Ferris State Football trailed 35-7 at one point in the 2023 Anchor-Bone Classic as the Grand Valley State crowd at Lubbers Stadium exploded and the atmosphere was electric. The Bulldogs, though, did rally and cut that game to two possessions at one point, but the then-No. 1-ranked team came away with a 49-28  loss. 

A few weeks later, Ferris State returned to Lubbers Stadium in the first round of the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs. Again, the Bulldogs couldn’t solve the GVSU quagmire. 

• Subscribe To FloFootball To Watch The 2024 College Football Season
• Best D2 Football Players In 2024. Here's The Top 100
• How To Watch Ferris State Vs. GVSU Football. The 2024 Anchor-Bone Classic

Now, after two three straight Anchor-Bone Classic showdowns, including two playoff games, the series is poised to move back to Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, right?

Right? Nope. Here’s why. 

Roosevelt Football Addition To GLIAC Changed Conference Lineup

With an added game in GLIAC play, the home and away conference schedule was thrown for a loop. Ferris State played Roosevelt, confusingly also nicknamed the Lakers, at home this season. Meanwhile, GVSU will travel to Chicago to play Roosevelt to end the season. 

Although the GLIAC 2025 season schedule hasn’t been released yet, expect the Anchor-Bone Classic to return to Top Taggart Field. 

Division II Football Ranked Matchups Heading Into Week 9

• Upcoming ranked games between top teams - Now that there are teams in new spots with the new rankings, it leaves for some great games outside of just the Anchor Bone Classic. Those games would include No. 6 Pittsburg State at No. 9 Central Oklahoma, No. 7 Harding vs. No. 22 Southern Arkansas, No. 8 Western Colorado at No. 10 Colorado School of Mines, and No. 13 Minnesota State vs. No. 25 Augustana (S.D.).

AFCA NCAA Division II Football Rankings In Week 9

1. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (27) - Prev. 2
2. Valdosta St. (Ga.) (3) - Prev. 3
3. Ferris St. (Mich.) - Prev. 4
4. Kutztown (Pa.) - Prev. 5
5. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) - Prev. 9
6. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) - Prev. 7
7. Harding (Ark.) - Prev. 1
8. Western Colorado - Prev. 8
9. Central Oklahoma - Prev. 11
10. Colorado School of Mines - Prev. 12
11. Charleston (W.Va.) - Prev. 13
12. Colorado St.-Pueblo - Prev. 14
13. Minnesota St. - Prev. 15
14. Emporia St. (Kan.) - Prev. 16
15. Slippery Rock (Pa.) - Prev. 6
16. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) - Prev. 17
17. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) - Prev. 18
18. West Alabama - Prev. 10
19. Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) - Prev. 20
20. Central Washington - Prev. 21
21. Indianapolis (Ind.) - Prev. 19
22. Southern Arkansas - Prev. 24
23. West Florida - Prev. 23
24. Delta St. (Miss.) - Prev. NR
25. Augustana (S.D.) - Prev. NR

Dropped Out: Frostburg St. (Md.) (22), Henderson St. (Ark.) (25)

Others Receiving Votes: Angelo St. (Tex.), 22; Findlay (Ohio), 22; California (Pa.), 21; Virginia Union, 20; Wayne St. (Neb.), 16; Wingate (N.C.), 10; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 8; Colorado Mesa, 7; Indiana (Pa.), 7; New Haven (Conn.), 7; Davenport (Mich.), 6; Frostburg St. (Md.), 6; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 4; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 3; Ashland (Ohio), 2; Emory & Henry (Va.), 1; Western Oregon, 1.

When Is The Anchor Bone Classic?

The Lakers will host Ferris State at 3 p.m. ETS on Oct. 26. The game is streaming on FloFootball and the FloSports app.