CJ Gordon is among the team leaders in tackles, quarterback hurries and tackles for loss.

Football 10/21/2026 8:56:00 AM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football To Visit No. 9-Davenport For Noon Match-Up on Saturday

GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State University football squad, which has already played two teams in the top 16 of this week's in the AFCA Coaches Poll, will play the sixth toughest schedule over the final four weeks facing No. 1-Ferris State (Nov. 7), No. 9 -Davenport (this Saturday), and No. 12-Michigan Tech (Nov. 14).

The gauntlet begins with a trip to Caledonia, Mich., to face the 7-0 Panthers this Saturday at noon. To-date, WSU has played the 41st toughest schedule (.561 / 23-18), and when combined with future opponents, the 2026 strength of schedule is seventh (.623 / 43-26) out of 160 schools ranked by the NCAA.

SCOUTING DAVENPORT
The Panthers are led by 10th-year head coach Sparky McEwen, who has compiled a 52-42 record at DU.

Sophomore quarterback Jonathan Palmer has completed 70 percent of his passes (81-of-116) for 1,092 yards and 10 touchdowns with six interceptions. Junior Mac VandenHout leads the squad with 15 receptions for 173 yards and three touchdowns. Three others have at least 10 receptions in Kaleb Parrish (12-167, 1 TD), Cephus Harris (10-130, 1 TD) and Brody Thompson (10-137, 3 TD).

Harris leads Division 2 in rushing yards per game (198.1), while ranking third in scoring at 16.3 points per game (114 points on 19 total touchdowns). Palmer also contributes on the ground with 449 rushing yards.

Senior linebacker Latrell Scott leads DU's defense with 53 tackles (19-34), including 9.5 for loss (2.5 sacks). Scott also has three pass break-ups, two off the team lead by Markell Gilford. Sophomore defensive back Zack Pappadakis has a team-best 20 solo tackles. Senior defensive back Vincent Cooley has two interceptions.

Asher Gregory has returned 14 punts for 98 yards (7.0 avg.), while Kayden Collins has eight kickoff returns for 169 yards.

Alec Wojahn is among the GLIAC leaders averaging 42.5 yards per punt with five over 50 yards. Ian Jenkins is 26-of-29 on extra points and 5-of-6 on field goals, with a long of 33 yards vs. Saginaw Valley State.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Davenport has won the last four meetings with the Warriors to take a 5-3 lead in the all-time series. The home teams are just 2-6 in these match-ups with DU winning in 2022 (47-43) and 2024 (43-26) at Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex. The Panthers hosted three consecutive meetings with WSU in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
The WSU running back tandem of D'Vaun Bentley and Gary Jefferson, Jr. have combined for 746 yards and seven touchdowns through the first seven games. The rest of the squad has combined for two yards when you include the negative rushing yards on sacks.

Eighty-three of WSU's 170 pass attempts this fall have been by true freshmen, including 47 by Nikkos Davis and 29 by Brody Thompson. The Warriors have four quarterbacks with at least 29 pass attempts this season.

Jordan Bell leads all Wayne State receivers with 19 catches and 247 receiving yards. Kristian Kilpatrick has both touchdown receptions among his 11 catches for 123 yards. Drew Hickmott has at least one reception in 17 of his 18 games with the Green and Gold.

Jefferson, Jr. has team-high totals of 18 kickoff returns for 345 yards and leads Wayne State with 682 all-purpose yards (304 rushing, 33 receiving, and 345 on kickoff returns).

BENTLEY SELECTED GLIAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
D' Vaun Bentley (Detroit, Mich. / Loyola [Lawrence Tech]) was selected GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week on September 28th after rushing for 182 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries in the loss at Quincy.

It was the first 100-yard rushing effort by a WSU running back since XaVior Tyus gained 116 yards on 14 carries vs. Northern Michigan on Nov. 16, 2024. The 182 rushing yards were the most by a Warrior since Myren Harris rushed for 295 yards on 36 attempts at Michigan Tech on Oct. 8, 2022, while the four rushing touchdowns were the most since Myren Harris had four rushing scores vs. Northwood on Oct. 30, 2021.

Bentley was never stopped behind the line of scrimmage by the Hawks and also contributed two receptions for 50 yards, including a 41-yard catch from deep in Warrior territory to just over midfield, to finish with 232 all-purpose yards.

NOTES FROM THE ROOSEVELT CONTEST
The 96-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter was WSU's longest drive since the 2023 squad recorded two scoring drives of at least 90 yards:
1) Sept. 2, 2023, at #15-Slippery Rock (7 plays, 91 yards, 2:42) - Manny Harris with a 25-yard run;
2) Sept. 16, 2023, at #18-UIndy (8 plays, 95 yards, 3:47) - Eli McLean with a 13-yard run.

WSU rushed for 160 yards and one touchdown in the first three games combined, but has rushed for 573 yards and six touchdowns over the last three contests.

The Warriors posted a season-high 160 passing yards vs. the Lakers.

For the second straight game, Wayne State had a kicker connect on a 47-yard field goal. Griffin Nowak made a career-long 47-yard attempt at Grand Valley, and junior college transfer Ryan Rodas drilled a 47-yard field goal vs. RU.

The Warriors had four different starting quarterbacks in the first five games this year (Ethan Lane-Northwood, Carson Creehan-Hillsdale, Nikkos Davis-Wisconsin-La Crosse & Quincy, and Brody Thompson-GVSU). Lane made his second start in the Roosevelt contest, and Thompson made his second start in the Saginaw Valley State match-up.

Seven different quarterbacks (including Eric Franklin and Dale Johnson) have attempted passes this year, along with wide receiver Drew Hickmott and running back D'Vaun Bentley giving WSU nine players listed in the passing stats category.

NOTES FROM THE QUINCY CONTEST
The WSU offensive line allowed just one sack at Quincy despite the fact that four quarterbacks (all true freshmen) took snaps vs. the Hawks.

Kristian Kilpatrick caught a touchdown pass for the second consecutive game in the Quincy contest. He is the first Warrior with a touchdown reception in back-to-back games since Myles McKatherine in 2024 (Sept. 5 at Tiffin and Sept. 14 at home vs. Findlay).

After not forcing a turnover in the first three contests, the Warrior defense forced two fumbles at Quincy, and turned those two miscues into 14 points.

Luke Johnson forced both fumbles at Quincy becoming the first Warrior with two forced fumbles in a game since Logan McGraw had two in the 2025 season opener (Sept. 4 vs. Tiffin).

Wayne State was outscored 21-6 in the fourth quarter through the first three games, but turned the tables at Quincy, outscoring the host Hawks 21-0 over the final 15 minutes. In the loss to Roosevelt on October 10, WSU tallied 18 of the 27 fourth quarter points. This season, fourth quarter scoring is nearly even with the opponents holding a 58-48 advantage.

WARRIORS SEEING ACTION
Eighty-nine different players have seen action this year for Wayne State. This group includes 23 past WSU letterwinners, 20 players listed as redshirt freshmen, 19 players that transferred to Wayne State in 2026, 12 players who have been at WSU, but have not lettered previously, and 15 true freshmen.

FRESHMEN MAKING AN IMPACT
Both of Wayne State's touchdowns against Wisconsin-La Crosse had heavy contributions from true freshmen. The 80-yard touchdown pass was from true freshman quarterback Nikkos Davis to sophomore wide receiver Kristian Kilpatrick. The 80-yard scoring strike is tied-for-11th longest in program history and was Kilpatrick's first touchdown reception of his WSU career.

The Warriors' second touchdown was a 16-yard scamper by true freshman running back Gary Jefferson, Jr.

Jefferson, Jr. leads the squad in all-purpose yards (607) and all-purpose yards per game (101.2). He has 299 rushing yards, 275 yards on kickoff returns and 33 yards receiving.

A FAMILY AFFAIR
WSU currently has a set of brothers in twins Malachi and Matthew Evans. Both are redshirt freshman wide receivers.

Other Warriors with family ties include: Evan Bainbridge (father Matthew was an offensive tackle letterwinner in 1993-94); Jordan Bell (father Joique was a WSU Athletics Hall of Fame running back from 2006 to 2009); Brock Carpenter (father Tim was a four-year letterwinner for the Tartars and was Honorable Mention All-GLIAC as an offensive lineman in 1997, the same year he served as a team captain).

THE BREAKDOWN WITH BRADY BEEDON
Join head coach Terrence Issac and WSU football analyst Brady Beedon each Wednesday prior to a home football game at 5:30 PM at Woodbridge Pub for The Breakdown with Brady Beedon podcast.
Each week a different assistant coach will join Isaac and Beedon. In addition, a student-athlete will be interviewed.

The podcast will be added to the Wayne State athletics website every Friday morning for those unable to be at Woodbridge that week. The next editions of the Breakdown with Brady Beedon will take place on Wednesday, October 28, and Wednesday, November 4.

DON'T MISS ANY OF THE ACTION
The 2026 campaign marks the second season of the Warrior Sports Network (WSN), which provides internet audio coverage of Wayne State football, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball.

Veteran Detroit sports broadcaster Sean Baligian is in his 18th season calling Warrior football. Baligian, who has been on the Detroit airwaves since 1998, will serve as the play-by-play announcer.

Former Warrior defensive end Brady Beedon will serve as the color analyst for selected remaining games. Beedon will also handle the Locker Room Report and Senior Spotlight features for the WSN.

Kevin Brechmacher, who will return for his 11th season calling the WSU men's basketball games this winter, will serve as a color analyst for selected games this fall. He also co-hosts the Warrior Weekly podcast with Brady Beedon that began airing in January of 2026.

WWJ afternoon anchor Tony Ortiz will serve as the sideline commentator during the six home broadcasts. Ortiz will also be the color analyst for the road game at Michigan Tech.

Every Wayne State GLIAC football game will be available on FloCollege with the broadcasts of home games being produced by The PreP for the fourth consecutive year.

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Players Mentioned

#25 XaVior Tyus: RB; 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore

#9 Logan McGraw: WLB; 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior

#61 Evan Bainbridge: OL; 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman

#0 Jordan Bell: WR; 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior

#1 D'Vaun Bentley: RB; 5' 11"; Graduate Student

#48 Brock Carpenter: TE/DE; 6' 4"; Redshirt Freshman

#18 Carson Creehan: QB; 6' 3"; Redshirt Sophomore

#32 Matthew Evans: CB; 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman

#12 Drew Hickmott: WR; 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore

#0 Luke Johnson: LB; 6' 0"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#25 XaVior Tyus
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore
: RB

#9 Logan McGraw
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior
: WLB

#61 Evan Bainbridge
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman
: OL

#0 Jordan Bell
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior
: WR

#1 D'Vaun Bentley
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student
: RB

#48 Brock Carpenter
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Freshman
: TE/DE

#18 Carson Creehan
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Sophomore
: QB

#32 Matthew Evans
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman
: CB

#12 Drew Hickmott
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore
: WR

#0 Luke Johnson
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: LB