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Wayne State University Athletics

Manny Harris 2024 TD catch vs. Findlay
(C) Douglas Johnson, all rights reserved.
Manny Harris had a team-high 87 receiving yards and one touchdown.
26
Wayne State WSU 0-7 , 0-3
43
Winner Davenport PANTHERS 5-2 , 2-1
Wayne State WSU
0-7 , 0-3
26
Final
43
Davenport PANTHERS
5-2 , 2-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WSU Wayne State 6 13 0 7 26
PANTHERS Davenport 5 7 17 14 43

Game Recap: Football | | Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football Tripped Up At Ranked Davenport, 43-26

Warriors were out-scored 31-7 in the second half.

CALEDONIA, Mich. -- The Wayne State University football squad (0-7 overall, 0-3 GLIAC) suffered a 43-26 setback at #40-Davenport University (5-2 overall, 2-1 GLIAC) Saturday afternoon at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex.  wSU led 19-12 at intermission, but was out-scored 31-7 over the final 30 minutes.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Warriors took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in 16 plays taking over eight minutes off the clock with senior Jeremiah Sterling, Jr. (Benton Harbor, Mich. / St. Joseph [Olivet]) rumbling in from one-yard out.  DU returned the PAT for a two-point defensive conversion making the score 6-2.  A big play on the drive was a 24-yard completion from sophomore quarterback Champion Edwards (Los Angeles, Calif. / American Fork, Utah [El Camino CC]) on a second-and-15 from the Davenport 36.

The Panthers responded with a seven-play, 49-yard drive culminating in a 43-yard field goal by Brandon Gielow.

Each team had to punt on its next possession.

Second Quarter
A short Davenport punt (23 yards) early in the second period, set up the Warrior offense at the DU 33.  Graduate student Griffin Milovanski (Saugatuck, Mich.) connected on a 46-yard field goal attempt extending WSU's advantage to 9-5.

After another DU punt, Wayne State drove 62 yard in eight plays with Milovanski making a 37-yard field goal attempt.  It was Milovanski's 38th career field goal tying him with Paul Graham (2014-18) for second place on the all-time WSU list just one behind Stefan Terleckyj's (2010-13) school record total of 39.

The Panthers evened the score at 12-12 with 4:13 left before intermission ona  47-yard touchdown pass from D'Wan Mathis to Preston Smith.

Two plays following the kickoff, Edwards connected with junior wide receiver Manny Harris (Kankakee, Ill. / Bishop McNamara) on 72-yard pass play to regain the lead for the Warriors at 19-12.  It was WSU's longest pass play since a 75-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter on September 18, 2021, at Missouri S&T from Josh Kulka to Jesse Prewitt.

Third Quarter
The WSU defense allowed one first down on DU's first drive of the second half and forced a punt.  On WSU's second play from scrimmage, junior quarterback Robert Brazziel (Chicago, Ill. / Taft (Cincinnati, Ohio) [College of DuPage} was intercepted at the WSU 32-yard line.

Four plays later, Davenport had tied the game at 19-19 on 20-yard touchdown pass from Mike O'Horo to Kendall Williams.

On the ensuing drive, Wayne State's punt was blocked with DU taking over at the Warrior 24-yard line.  The WSU defense held the Panthers to a 23-yard field goal by Gielow.

Wayne State garnered one first down on its next possession and then had to punt.  Davenport had a 54-yard pass completion on a third-and-six from O'Horo to Smith, which led to a 28-yard touchdown pass from O'Horo to Williams two plays later on the final play of the third period.

Fourth Quarter
The Warriors went 75 yards in eight play with junior tight end John Rayba (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Stoney Creek) hauling in a 21-yard scoring toss from Brazziel.  The big play on the drive was a 34-yard reception by Rayba on a third-and-three near midfield.  Milovanski's PAT pulled WSU within three at 29-26 with 11:21 to play.

It took the hosts just three plays to go 75 yards and extend its advantage to 36-26.  Myren Harris scored on a 67-yard jaunt on third-and-two.

After the Warriors were stopped on a fourth down play from the DU 39, the Panthers drove 61 yards in five plays with Harris scoring on a 35-yard carry with 5:17 remaining to complete the scoring.

TEAM STATS
Davenport led 470-330 in total offense, including a 240-131 edge in rushing yards.  WSU was just 2-of-12 on third down, while DU went 5-of-13.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Edwards rushed for a team-high 93 yards before missing the second half due to an injury.  He passed for 104 yards and one touchdown on 3-of-8.  Brazziel completed 7-of-16 passes for 92 yards and one touchdown with one interception.  Manny Harris and JoShawn Lewis (Lorton, Va. / South County [Gannon]) each caught three passes with Harris totaling a team-best 87 receiving yards.  Carl Ware (Detroit, Mich. / Redford Union [Madonna]) recorded a team-best 10 tackles (5-5), including two for loss (one sack).

LEADING THE PANTHERS
Myren Harris rushed for a game-best 156 yards and two scores.  Mathis was 5-of-8 for 94 yards and one touchdown before being injured.  O'Horo passed for 136 yards and two scores on 9-of-12.  Preston Smith hauled in four passes for 111 yards and one touchdown.  Cameren Grodhaus posted a team-high 10 tackles (7-3), along with an interception and a pass break-up.

UP NEXT
Wayne State returns home to Tom Adams Field for its annual Homecoming/Hall of Fame contest next Saturday (October 26th) vs. Saginaw Valley State University.  Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.  The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on Friday evening at The Eastern.  BANQUET TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE BY CLICKING HERE.
 
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