fumble recoveries. His three pass break-ups is the most of any non-defensive back on the roster.

WARRIORS MAKING NATIONAL NOISE
Statistically, several Warriors are among the best in the nation this season. Kendall Williams leads the GLIAC and is fifth nationally in all-purpose yards per game (175.9). He also ranks second in the conference and 16th nationally in kickoff return yards (428).

Griffin Milovanski leads the GLIAC and is tied-for-25th nationally in made field goals (8). Matt Buschman is leading the GLIAC in fumble recoveries (3), which is tied-for-second nationally. Josh Kulka ranks 45th nationally in yards per completion (13.25).

Furthermore in terms of career rankings, Wilkerson is 25th among all active NCAA D2 players averaging 7.32 tackles per game, while his 205 tackles in 28 career games ranks tied-for-53rd. Myren Harris is ninth in rushing yards per game at 100.8, and 19th in all-purpose yards per game for a career at 117.31. Milovanski ranks fifth in field goal percentage (.833 / 15-18) and 24th in field goals per game (0.94).

WILKERSON GETS RECOGNIZED
Redshirt senior linebacker Julius Wilkerson was nominated for the William V. Campbell Trophy. The annual award, presented by the National Football Foundation, honors those who excel in the classroom, community and on the field. Wilkerson is a First-Team All GLIAC player and was selected to the 2021 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.

KULKA'S KEEPER
Quarterback Josh Kulka had five rushing attempts versus Grand Valley State (9/24), but his most impressive rush was a 33-yard touchdown scamper midway through the third quarter.

The score was the first rushing touchdown by a Warrior signal caller in over a year. The last rushing score by a quarterback for WSU came from Jake AmRhein on Sept. 11, 2021, against Truman State.

Additionally, the last 30-plus yard rush by a quarterback was in September of 2019, as Dakota Kupp took off for 39 yards at Truman State.

Touchdown wise, Kulka's rushing score was the longest by a Warrior quarterback since Doug Griffin's 54-yard touchdown rush at Northern Michigan on Oct. 26, 2013.

MORE MILOVANSKI
After making 7-of-8 field goal attempts in 2021, sophomore Griffin Milovanski has been a weapon for the Wayne State offense in 2022. He connected on a 36-yard field goal attempt at Slippery Rock and drilled three more against Shaw to earn GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

Along with field goals of 27 and 28 yards against the Bears, Milovanski connected on a 48-yard field goal, which is tied for the ninth longest made field goal in Wayne State history.

His third field goal of the night against Shaw marked the first time since November 4, 2017, (Paul Graham vs. Northern Michigan) that a WSU kicker made at least three field goals in a game (Graham made four in a 26-24 triumph over the Wildcats).

Milovanski connected on a 37-yard field goal attempt vs. GVSU, and followed with a 37-yard make against Northern Michigan. The pressure didn't get to Milovanski at Michigan Tech, as the young kicker nailed a pair of field goals to help the Warriors stay in the game against the Huskies. Both of his makes were from 24 yards out. His first field goal gave the Warriors a 10-7 advantage, while his second make of the day extended the Warriors' lead to 34-28 in the fourth quarter.

Milovanski has made 15 career field goals, which puts him in eighth place in school history.

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 returns for his 14th season calling Warrior football.

WSU Hall of Fame tailback and kick returner Josh Renel will again be joining Baligian in the booth. In addition, former Warrior defensive end Brady Beedon will provide color commentary for selected broadcasts and will also handle the Locker Room Report and Senior Spotlight features for WDTK.

The radio pre-game show will start 15 minutes before a road contest and 30 minutes prior to a home game.

In addition, every home contest will be streamed via WSU All-Access at WSUAthletics.com. A 24-hour pass to watch home events is available for $5.95, a monthly pass will cost $9.95, and the yearly pass is being sold for $69.95.

The All-Access Broadcast crew consists of Joe Abramson, Rod Beard and Tony Ortiz. Abramson is in his 15th year calling WSU games and seventh as play-by-play announcer. Beard is in his 11th year, while WWJ Afternoon Co-Anchor Tony Ortiz is in his sixth year as a member of the broadcast crew.

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Players Mentioned

#18 Jake AmRhein: QB; 6' 4"; Graduate Student

#7 Myren Harris: RB; 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore

#12 Josh Kulka: QB/H; 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore

#91 Jacob Mass: DE; 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior

#38 Griffin Milovanski: PK/P; 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore

#52 Julius Wilkerson: MLB; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior

#4 Kendall Williams: RB; 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior

#54 Matt Buschman: OLB; 6' 2"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#18 Jake AmRhein
: 6' 4"; Graduate Student
: QB

#7 Myren Harris
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore
: RB

#12 Josh Kulka
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore
: QB/H

#91 Jacob Mass
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior
: DE

#38 Griffin Milovanski
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore
: PK/P

#52 Julius Wilkerson
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior
: MLB

#4 Kendall Williams
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior
: RB

#54 Matt Buschman
: 6' 2"; Graduate Student
: OLB