Wayne State University Athletics

Manny Harris had a 13-yard touchdown run at GVSU.

Football 11/5/2022 2:37:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football Upended 42-14 at No. 1-Grand Valley State

Warriors trailed just 7-0 late in the first half.

Box Score ALLENDALE, Mich. - In its final road game of the season, the Wayne State University football team (1-8 overall, 0-5 GLIAC) fell 42-14 at top-ranked Grand Valley State University (10-0 overall, 5-0 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
After each team punted on its first possession, GVSU drove 69 yards in five plays with Kyle Nott scoring on a eight-yard run around right end.

The next seven drives combined ended with punts.

Second Quarter
Following a touchback on a 47-yard punt by redshirt freshman Hadi Jawad (Dearborn, Mich.), the Lakers went 80 yards in 40 seconds. The drive began with a 52-yard keeper by Grand Valley State quarterback Cade Peterson. After an incompletion, Peterson found Cody Tierney over the middle for 15 yards for a first down at the WSU 13. An offsides on WSU moved the ball to the Warrior eight. Peterson had a one-yard run before Chuck Worsham cut in front of the GVSU receiver in the end zone but was called for holding which moved the ball to the Wayne State three. Peterson was awarded a touchdown by the officiating crew despite stepping out of bounds at the three-yard line.

Grand Valley led 222-74 in total offense in the first half, as WSU had 12 carries for 18 yards.

Third Quarter
Wayne State was assessed a chop block penalty on the kickoff return to start the second half putting the ball at the WSU nine yard line. The Warriors were forced to punt, which went just 22 yards into the wind.

After an eight-yard gain on first down, Tierney had a 30-yard touchdown reception making it 21-0.

WSU garnered one first down and tried a fake punt near midfield which was unsuccessful. GVSU went 45 yards in six plays with Peterson scoring on a 23-yard keeper increasing the hosts advantage to 28-0.

Nott returned the ensuing Warrior punt into the end zone, but a Laker holding penalty negated the score. It took Grand Valley State six plays to cover 23 yards in 3:40. Gavin Cossou had a 10-yard touchdown reception from Peterson late in the third period.

Fourth Quarter
Following back-to-back sacks by the Laker defense, and a shank punt by the Warriors, GVSU had the ball at the Grand Valley State 48. A pass interference penalty on WSU, a 12-yard completion and a personal foul on Wayne State moved the ball to the Warrior 14. Four plays later Tariq Reid scored on a two-yard jaunt with 9:06 remaining in the contest.

A 21-yard kickoff return by Te'Avion Warren (Flint, Mich. / Davison) gave the Warriors the ball at their own 41-yard line. Kendall Williams (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Farmington) had a 25-yard carry on second down. On fourth-and-nine, signal caller Josh Kulka (Clinton Township, Mich. / Chippewa Valley) connected with freshman wide receiver Dion Brown, Jr. (Davison, Mich.) on an 18-yard pass play. Two plays later, wide receiver Manny Harris (Kankakee, Ill. / Bishop McNamara) scored on a 13-yard reverse.

The Wayne State defense forced a three-and-out, and the offense put together a seven-play, 53-yard touchdown drive. Freshman wide receiver A.J. Nichols (Wauwatosa, Wis. / Wauwatosa East) had a 14-yard reception, two plays prior to a nine-yard catch by Nick Isley (Rockford, Mich.). On second-and-four from the GVSU 20, graduate student tight end Nick Poterack (Byron Center, Mich.) hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Kulka to complete the scoring.

TEAM STATS
Grand Valley State had a 365-212 edge in total offense as the Warriors rushed 30 times for 38 yards (including the seven sacks of Kulka). Both teams struggled on third down with WSU going 3-for-14 compared to GVSU's 3-for-11.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Williams rushed for a team-high 68 yards on 12 carries. Kulka was 14-of-23 for 139 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. Elijah Taylor (Warren, Ohio / Warren G. Harding) passed for 35 yards on 4-of-8. Brown led all WSU receivers with a game-high six catches for a team-best 56 receiving yards. Darien Tipps-Clemons (Piqua, Ohio) had a game-high 10 tackles (5-5).

LEADING THE LAKERS
Peterson rushed for a game-high 73 yards and two touchdowns. He was 13-of-19 passing for 182 yards and two more scores. Tierney totaled five receptions for 87 yards.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will conclude the season next Saturday (Nov. 12) with a 1 p.m. kickoff against the defending national champion Ferris State Bulldogs.

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Players Mentioned

#88 Dion Brown, Jr.: WR; 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman

#1 Manny Harris: WR; 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

#45 Nick Isley: RB; 6' 2"; Redshirt Fifth Year

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

#85 Nick Poterack: TE; 6' 4"; Graduate Student

#11 Elijah Taylor: QB; 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman

#21 Darien Tipps-Clemons: OLB; 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior

#2 Te'Avion Warren: RB; 5' 8"; Sophomore

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

#14 A.J. Nichols: WR; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#88 Dion Brown, Jr.
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman
: WR

#1 Manny Harris
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman
: WR

#45 Nick Isley
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Fifth Year
: RB

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

#85 Nick Poterack
: 6' 4"; Graduate Student
: TE

#11 Elijah Taylor
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman
: QB

#21 Darien Tipps-Clemons
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior
: OLB

#2 Te'Avion Warren
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: RB

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

#14 A.J. Nichols
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: WR