The most anticipated regular-season game of the 2024 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule, the Anchor-Bone Classic between Ferris State and Grand Valley State, has come and gone.

Since the outcome ultimately was what this season’s numbers would have suggested, could it be considered anticlimactic? 

Should it be counted as an upset just because the losing team was the two-time defending GLIAC champion and the No. 1 Division II team in the country entering the matchup?

Oh, in case you missed it, No. 3 Ferris State rolled past No. 1 GVSU at Lubbers Stadium in Allendale, Michigan, on Saturday, 34-7. That’s an important detail. 

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Across the conference’s four games in Week 9, there really weren’t any surprises, as math and recent history made picking the four winners pretty black and white. If you left your gut feelings or hope for an upset at the door, the games unfolded as expected.

Another expectation for the weekend was to finally get a clear front-runner for the 2024 GLIAC crown, which happened – it’s the Ferris State Bulldogs.

At the same time, Division II football got a new No. 1 team in both major polls. It’s a different team in each, and neither was the squad that beat the previous chart-topper. But should it have been?

We tackle these questions, plus the ones asked above, and share some of the GLIAC takeaways heading into Week 10 of the 2024 college football season:  

Should Ferris State Be The No. 1 Team In The Division II Football Polls?

Entering Week 9 of the 2024 college football season, Grand Valley State, Valdosta State and Ferris State were the top three teams in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches Poll.

In the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll, it was GVSU, Valdosta State, Pittsburg State and then Ferris State. 

Every team listed has been a major force in recent years and has earned every bit of the recognition. There’s no doubt the voters would’ve had a tough time deciding who should be No. 1 following GVSU’s 34-7 loss at home to Ferris State.

Easy enough, if the No. 2 team wins handily, there’s an argument for a push to the top of the rankings. However, Valdosta State did not play.

Ferris State beat the top team and did so with ease, while holding the Lakers to a quiet 229 yards of offense.

Since an opening-week loss, Ferris State has outscored its opponents 350-60, surging to a 7-1 overall record and 4-0 mark in conference action. 

Yes, Valdosta State is undefeated (7-0) and coming off an appearance in the national quarterfinals in 2023. Pittsburg State also reached that round and is having a solid 2024 (7-1), which includes a 35-21 win over Central Oklahoma, a top-15 team, on Saturday.

The voters had the rest of the weekend to think things over, and they have spoken. 

In the latest AFCA poll, Valdosta State is No. 1, and Ferris State is No. 2. Pittsburg State landed at No. 5, and GVSU (7-1, 3-1) sank to No. 7.

In the D2Football.com poll, Pittsburg State earned the top spot, followed by Ferris State and Valdosta State, respectively. GVSU fell to No. 6.

Are these results a disservice to the Ferris State Bulldogs, who have been on an incredible run and are trying to win their third national title in four years?

There’s no right or wrong answer here, as it’s all subjective, but in my humble opinion, Ferris State should be No. 1 based on what the Bulldogs have been doing since the calendar turned to September. 

There certainly could be an argument made for not having a one-loss team on top. Advantage Valdosta State.

There also could be an obvious strike against the Bulldogs, who were completely shut down by Pittsburg State in the season opener, 19-3. It was uncharacteristic and unexpected, but Ferris State has more than made up for it in the weeks since.

Based on that loss, it would be understandable for Ferris State to be kept from the No. 1 spot in the second poll, too. And by virtue of Valdosta State not playing, the Blazers probably don’t deserve to move up while idle. 

Whether it’s logical or by default, Pittsburg State got the nod, despite the discrepancy for the Gorillas between the two polls. 

At the end of the day, the jumble at the top of the rankings doesn’t matter a whole lot in October, especially with conference championships being the current focus. Plus, 28 teams eventually will get the chance to see the postseason, so being No. 2 or No. 5 right now is more about pride and fodder. 

Regardless of its latest ranking, two things are true – Ferris State has more than redeemed itself and could be the No. 1 team heading into Week 10. And, in their next game, the Bulldogs will face winless Northern Michigan and could put up another 75 points.

Grand Valley State Football Is Stuck

Ferris State has been putting up some insane offensive numbers. The Bulldogs are hard to stop.

Grand Valley State has been second in the GLIAC in total offense, and it was enough for a 7-0 run to start the season. Unfortunately, with conference play in full swing and the road to a GLIAC three-peat that much more complicated now, the Lakers have stalled.

Over its last two games, GVSU has been held to 234 total yards and 229 yards, respectively, well below the team’s output through the first six weeks of the 2024 season. It nearly cost the Lakers against an improved Saginaw Valley State team, but 16 points ended up being enough to get past the Cardinals (16-9).

Not only did the GVSU offensive slump continue against Ferris State, the Lakers also saw three key turnovers (a lost fumble and two interceptions) and a blocked punt allow Ferris State to remain in control Saturday.

Senior receiver Cody Tierney provided the only offensive spark for GVSU, a 45-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. 

In the loss, there was speculation in the second quarter that Avery Moore was on the sideline with an injury. He missed time earlier in the season due to a hip flexor injury. 

A quartet of GVSU quarterbacks went 6 of 19 for 74 against Ferris State, plus the two interceptions. The Ferris State offense surged for 363 yards in the win.

Amazingly, even with the two subpar weeks, the Lakers still are averaging more than 400 yards per game this year (407.9). That proves they’re capable of putting up big numbers, and they’ll need to find that rhythm again. They’ll also need to get everyone healthy.

The conference title, or at least a share of it, is not impossible for Grand Valley State, though it would require someone stopping the Bulldogs.

GVSU will finish the season against Wayne State, Michigan Tech and Roosevelt. 

Those teams have combined for six overall wins and three conference victories in 2024. They shouldn’t be huge challenges for the Lakers, but GVSU will need to pick up some momentum if there’s any hope of succeeding against the higher-caliber teams they’ll see in the Division II Playoffs.

Saginaw Valley State Might Be The New No. 3 Team In The GLIAC

Entering the 2024 season, and based on two strong years in 2022 and 2023, Davenport was an easy choice to fill the No. 3 spot in the GLIAC behind powerhouses Grand Valley State and Ferris State.

Entering Week 10, Davenport and Saginaw Valley State both are 6-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play, meaning their meeting Saturday has some big implications. 

First, there’s the outside chance of at least a piece of the conference championship. Or, as Davenport saw in 2022, the possibility of a playoff berth as the third-place team in the stacked GLIAC.

SVSU already has matched its win total from 2023, while Davenport is a little off the pace that saw the Panthers start both previous seasons with eight consecutive wins, before being derailed by GVSU and Ferris State.

Within the conference in 2024, SVSU has the statistical advantage over Davenport in most categories, though its close enough that perhaps the deciding factors will be their momentum from last week and the location of their head-to-head matchup. 

Saginaw Valley State is coming off a 37-10 win over winless Wayne State, while Davenport narrowly escaped with a 19-14 road win over GLIAC newcomer Roosevelt. 

SVSU and Davenport have split their six meetings evenly, with the Panthers winning the last two, one at each team’s home venue. 

This time around, SVSU will have the home-field advantage and is the team on the rise in 2024. Advantage Cardinals.

How Did The GLIAC Football Teams Perform In Week 9?

All eight GLIAC teams saw conference action on Oct. 26.

• Michigan Tech def. Northern Michigan, 39-9
• Saginaw Valley State def. Wayne State, 37-10
• Davenport def. Roosevelt, 19-14
• Ferris State def. Grand Valley State 34-7

GLIAC Football Schedule For Week 10

Saturday, Nov. 2

All Times Eastern

• Davenport at SVSU, 1 p.m.
• Ferris State at Northern Michigan, 1 p.m.
• Michigan Tech at Roosevelt, 2 p.m.
• Wayne State at GVSU, 3 p.m.

AFCA Division II Football Rankings For Week 10

1. Valdosta St. (Ga.) (18) 7-0 - Prev. 2
2. Ferris St. (Mich.) (8) 7-1 - Prev. 3
3. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) (2) 8-0 - Prev. 5
4. Kutztown (Pa.) 8-0 - Prev. 4
5. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (1) 7-1 - Prev. 6
6. Harding (Ark.) 7-1 - Prev. 7
7. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 7-1 - Prev. 1
8. Western Colorado 8-0 - Prev. 8
9. Charleston (W.Va.) 8-0 - Prev. 11
10. Colorado St.-Pueblo 7-1 - Prev. 12
11. Emporia St. (Kan.) 7-1 - Prev. 14
12. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 7-1 - Prev. 16
13. Central Oklahoma 7-1 - Prev. 9
14. Slippery Rock (Pa.) 6-1 - Prev. 15
15. West Alabama 6-1 - Prev. 18
16. Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) 8-0 - Prev. 19
17. Central Washington 6-2 - Prev. 20
18. Colorado School of Mines 6-2 - Prev. 10
19. Indianapolis (Ind.) 7-1 - Prev. 21
20. Augustana (S.D.) 6-2 - Prev. 25
21. West Florida 5-2 - Prev. 23
22. Minnesota St. 6-2 - Prev. 13
23. California (Pa.) 7-1 - Prev. NR
24. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 7-1 - Prev. 17
25. Findlay (Ohio) 7-1 - Prev. NR

Dropped Out: Southern Arkansas (22), Delta St. (Miss.) (24)

Others Receiving Votes: Angelo St. (Tex.), 46; Emory & Henry (Va.), 45; Wingate (N.C.), 35; Virginia Union, 31; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 28; Southern Arkansas, 20; Ashland (Ohio), 7; Davenport (Mich.), 7; Assumption (Mass.), 3; Colorado Mesa, 3; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 3; Delta St. (Miss.), 2; Miles (Ala.), 1; New Haven (Conn.), 1; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 1.

To see the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll, click here.

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