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Wayne State University Athletics

Football Team Winning at GVSU
31
Winner Wayne State WS 8-3 , 7-1
17
Grand Valley State GV 8-3 , 5-3
Winner
Wayne State WS
8-3 , 7-1
31
Final
17
Grand Valley State GV
8-3 , 5-3
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WS Wayne State 14 3 7 7 31
GV Grand Valley State 7 10 0 0 17

Game Recap: Football | | Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football Claims 31-17 Victory at #19-GVSU To Earn Second Place in the GLIAC

Nicholas and Roberson total 362 all-purpose yards and two TDs.

ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Wayne State University football team (8-3 overall, 7-1 GLIAC) claimed sole possession of second place in the GLIAC with a 31-17 triumph at No. 19-Grand Valley State (8-3 overall, 5-3 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon.  The Warriors scored the final 17 points after falling behind 17-14.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After each squad punted on their opening possession, the Warriors went 68 yards in four plays for a 7-0 lead.  Graduate student Deiontae Nicholas (Chesterfield, Mich. / L'Anse Creuse North) had a 37-yard rush on the first play.  Following a five-yard carry by Nicholas, junior quarterback Jake AmRhein (South Elgin, Ill.) completed a 25-yard pass to sophomore Nick Poterack (Byron Center, Mich.) down to the GVSU 1.  Senior James Hill (Livonia, Mich. / Clarenceville) scored his GLIAC-leading 13th rushing touchdown on the following play.

The Lakers responded with a 65-yard touchdown drive capped off by a 13-yard scamper by Johnt'e Crawford with 6:24 remaining in the opening stanza.

The game did not remain deadlocked for long as senior Darece Roberson, Jr. (Muskegon, Mich. / Mona Shores) took the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for his first collegiate touchdown via a kickoff return.  It was Roberson Jr.'s 25th career touchdown (23 receiving, 1 punt return and 1 kickoff return).  It was WSU's first kickoff return for a touchdown since Nicholas went 97 yards vs. Walsh on October 15, 2016, and tied-for-second longest in the 102 years of Warrior football with Dick Lisabeth who also had a 96-yard kickoff return on Sept. 22, 1951, at Iowa State.

GVSU took eight plays to cover 65 yards early in the second period to knot the contest at 14-14.  Aryuan Cain-Veasey scored on a 10-yard run following a 25-yard completion on third-and-11 as Laker signal caller Cole Kotopka connected on a shovel pass to Bryce Young-Walls.

Wayne State was unable to take advantage of great field position (starting at the GVSU 40) as back-to-back delay of game penalties forced the Warriors to punt which went for a touchback.  The Lakers went 64 yards for a go-ahead 33-yard field goal by Josh Gorball.  The big play was a 43-yard reception by Brandon Wadley as he took the ball in midair away from a WSU defensive back.

The Warriors answered with a 57-yard drive culminating in a 33-yard field goal by freshman Niccolo Seilo (Royal Oak, Mich. / U. of Detroit Jesuit).  Big plays on the drive were a 14-yard catch by Nicholas and a 20-yard reception by freshman Trevonte Davis (Flint, Mich. / Hamady) along with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on GVSU.

WSU's defense forced a three-and-out to start the second half, and the offense drove 69 yards in 14 plays to take a 24-17 lead with 6:03 remaining in the third period.  Roberson, Jr. had a five-yard TD reception on third-and-goal.  Nicholas had a 26-yard reception on third-and-10 to set up a first-and-goal.  It was Roberson, Jr.'s 24th career touchdown catch.

Wayne State almost extended its lead on the first play following an interception by sophomore safety Tieler Houston (Waterford, Mich. / Clarkston), but Nicholas' 48-yard touchdown run was nullified by an offensive holding penalty.  The Warriors re-grouped to score on a six-yard run by Nicholas on the eighth play of the drive.  WSU was aided by two penalties on GVSU totaling 18 yards.

The Wayne State defense, which limited the Lakers to 264 yards of total offense, forced a three-and-out following the kickoff.  The Warrior offense then proceeded to maintain the ball for the final 7:33 garnering four first downs to give WSU its first win over Grand Valley State since 1984.

TEAM STATS

Wayne State held a 306-264 edge in total offense, including a 170-159 advantage in rushing yards.  The Warriors led in time of possession (31:21-28:39), which included a 11:52-3:08 margin in the fourth quarter.  The WSU defense totaled seven sacks, while the offense did not allow a sack.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Nicholas rushed for a game-high 156 yards on a career-best 28 carries.  AmRhein completed 12-of-26 passes for 136 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.  Nicholas had a team-best 45 receiving yards.  Sophomore linebacker Brandon Tuck-Hayden (Akron, Ohio / Buchtel) had a team-best nine tackles (2 solo, 7 assisted), including two tackles for loss, while senior linebacker Leon Eggleston (Sylvania, Ohio / Southview) totaled eight tackles including 2.5 for loss.  The WSU defense had 12 tackles for loss in the contest.

LEADING THE LAKERS

Cain-Veasey gained a team-high 134 yards, while Kotopka was 4-of-13 for 105 yards before being injured.  Cade Peterson took over under center and was 0-for-3 with an interception.  Brandon Wadley had two catches for 63 yards.

WSU NOTES

The five-game winning streak to end the season is the longest since the 2016 squad won six straight from Sept. 17 through Oct. 22.  The Warriors won eight of their final nine regular-season games, the best stretch since WSU won 10 of 11 games from Oct. 23, 2010, through Oct. 22, 2011, concluding with the double overtime triumph at Hillsdale.

UP NEXT

Wayne State will have to wait until the selection show which airs at 5 p.m. on Sunday on NCAA.com.


Video highlights courtesy of GVSN.

 
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