How Many Football National Championships Has Ferris State Won?
How Many Football National Championships Has Ferris State Won?
Ferris State has won two football national championships – 2021 and 2022. This weekend, FSU will battle Valdosta State in the 2024 Division II title game.
The question asked here could be answered very succinctly, but if you’re a Ferris State football fan, or just enjoy college football history in general, please read past the next couple of sentences.
On Saturday, the Ferris State Bulldogs (13-1) will take the field at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas, to battle Valdosta State (13-0) in the championship game of the 2024 NCAA Division II Football Championship.
The Bulldogs are hoping to win the program’s third football national title, which also would be their third win in the last four seasons. See, asked and answered.
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- How Many Division II Football National Championships Has Valdosta State Won?
- Watch Every Valdosta State Football GSC And Home Game From 2024 Season
Ferris State first reached the Division II title game in 2018 but lost to the aforementioned Valdosta State Blazers in a 49-47 nailbiter.
The Bulldogs got redemption in 2021, extinguishing the Blazers’ title hopes with a 58-17 rout in the season finale.
Further proving their dominance in the Division II landscape, the Bulldogs ran it back in 2022, defeating Colorado School of Mines for the title, 41-14.
Ferris State’s bid for a three-beat in 2023 ended with a pair of losses to Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival Grand Valley State, including a 21-14 loss in the first round of the Division II Playoffs.
The Bulldogs’ journey back to the top in 2024 started with a stumble, as they lost their season-opening contest this year to Pittsburg State, 19-3.
What has happened since, however, has been a mindboggling run of 13 consecutive wins, during which, FSU has outscored its opponents 623-164.
Ferris State defeated Slippery Rock 48-38 last week to advance to the 2024 championship game.
In the coming days, the FloFootball staff will analyze every aspect of Saturday's Ferris State-Valdosta State showdown, look back at the 2024 season and revisit the successes each team has enjoyed in recent years.
For now, though, here’s a look at Ferris State’s previous trips to the championship game:
2022: Ferris State 41, Colorado School of Mines 14
McKinney, Texas
Ferris State cruised to a 27-0 halftime lead and never looked back, adding a pair of insurance scores in the final quarter to earn a 41-14 victory over the Colorado School of Mines for a second consecutive national championship.
The Bulldogs finished the year 14-1, to go along with their 14-0 run on the way to the title in 2021.
Ferris State more than doubled the Orediggers’ offensive output, 432-212
The performance for FSU included a 14-for-18 day for quarterback Mylik Mitchell, good for 170 yards. While he didn’t have a touchdown pass in the win, fellow signal caller Carson Gulker ran the ball nine times for 18 yards and three touchdowns.
Ferris State also had six sacks and two interceptions in the win.
2021: Ferris State 58, Valdosta State 17
McKinney, Texas
Ferris State capped its 14-0 season and first football national championship run with a 58-17 win over Valdosta State in the NCAA Division II title game.
The Bulldogs ran for 481 yards and rolled up 581 yards of total offense, while holding the Blazers to just 268 total yards.
While FSU only attempted seven passes in the game, three Bulldogs rushed for more than 100 yards, with quarterback Jared Bernhardt leading the way with 148 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.
The Ferris State defense had two interceptions, two sacks and a fumble recovery in the victory.
At the time, the win helped Ferris State join Northwest Missouri State as the only two active Division II members to win national titles in both basketball and football.
And, The One That Got Away
2018: Valdosta State 49, Ferris State 47
McKinney Texas
The longest season in Ferris State football history ended with a 49-47 loss to Valdosta State in the NCAA Division II championship game.
The Bulldogs were looking to become the first team in NCAA history to go 16-0, but they were unable to complete their fourth-quarter comeback against the Blazers.
Ferris State scored with 40 seconds left in the game, but a failed two-point conversion as time expired left the Bulldogs short of forcing overtime. FSU finished the season with a 15-1 record.
Beyond the score, the teams were pretty close in offense output, too. Valdosta State had 496 total yards, and Ferris State had 449.
The win marked the fourth football national title for Valdosta State, which also won in 2004, 2007 and 2012.
Ferris State Fast Fact: Since the return of the GLIAC in 1999, Ferris State has won seven conference championships, including four since 2018.
How Many Football National Championships Has Ferris State Won?
The Ferris State Bulldogs have won two football national championships – 2021 and 2022.
They also reached the title game in 2018 but fell to Valdosta State.
How To Watch The Division II National Championship Game
The title game of the 2024 NCAA Division II Football Championship between Ferris State and Valdosta State will air on ESPN2 on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. Eastern.
The game will be played at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas.
When Are The NCAA Division II Football Playoffs?
- First round: Saturday, Nov. 23
- Second round: Saturday, Nov. 30
- Quarterfinals: Saturday, Dec. 7
- Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 14
- National championship: Saturday, Dec. 21
When Is The NCAA Division II Championship Game?
The NCAA Division II championship game is set for Saturday, Dec. 21 in McKinney, Texas.
NCAA Division II Football Playoff Schedule
First Round: Saturday, Nov. 23
- Slippery Rock def. New Haven, 14-7
- Ashland def. Charleston (W.Va.), 40-38
- California (Pa.) def. East Stroudsburg, 30-27
- Miles def. Carson-Newman, 14-13
- Virginia Union def. Wingate, 34-31
- Lenoir-Rhyne def. West Alabama, 37-34
- Central Oklahoma def. Ouachita Baptist, 38-31
- Grand Valley State def. UIndy, 24-7
- Harding def. Pittsburg State, 48-3
- Minnesota State def. Augustana (S.D.), 20-19
- Western Colorado def. Central Washington, 28-21
- Bemidji State def. Angelo State, 24-14
Second Round: Saturday, Nov. 30
- Slippery Rock def. Kutztown, 25-24
- Valdosta State def. Miles, 33-17
- Ferris State def. Central Oklahoma, 78-17
- Minnesota State def. CSU Pueblo, 26-23
Quarterfinals: Saturday, Dec. 7
- Slippery Rock def. California (Pa.), 31-13
- Ferris State def. Harding, 41-7
- Valdosta State def. Virginia Union, 49-14
- Minnesota State def. Bemidji State, 20-19
Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 14
- Ferris State def. Slippery Rock, 48-38
- Valdosta State def. Minnesota State, 35-21
Final: Saturday, Dec. 21
- Ferris State vs. Valdosta State, 2 p.m. Eastern (ESPN2)
AFCA Division II Football Rankings
As of Nov. 18, 2024
- Valdosta St. (Ga.) (27) 10-0
- Ferris St. (Mich.) (3) 10-1
- Kutztown (Pa.) 11-0
- Harding (Ark.) 10-1
- Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 10-1
- Charleston (W.Va.) 11-0
- Colorado St.-Pueblo 10-1
- Central Oklahoma 10-1
- Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 10-1
- Western Colorado 10-1
- Slippery Rock (Pa.) 9-1
- West Alabama 9-1
- Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 8-2
- Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-1
- Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 9-2
- Angelo St. (Tex.) 9-2
- Wingate (N.C.) 9-1
- Colorado School of Mines 8-3
- Central Washington 8-3
- California (Pa.) 8-2
- West Florida 7-3
- Augustana (S.D.) 8-3
- Southern Arkansas 9-2
- Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 9-2
- Central Missouri 8-3
Dropped Out: Minnesota St. (18), Findlay (Ohio) (22).
Others Receiving Votes: Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 65; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 45; Virginia Union, 38; Miles (Ala.), 36; Minnesota St., 34; New Haven (Conn.), 21; Findlay (Ohio), 18; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 9; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 4; Davenport (Mich.), 3; Ashland (Ohio), 2; Glenville St. (W.Va.), 1.
To see the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll, click here.
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