BIG RAPIDS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Looking to keep their repeat bid alive for a NCAA Division II National Championship, Ferris State didn’t allow West Florida to score in the second half for a 38-17 drubbing and another trip to the title game.

“This was a great, great win against a great opponent. I thought they did a really nice job running the ball against us as no one has run the ball effectively against us. The grit of our guys is extraordinary. The fight and the never give in deal. It was hard as we were up 17-3 and then it was 17-17 at halftime so it could have gone both ways there after the half and our guys stayed committed to the process and the defense shut them out in the second half,” said head coach Tony Annese.

MORE NEWS: Detroit School’s Office of Inspector General Uncovered $3.5M in Fraud in 2023-24

The defense held West Florida to just 298 yards of offense as only 113 came on the ground. They also sacked the Argonauts quarterback five times for 23 yards. Major Dedmond led the team with 12 tackles as Olalere Oladipo recorded two sacks.

Marcus Taylor transitioned to running back for this game and went off for 181 yards rushing topping his 105 yards he had against Davenport earlier in the year. He averaged 9.1 yards per carry with one touchdown. Carson Gulker added to the ground game of 309 yards with 64 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

FSU jumped out to a 17-3 lead with 14:10 to go in the second quarter. Carson Gulker scored from three yards out with 8:32 on the clock in the first quarter. UWF responded with a 23-yard field goa with 4:13 to go but FSU came right back just over a minute later with a score. Bulker had another touchdown run of one-yard for a 14-3 lead with 3:06 left in the first quarter. Eddie Jewett then made a 28-yard field goal at the 14:10 mark pushing the lead to 14 points, 17-3.

It was the tail end of the second quarter the UWF surprised FSU scoring two late touchdowns to tie the game. They had a 58-yard pass to pull within seven with 6:41 to go and then a 10-yard run just before half with 1:22 left making it 17-17.

It was all FSU in the second half with three rushing touchdowns as they didn’t allow UWF any points. Dez Lyburtus had a three-yard run with 4:46 left in the third quarter to move ahead, 24-17. Then, at the 14:29 mark in the fourth quarter, Gulker earned his third rushing touchdown of the day on a one-yard run. Taylor completed the rushing attack with a nine-yard score at the 7:31 mark making it 38-17.

FSU will now play the Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Division II National Championship on Saturday, in McKinney, Texas.