GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State University football team will return home to face a tough opponent in Ferris State.  The Bulldogs have been ranked in  the top-10 in each AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) Coaches Poll this year.

Saturday's contest will be WSU's first home game since September 21.  The Warriors last two games combined for 2,300 miles of travel as they competed at Truman State and at Michigan Tech.

Wayne State will be looking to claim victory over the Bulldogs for the first time since a 45-7 triumph in 2009.

SCOUTING FERRIS STATE
Entering week six, the Bulldogs rank fourth in the nation with  4-1 overall record following a yet another impressive victory.  FSU opened GLIAC play at home against Roosevelt, defeating the Lakers 55-13. 

Tony Annese is in his 12th season as the head man for the Bulldogs.  In his time at the helm for FSU, Annese has compiled a 127-21 overall record.  Along with this, the experienced coach has led Ferris State to two Division II National Championships (2021 and 2022), three National Championship game appearances (2018, 2021, and 2022), and nine consecutive NCAA Playoff berths from 2014-2023 (excluding 2020 due to COVID-19).

After seeing action in eight games a year ago, Trinidad Chambliss has flourished as the Bulldogs main signal caller.  Through five games, the junior has thrown for 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 111 yards and six scores on the ground.  The Grand Rapids, Mich., native earned GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors in both week two and week five.  Chambliss passed for 286 yards and two scores on 23-of-30 in week two vs. Ashland, then completed 18-of-30 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns last week against Roosevelt.  He also contributed three rushing touchdowns in those two contests. 

Emari O'Brien is the team's leader in receiving yards (224) and is tied for first with running back Kannon Katzer and fellow receiver Cam Underwood in  touchdown receptions (2).  James Gilbert has a team-best 14 receptions totalling 191 yards.

Katzer is the Bulldogs leading rusher with 29 attempts for 200 yards.   The junior is averaging an impressive 6.9 yards per carry and has added 168 yards receiving on 12 catches.  Katzer has reached the end zone five times this year with three coming on the ground.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Wayne State trails 22-33 in the all-time series.  The first meeting between the Warriors and the Bulldogs occurred on October 30, 1920, with Detroit Junior College (now WSU) prevailing 48-0.  Wayne State has lost three straight at home to FSU, and nine overall since a 45-7 win at home on October 17, 2009.  WSU has a 13-16 mark in home games against Ferris State.

RECOVERING FUMBLES
Through five weeks, Wayne State has forced six fumbles, and has been able to recover five.  The Warriors lead the GLIAC and rank 12th nationally in fumble recoveries.

EDWARDS SETTING QUARTERBACK STANDARD FOR RUSHING
Champion Edwards rushed for 146 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries against Findlay.  He became the first WSU quarterback with a 100-yard rushing effort since Doug Griffin rushed for 112 yards at Michigan Tech on Nov. 16, 2013.  The previous 100-yard games by a signal caller were when Randy Hutchison gained 116 on the ground at Michigan Tech on Oct. 19, 2002, and 101 vs. Gannon on Aug. 30, 2003.  It is believed to be the most rushing yards in a game by a WSU quarterback since Ed Skowneski rushed for 203 yards on Oct. 4, 1975, against Valparaiso.

McKATHERINE PUTTING SIX ON THE BOARD
Redshirt senior wide out Myles McKatherine caught an 18-yard touchdown pass against Findlay for his second touchdown in as many contests.  The last wide receiver to have a touchdown reception in back-to-back games was Trevonte Davis in 2021 (Sept. 18 at Missouri S&T [2] and Sept. 25 against Saginaw Valley State).  Tight end Nick Poterack had touchdown catches in consecutive games in 2022 - Sept. 3 at Slippery Rock and Sept. 10 at home vs. Shaw.  McKatherine had a team-best 72 receiving yards at Michigan Tech and leads the Warriors with 175 receiving yards on the season.
HARRIS FINDS END ZONE WITH FIRST TD RECEPTION
After scoring his first two career touchdowns on the ground, junior wide receiver Manny Harris hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Champion Edwards late in the third quarter against Findlay.  It was Harris' first TD at home having scored rushing touchdowns at Grand Valley State (Nov. 5, 2022) and at Slippery Rock (Sept. 2, 2023).

HART MAKES MOST OF FIRST CAREER START
Redshirt junior linebacker Justin Hart made his first collegiate start in the Findlay contest and responded with a game-best 11 tackles (4 solo, 7 assisted), plus a pass break-up.  He played on special teams and as a back-up linebacker in the first three games of 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury.  Hart was credited with eight assisted tackles against Indianapolis, along with a quarterback hurry.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
A low snap on a punt attempt forced Findlay kicker Owen Clevenger to throw the ball resulting in an intentional grounding penalty which statistically is a sack for WSU's Dahmir Farnum, who was the closest Warrior to Clevenger when the pass was thrown.

LETTERWINNERS RETURNING
Wayne State has 29 returning letterwinners from 2023 (including 2022 if missed all of last year due to injury).  As mentioned previously, place-kicker Griffin Milovanski is the lone three-year WSU letterwinner on the squad.  There are nine two-year letterwinners and 19 student-athletes with one letter for the Warriors.

WARRIOR DEBUTS
Through the first five games of 2024, 73 players have been on the field for WSU, including 17 who have made their collegiate debut and 17 who made their Warrior debut.

Two student-athletes made their collegiate debut in the Indianapolis contest (Amauri Haller and Steven McCrary, Jr.), while another four student-athletes made their WSU debut (Avery Burch, Colin Gardner, Xzavier Goldsby-Rogers and JoShawn Lewis) vs. the Greyhounds.

Four players made their collegiate debut in the Findlay contest (Max Edwards, Cane Mack, Will O'Brien and Da'Carion Taylor), while transfers Clifton Buchanan, Jr. and Jeremiah Drake made their WSU debuts against the Oilers.

Of the 69 players who traveled to Tiffin for the season-opener, 56 saw game action.  Ten (10) Warriors made their collegiate debut in the contest vs. the Dragons (Jobe Benschoter, Amarion Brownlee, Kejuan Houston, Jordan Hutchinson, Kristian Kilpatrick, Jayden Lewin, Roshuan McGee, Raymond Payne, Jasir Rahaman, and Richardo Wourman).  In addition, another 11 Warriors made their WSU debut (Jaylon Banks, Mekhi Battle, Kaleb Coleman, Champion Edwards, Will Fennema, Shamilyn Joppy, Jordan Lewis, Myles McKatherine, Lester McManaway, Jonathan Tillman, and Justyz Tuggle).

TOUGH ROAD AHEAD
After a 2023 season that saw Wayne State play the toughest schedule in Division II, according to the NCAA, the Warriors are facing another challenging task in 2024.  Of the 11 teams that the Warriors will compete against this fall, 10 finished the 2023 season at or above .500.  In all, WSU's 2024 opponents had a combined record of 80-41 (.661) during 2023.

Wayne State will cross paths with three teams that appeared in the preseason top 25 poll, those being Ferris State (No. 3), Grand Valley State (No. 4), and Indianapolis (No. 16). The Warriors will also face three teams that have been pegged to win their conferences, the aforementioned Indianapolis and Ferris State of the GLVC and GLIAC respectively, along with Findlay representing the G-MAC.

VETERAN OFFENSIVE LINE CONTINGENT
Arguably the most experienced position group for the Warriors in 2024 is the offensive line with two returning starters in redshirt junior Aidan Tweedy (17 career starts, including the last 16 games at center) and redshirt senior Charles Wesley (19 career starts from three different spots).  Another five student-athletes who have started games also return in redshirt sophomore Tomi Bisiriyu (three starts at left tackle); redshirt sophomore Will Edwards (seven starts at right guard); redshirt sophomore Ethan Gates (one start at right tackle); redshirt junior Owen Salingue (two career starts); and redshirt senior Tyler Schompert (17 career starts).

Tweedy was a Second Team All-GLIAC selection in 2023 and was very durable as he saw action on every offensive play in eight games a season ago.  Wesley was named WSU's Offensive Most Valuable Player last fall, while earning Honorable Mention All-GLIAC recognition.  He is WSU's nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team (based on community service) this fall.

The five additional offensive linemen that have started boosted the number of career starts for this group to 71.  Schompert is the most veteran of this group with action in 24 contests and starting at left tackle (13 times), left guard (three) and right tackle (once).  Salingue is in his fourth year in the program, while Bisiriyu, Edwards and Gates all are in their third year with the Warriors.

A FAMILY AFFAIR
WSU currently has three sets of brothers:
Champion and Max Edwards
Devon and Donovan Isaac
Shamarr and Shamilyn Joppy

There are three younger brothers of former Warriors in Aaron Mass (older brother Jacob was also a defensive end), Gabe Mendoza (older brother Manny was a wide receiver), and Mekhi Battle (older brother Tiroca was also on the defensive line).

Jeremiah Sterling and Jordan Bell are cousins as Jordan's dad Joique and Jeremiah's mother Ambie are brother-sister.  Redshirt freshman wide receiver Tyler Swick is the younger brother of defensive graduate assistant coach Trey Swick.

WARRIORS BY THE NUMBERS 
Of the 113 players currently on the roster, 86 came directly from high school, 14 played at another four-year college, 11 played at a junior college, and two attended another school (one four year and one two year) but did not see any playing time.

Football student-athletes represent 12 states with a majority (85) coming from Michigan.  The other states include Ohio (9), Illinois (5), Virginia (3), California (2), New York (2), and Pennsylvania (2), along with one each from Indiana, New Jersey, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

With only 14 players in their final year (six graduate students, seven redshirt seniors, and one senior), the Wayne State roster is loaded with inexperience.  There are 19 redshirt juniors, four juniors, 16 redshirt sophomores, four sophomores, 24 redshirt freshmen and 32 true freshmen on the squad.

GLIAC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1.  Ferris State (46 points, four first-place votes)
2.  Grand Valley State (44 points, three first-place vote)
3.  Davenport (38 points, one first-place vote)
4.  Saginaw Valley State (30 points)
5.  Michigan Tech (26 points)
6.  Wayne State (20 points)
7.  Northern Michigan (13 points)
8. Roosevelt (7 Points)

DON'T MISS ANY OF THE ACTION
For the 23rd 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 16th season calling Warrior football.  Former Warrior defensive end Brady Beedon will serve as the color analyst for seven games and will handle play-by-play duties in three contests.  He will also conduct the weekly Locker Room Report and Senior Spotlight features for WDTK.  Warrior basketball broadcaster Kevin Brechmacher will serve as the color analyst for the road contests at Truman State, Davenport and Grand Valley State.  In addition, Tony Ortiz will serve as the Sideline Reporter for all six home games.
 
The radio pre-game show will start 15 minutes before a road contest and 30 minutes prior to a home game.  Beedon will also host the Weekly With Wheatley show every Wednesday prior to a home a game.  The next episode will take place on October 23rd at Woodbridge Pub starting at 5:30 p.m.

All six home games, plus the road GLIAC contests will be streamed on FloSports.  The home games will be via The PreP with the radio announcers broadcast being simulcast on FloSports.