Football Earns 38-33 Road Win At Ferris State

The Northwood University football team snapped a five-game losing streak with a hard-fought 38-33 win at Ferris State Saturday afternoon (November 3).

Northwood is now 5-5 overall, 4-5 in the GLIAC.  Ferris State falls to 6-4 overall, 5-4 in the GLIAC.

Ferris State got off to fast start in the game, scoring 13 points in the opening 4:10 of the contest.  But it was all Northwood the rest of the half, out-scoring the Bulldogs 21-0.  Jordan Jonker (Hudsonville, Mich.) got the Timberwolves on the board with a one-yard run to cap a 75-yard drive to make the score 13-7 with 4:09 remaining in the quarter.  NU then took the lead with 35 second remaining in the first on a Mark Morris (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) to Devonta Elzy (Chicago, Ill./Simeon) 22-yard touchdown pass, putting Northwood up 14-13 after the first.

The Timberwolves' passing game kept up its fine play, extending its lead to 21-13.  Morris found Terrance Stocker (Flint, Mich./Grand Blanc) for a 25-yard touchdown midway through the second.  That touchdown proved to be the final score of the first half.

Northwood continued the momentum into the third quarter.  Jonker scored his second one-yard touchdown of the day on the Timberwolves' first possession of the second half, making the score 28-13.  Junior kicker Alex Faust (Midland, Mich./Dow) then  extended the lead to 18 thanks to connecting on a season-long 47-yard field goal.  Ferris State responded with a touchdown to make the score 31-20, but Jonker came right back with a TD of his own.  His third one-yard rushing touchdown of the day sent the game to the fourth quarter with Northwood leading 38-20.

Ferris State came back late, scoring a pair of touchdowns in the final 6:19 to make the score 38-33.  The Bulldogs were then driving late trying to earn the win, but defensive end Kyle Fikki (Hobe Sound, Fla./South Fork) made the big play that earned Northwood the win.  With the Bulldogs at the Northwood 38, he got to the FSU quarterback, forcing a fumble and recovering the loose ball.  It was the second time in the game that Fikki had registered a sack/forced fumble/fumble recovery.

FSU's big fourth quarter allowed them to finish the game with a 437-364 advantage in total yards.  Northwood finished the day with a season-high 252 yards passing.

Morris finished the game 23 of 35 for 252 yards and a pair of touchdown.  Jonker added 26 carries for 85 yards and three touchdowns.  Carrington Thompson (Houston, Mich./Lamar) led the receivers with seven catches for 90 yards.   Northwood's defense was led by Spencer Remtema (Rockford, Mich.), who finished with 15 tackles, a sack, three tackles for loss and a blocked extra point.

Northwood will finish its season Saturday (November 10), hosting Hillsdale for a Noon kickoff.