The 2024 Ferris State Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Ferris State University as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 2024 NCAA Division II football season. In their 13th season under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs compiled a 14–1 record and were ranked No. 1 in the D2Football.com poll at the end of the regular season. After losing the season opener on the road against , the Bulldogs finished the season with 14 consecutive victories and won the GLIAC championship and the NCAA Division II national championship. Ferris State participated in the NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs, beating in the second round, defending national champion Harding in the quarterfinals, Slippery Rock in the semifinals, and Valdosta State in the NCAA Division II national championship game.
The Bulldogs set a new program single-game scoring record with 84 points against . They also scored 78 points (the most ever by Ferris State in a playoff game) and tallied 688 yards of total offense against in a second-round playoff game.
Key players include junior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, junior running back Kannon Katzer, senior slot receiver Emari O'Brien, and junior linebacker Iosefa Saipaia.
Schedule
Rankings
GLIAC preseason poll In the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference preseason media poll released on August 1, 2024, Ferris State was projected to finish first in the conference.
Game summaries At No. 6 Pittsburg State
Statistics FSUPSU First downs 7 19 Total yards 171 316 Rushing yards 38 110 Passing yards 133 206 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 21:07 38:53 Team Category Player StatisticsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 13/20, 133 yards, 2 INT Rushing Carson Gulker 8 rushes, 31 yards Receiving Tyrese Hunt-Thompson 3 receptions, 68 yardsPittsburg State Passing Chad Dodson Jr. 22/33, 206 yards, INT Rushing Cleo Chandler Jr. 11 rushes, 49 yards, TD Receiving Jack Roberts 4 receptions, 41 yards
Lake Erie
Statistics LECFSU First downs 10 27 Total yards 144 654 Rushing yards 67 283 Passing yards 77 371 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 28:46 31:14 Team Category Player StatisticsLake Erie Passing Alec Lewis 5/9, 50 yards Rushing Nick Mosley 17 rushes, 55 yards Receiving Tyrone Lindsey 2 receptions, 34 yardsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 16/22, 246 yards, 3 TD Rushing Carson Gulker 2 rushes, 67 yards Receiving Kannon Katzer 3 receptions, 61 yards, TD
Ashland
Statistics ASHFSU First downs 13 30 Total yards 145 530 Rushing yards 36 197 Passing yards 109 333 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 24:09 35:51 Team Category Player StatisticsAshland Passing Trevor Bycznski 9/23, 109 yards, INT Rushing Ty'aris Stevenson 11 rushes, 27 yards Receiving Tony Pannunzio 4 receptions, 40 yardsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 23/30, 286 yards, 2 TD Rushing Markel King 9 rushes, 63 yards Receiving Emari O'Brien 4 receptions, 85 yards
At American International
Statistics FSUAIC First downs 33 10 Total yards 744 110 Rushing yards 486 -18 Passing yards 258 128 Turnovers 4 4 Time of possession 31:09 28:51 Team Category Player StatisticsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 14/24, 166 yards, 2 TD Rushing James Coby 12 rushes, 110 yards, TD Receiving Emari O'Brien 2 receptions, 93 yards, TDAmerican International Passing Lukas Kasko 15/29, 128 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jadye Foxworth 5 rushes, 12 yards Receiving Amiyn Hanks 4 receptions, 35 yards
Roosevelt
Statistics RULFSU First downs 18 25 Total yards 270 448 Rushing yards 90 212 Passing yards 180 236 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 35:34 24:26 Team Category Player StatisticsRoosevelt Passing Carson Budke 21/35, 180 yards, 3 INT Rushing Cyrus Zuell 22 rushes, 78 yards Receiving Keonta Nixon 5 receptions, 82 yardsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 18/30, 224 yards, 3 TD Rushing Kannon Katzer 8 rushes, 69 yards Receiving Kannon Katzer 4 receptions, 83 yards, TD
At Wayne State (MI)
Statistics FSUWSU First downs 24 18 Total yards 505 234 Rushing yards 275 103 Passing yards 230 131 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 31:37 28:23 Team Category Player StatisticsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 21/37, 211 yards, TD, INT Rushing Trinidad Chambliss 16 rushes, 148 yards, TD Receiving Cam Underwood 2 receptions, 58 yardsWayne State Passing Champion Edwards 15/27, 131 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing D'Marco Singleton 15 rushes, 46 yards, TD Receiving Myles McKatherine 6 receptions, 70 yards, TD
Michigan Tech
Statistics MTUFSU First downs 18 23 Total yards 269 577 Rushing yards 91 178 Passing yards 178 399 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 33:37 26:23 Team Category Player StatisticsMichigan Tech Passing Alex Fries 20/46, 158 yards, TD Rushing Jake Rueff 6 rushes, 42 yards Receiving Darius Willis 10 receptions, 68 yards, TDFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 18/30, 383 yards, 6 TD Rushing Trinidad Chambliss 10 rushes, 90 yards Receiving Emari O'Brien 5 receptions, 144 yards, 2 TD
At No. 1 Grand Valley State
Statistics FSUGVSU First downs 18 14 Total yards 363 229 Rushing yards 249 155 Passing yards 114 74 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 34:33 25:27 Team Category Player StatisticsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 11/19, 114 yards Rushing Trinidad Chambliss 22 rushes, 122 yards, 3 TD Receiving Emari O'Brien 3 receptions, 42 yardsGrand Valley State Passing Avery Moore 2/6, 49 yards, INT Rushing Cody Tierney 2 rushes, 52 yards, TD Receiving Darrell Johnson 3 receptions, 37 yards
At Northern Michigan
Statistics FSUNMU First downs 20 10 Total yards 507 246 Rushing yards 325 122 Passing yards 182 124 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 29:20 30:40 Team Category Player StatisticsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 7/15, 141 yards Rushing Kannon Katzer 5 rushes, 126 yards, TD Receiving Taariik Brett 1 reception, 53 yardsNorthern Michigan Passing Jake Bilitz 2/8, 105 yards, TD Rushing Jahi Wood 15 rushes, 48 yards Receiving Michael Love 2 receptions, 92 yards, TD
Saginaw Valley State
Statistics SVSUFSU First downs 13 21 Total yards 292 388 Rushing yards 105 171 Passing yards 187 217 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 29:42 30:18 Team Category Player StatisticsSaginaw Valley State Passing Mason McKenzie 11/24, 187 yards, TD Rushing Mason McKenzie 18 rushes, 90 yards, TD Receiving Joseph Walker 3 receptions, 74 yards, TDFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 14/28, 159 yards, TD, INT Rushing Trinidad Chambliss 15 rushes, 87 yards, TD Receiving James Gilbert 3 receptions, 60 yards, TD
Davenport
Statistics DAVFSU First downs 24 20 Total yards 307 362 Rushing yards 137 228 Passing yards 170 134 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 32:06 27:54 Team Category Player StatisticsDavenport Passing Mac VandenHout 19/33, 170 yards, INT Rushing Kendall Williams 9 rushes, 56 yards Receiving Hakeem Harris 5 receptions, 56 yardsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 13/20, 116 yards, TD, INT Rushing Kannon Katzer 10 rushes, 88 yards, TD Receiving Brady Rose 4 receptions, 56 yards, TD
No. 8 Central Oklahoma (NCAA Division II Second Round)
Statistics UCOFSU First downs 19 26 Total yards 442 688 Rushing yards 207 485 Passing yards 234 203 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 31:15 28:45 Team Category Player StatisticsCentral Oklahoma Passing Jett Huff 9/14, 146 yards, TD, INT Rushing William Mason 14 rushes, 86 yards Receiving Jacob Delso 3 receptions, 66 yardsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 9/18, 203 yards, TD Rushing Kannon Katzer 12 rushes, 200 yards, 3 TD Receiving James Gilbert 3 receptions, 105 yards
No. 4 Harding (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal)
Statistics HARFSU First downs 11 24 Total yards 193 452 Rushing yards 130 287 Passing yards 63 165 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 28:13 31:47 Team Category Player StatisticsHarding Passing Cole Keylon 5/7, 63 yards, INT Rushing Blake Delacruz 10 rushes, 43 yards Receiving Dane Romberger 2 receptions, 36 yardsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 18/27, 145 yards, 2 TD Rushing Taariik Brett 3 rushes, 89 yards Receiving Brady Rose 7 receptions, 45 yards
No. 11 Slippery Rock (NCAA Division II Semifinal)
Statistics SRFSU First downs 23 20 Total yards 453 513 Rushing yards 55 292 Passing yards 398 221 Turnovers 4 3 Time of possession 41:29 19:52 Team Category Player StatisticsSlippery Rock Passing Brayden Long 27/48, 398 yards, 3 TD, 4 INT Rushing Idris Lawrence 19 rushes, 71 yards, TD Receiving Logan Ramper 8 receptions, 171 yards, 3 TDFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 19/26, 221 yards, TD, INT Rushing Kannon Katzer 13 rushes, 165 yards, TD Receiving James Gilbert 6 receptions, 95 yards
Vs. No. 1 Valdosta State (NCAA Division II National Championship Game)
Statistics FSUVSU First downs 21 19 Total yards 465 311 Rushing yards 251 121 Passing yards 214 190 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 29:15 30:45 Team Category Player StatisticsFerris State Passing Trinidad Chambliss 11/20, 153 yards, 3 TD Rushing Kannon Katzer 14 rushes, 97 yards Receiving Cam Underwood 3 receptions, 86 yards, 2 TDValdosta State Passing Sammy Edwards 25/42, 190 yards, 2 TD Rushing Alfonso Franklin 14 rushes, 102 yards Receiving Tyler Ajiero 5 receptions, 57 yards, TD
Roster
References