GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State University football team looks to bounce back after its season-opening 34-7 home setback to Tiffin.  The Green and Gold will be on the road for the squad's second contest of 2025, traveling to Findlay, Ohio to face the Oilers of the University of Findlay.

The teams met in week two last year, with WSU falling 42-30 at home despite a late effort.  After being held to just three points in the first 30 minutes of action, the host's out-paced UF 27-7 after intermission.  In addition to its scoring frenzy, Wayne State out-gained the Oilers 267-112 in total offense over the final 30 minutes.  The Green and Gold defense held Findlay to nine total yards in the fourth quarter,  which was the lowest offensive output in a quarter by UF during the 2024 season.

SCOUTING FINDLAY
The Oilers had an impressive showing in the squad's season opener, downing No. 17-ranked Indianapolis 38-35 at home.  Against the Greyhounds, Findlay totaled 427 yards of offense and forced two turnovers on the defensive side of the ball.  

Fourth-year head coach Kory Allen has led UF to a 24-10 record in his tenure with the program.  Last year, Allen helped the Oilers to a 9-2 ledger, which is the best mark the squad has had since he was named head coach.  A season ago, the Findlay offense ranked 12th in Division 2 in third down conversions at 46.7 percent and 16th in passing offense, averaging 257.4 yards per contest.  

Chase Harrison is in his first year as UF's signal caller after spending two seasons with Marshall (2022-23) and one with Ball State (2024).  In his Findlay debut, the Centerville, Ohio, native threw for 155 yards on 14-of-19 passing and two scores in addition to two interceptions.

Bryan Hunt and Mitch Nielsen each hauled in four receptions in the team's season opener.  Hunt, a 2024 Second Team All-G-MAC pass catcher, totaled 48 yards and a touchdown, while Nielsen produced 40 receiving yards.  

Setting the tone in the ground game for UF is Christian Davis.  The sophomore toted the ball 11 times for 109 yards and one score, while adding one reception.  Findlay had two more running backs eclipse 50 yards against UIndy, as Jayden Farmer had 13 carries for 54 yards, while Dominic Bennett rushed for 54 yards as well on two attempts.  

Defensively, Christion Stokes leads the squad in total tackles with 9.0 (5-4) and is closely followed by Kevin Henderson who has 8.0 tackles (5-3).  Elijah Shankle is the team's leader in sacks, getting to the opposing quarterback twice.
Freshman kicker Zachary Barzd made good on his opportunities in his first week of action, as he connected on all four extra-point attempts and sent his only field goal (35 yards) through the uprights.

ALL-TIME SERIES
In 24 meetings, WSU holds an 11-13 mark against the Oilers.  Despite trailing in the all-time series, Wayne State has claimed victory in eight of the last 11 contests dating back to 2005.

McGRAW IMPRESSES IN WSU DEBUT
Redshirt junior linebacker Logan McGraw made an immediate impact in his first game wearing the Green and Gold.  The Wyandotte product filled the stat sheet with 12 tackles (6-6), including 3.5 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles, one of which was a punch-out on the one- yard line that halted a 63-yard drive.  The two forced fumbles and 3.5 tackles for loss both rank tied-for-first in D2, while his 12 tackles ranks 15th.

CARRILLO MAKING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Two days after being named one of WSU's three team captains, redshirt senior Angel Carrillo shined as the squad's kick returner.  The Atascosa, Texas, native returned six kickoffs for 123 yards with his longest of the night being a 27-yard return to open the contest.

WARRIOR DEBUTS
Of the 58 players who saw action in the season opener vs. Tiffin, 28 had previously donned the Green and Gold in a regular-season contest.

Seventeen (17) student-athletes made their collegiate debut against the Dragons - Jordan Bell, Haiden Bollini, Dove Eitzen, Zaiden Hall, Drew Hickmott, Donovan Isaac, Trezelle Jenkins, Jr., Luke Johnson, Spencer Lyons, Nahji Mabry, Trae'vion Meadows, Blake Nelson, Griffin Nowak, Keathan Smith, Wendell Smith, Ryan Spate and Gavin Troy.

Thirteen (13) others made their WSU debut vs. TU - Justhin Austin, D'Vaun Bentley, Angel Carrillo, Omar El Khatib, Sherod Green, Trent Leicht, Logan McGraw, Mar'Tavion Robinson, Josh Sekiyoba, Ashawn Sims, Braden Siri, Darel Washington and Martell Williams.

FRESH FACES
Despite having 127 players on the roster, WSU only has 52 returners, including 18 letterwinners.  In total there are 75 newcomers (49 freshmen, four mid-year transfers, and 22 summer transfers).  In addition, the coaching staff features seven new hires including four full-time coaches and three graduate assistants along with the promotion of Mustafa Khaleefah to full-time Tight Ends Coach from Offensive Line Graduate Assistant Coach.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ahead of the 2025 football season, the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) released its players to watch for each team.  From the Green and Gold were defensive ends Jaiden Acker and Colby Horn, quarterback Champion Edwards, and safety Elijah Fowlkes.

Acker led the squad in sacks a season ago with 4.5 and totaled eight tackles for loss, which ranked second on the team (Carl Ware - 9.5).  The Grand Rapids native had his best performance in last year's season finale against NMU with eight total tackles (3-5), including one for loss (a sack).

Horn, now a redshirt junior, has played in all 11 games each of the last two seasons and has totaled 35 tackles, 21 of which were solo.  The Menomonee Falls, Wis., product has notched six tackles for loss and forced one fumble in his career.

Edwards burst onto the scene in his first season with WSU, becoming the first Warrior to lead the squad in both passing yards (899) and rushing yards (570) since 1975, while being responsible for a team-best eight scores.  The dual-threat quarterback became the first WSU signal caller since 2013 to rush for over 100 yards in a game after a 146-yard effort on the ground against Findlay in the second week of the 2024 season.

Fowlkes entered the 2025 campaign as the squad's lone three-year letterwinner, playing in 24 games through his first three seasons.  The senior was most effective in 2024 as he garnered 62 tackles, snagged one interception, and recovered one fumble.

DON'T MISS ANY OF THE ACTION
Wayne State enters a new era for the broadcast of its football games with the launch of the Warrior Sports Network.  Veteran Detroit broadcaster Sean Baligian is in his 17th season calling Warrior football.  Former Warrior defensive end Brady Beedon will serve as the color analyst for eight contests, while Kevin Brechmacher will handle color commentary for the other three contests.  In addition, Tony Ortiz will serve as the Sideline Reporter for all five home games.
Every Wayne State GLIAC football game will be on Flo Sports, plus the home non-conference contests against Tiffin and Quincy as well as the road game at Findlay.  The FloSports broadcast of home games will be via The PreP for the third consecutive year.

GLIAC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Ferris State (47 points, six first-place votes)
2. Grand Valley State (41 points, one first-place vote)
3. Saginaw Valley State (38 points, one first-place vote)
4. Davenport (31 points)
5. Michigan Tech (28 points)
6. Wayne State (16 points)
7. Roosevelt (12 points)
8. Northern Michigan (11 points)

TOUGH ROAD AHEAD
After playing the toughest schedule in the country in 2023, WSU played the third-toughest schedule in NCAA Division 2 during the 2024 regular-season with its opponents combining for a .615 winning percentage (67-42).  

The Green and Gold face yet another tall task during the 2025 campaign.  Of the 11 opponents on the docket, nine finished the 2024 regular season with a record above .500.  In fact, WSU will not see a foe that had a sub-.500 record until the 10th contest of the year when the Warriors travel to Arlington Heights, Ill., to compete at Roosevelt.  

In addition, Wayne State will see action against five squads that appeared in the AFCA D2 Coaches Preseason Poll in No. 1-Ferris State, No. 3-Grand Valley State, No. 31-Saginaw Valley State, No. 38-Findlay, and No. 40-Davenport.  WSU's lone Division III opponent, Wisconsin-La Crosse, was tabbed as the No. 10-ranked team according to the AFCA. 

WARRIORS BY THE NUMBERS
Of the 127 student-athletes on the 2025 WSU football roster, 92 came from high school, 12 joined the squad after playing for a junior college, 17 transferred in after playing for another four-year college, and six more came from a two-year or four-year college, but did not play.

The 2025 Wayne State football team has representatives from 15 states and one Canadian Province with the majority of football student-athletes coming from Michigan (91).  Ohio (10), California (7), Texas (4), Florida (2), Virginia (2) and Washington (2) all have multiple student-athletes, while Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, North Carolina, Utah, Wisconsin, and Ontario all have one.

A FAMILY AFFAIR
WSU currently has three sets of brothers:
Champion and Max Edwards
Malachi and Matthew Evans
Devon and Donovan Isaac

Other Warriors with family ties include Evan Bainbridge (father Matthew was an offensive tackle) and Jordan Bell (father Joique is a WSU Athletics Hall of Fame running back).

In addition, true freshman offensive lineman Trezelle Jenkins, Jr., is the son of Trezelle Jenkins, who played at Michigan (1991-94) and nine games in the NFL with Kansas City.  Defensive lineman Jesse Brown is the son of former Green Bay Hall of Famer Gilbert Brown.

COMING BACK STRONGER
Torrence Greene saw action in three games in 2023 and finished second on the team in tackles among true freshmen with six.  After missing the entire 2024 campaign due to an injury sustained during the 2024 spring game, Greene aims to make an impact in his comeback season.

Nahji Mabry dressed for six contests in 2022 and earned Scout Defensive Player of the Week honors twice before pursuing a career as a fitness instructor, while attending the University of Michigan-Flint.  After over two years removed from WSU football, the linebacker has returned as a redshirt junior for the 2025 campaign.

WEEKLY WITH WHEATLEY
Join head football coach Tyrone Wheatley and Brady Beedon each Wednesday prior to a home football Saturday for the Weekly with Wheatley podcast.  Beedon is in his fifth season as WSU football analyst and also serves as the host for the Locker Room Report and Senior Spotlight interviews each week for the football broadcast.

There will be five shows in 2025, each with a different assistant coach and student-athlete.  The shows will be taped on Sept. 2, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, Oct. 15 and Oct. 29 in front of a live audience at Woodbridge Pub starting at 5:30 PM.

Each episode will be added to the Wayne State Athletics website for those unable to attend.