Ferris Tops Tech 56-49 in Football Shootout

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Tyler Scarlett threw for 380 yards and a school-record six touchdowns, but it was not enough to get Michigan Tech football a road win at Ferris State. The host Bulldogs compiled 601 yards of total offense and converted many key fourth downs to win 56-49 in a shootout.

Despite scoring the game's opening touchdown on a 42-yard pass from Scarlett to Matt Curtin, Tech was playing catch-up most of the game. Ferris State scored on its next two drives, converting three fourth-down plays to keep the drives alive. After Curtin hauled in his second TD pass of the game from Scarlett, the Bulldogs put up three straight touchdowns spanning halftime to grab a 21-point lead.

Michigan Tech did not quit. The Black and Gold scored four touchdowns in the game's final 20 minutes to pull within a score. Curtin posted his third TD of the day at the 4:51 mark of the third quarter. Cole Welch caught Scarlett's fifth scoring pass of the day with 12:18 to play.

Cedrick Barber and Alex Elsenheimer both scored in the final 2:11 to pull Tech within seven. With 35 seconds to play, the Huskies recovered an on-side kick but were whistled for being off-side on the kickoff. The subsequent on-side attempt was recovered by FSU to ice the game.

"We did not play well defensively, but let's give credit where it's due," said head coach Tom Kearly. "Ferris schemed us well and made the big plays."

Curtin's three touchdown catches on the day gives him 12 for the season, shattering the previous record of nine. Scarlett's six TD throws tied Steve Short's mark from 2007.

Ferris quarterback Jason Vander Laan accounted for 429 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. The Bulldogs had four rushers over 50 yards for a total of 244—the most surrendered by Tech this season.

Barber was the Huskies' leading rusher with 76 yards.

Justin Armstrong and Dan Perrault both had a team-high 12 tackles for Tech. David Russek was also in double figures with 10.

Michigan Tech (5-2 overall, 5-2 GLIAC) will play on the road again next Saturday (Oct. 27) when it travels to Saginaw Valley State.