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Wayne State University Athletics

Leon Eggelston
Leon Eggleston (#36) following his first career pick six.
20
Saginaw Valley SAGINAWV 3-1 , 1-1
24
Winner Wayne State WS 2-2 , 1-0
Saginaw Valley SAGINAWV
3-1 , 1-1
20
Final
24
Wayne State WS
2-2 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
SAGINAWV Saginaw Valley 0 6 7 7 20
WS Wayne State 17 0 7 0 24

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

Football Edges No. 25-Saginaw Valley 24-20

Warriors score the first 17 points.

DETROIT – The Wayne State University football team (2-2 overall, 1-0 GLIAC) began conference play with a 24-20 triumph over visiting Saginaw Valley State University (3-1 overall, 1-1 GLIAC), who entered the contest ranked No. 25 in the nation according to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

The victory was the first for WSU over a top-25 squad since a 41-31 win over 13th-ranked Carson-Newman on Sept. 13, 2014 at Tom Adams Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Wayne State took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards in eight plays for the game's first score.  Senior Kyle Lewis (Detroit, Mich. / Renaissance) had a 35-yard kickoff return, and graduate student Deiontae Nicholas (Chesterfield, Mich. / L'Anse Creuse North) followed with a 15-yard carry to midfield.

After another 15-yard scamper by Nicholas, and a 12-yard reception by Lewis, senior quarterback Dakota Kupp (Waterford, Mich. / Mott) went around left end for a 14-yard touchdown dash on third-and-one.

On the Cardinals first play from scrimmage, the snap hit the man in motion, with senior defensive end Jalen Lewis (Pontiac, Mich. / West Bloomfield) picking up the loose ball and rumbling 13 yards to the SVSU 2.

Even though that drive stalled, freshman place-kicker Niccolò Seilo (Royal Oak, Mich. / U. of Detroit Jesuit) converted a 22-yard field goal attempt for a 10-0 advantage just over six minutes into the contest.

Saginaw Valley State drove inside the Warrior 40, but quarterback Ryan Conklin was sacked for a 10-yard loss on fourth-and-four by Jalen Lewis and sophomore Brandon Tuck-Hayden (Akron, Ohio / Buchtel).

Following a Warrior punt, senior linebacker Leon Eggleston (Sylvania, Ohio / Southview) intercepted a third down pass and returned it nine yards for his first career interception.  WSU led 17-0 after Seilo's PAT.

Two SVSU punts were sandwiched around a failed fourth down pass by Wayne State.

Kupp was intercepted on a fourth down pass at the SVSU 10, with Nick Whiteside returning the pick 35 yards.  Eight plays later, Cardinal Connor Luksic connected on a 38-yard field goal attempt with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.

Just before intermission, Saginaw Valley State drove 60 yards in eight plays but had to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Luksic.

On the first play of the second half, SVSU's Nate McCrary rushed around left end for an 83-yard touchdown to pull the visiting Cardinals within 17-13.

Wayne State answered with a nine-play, 75-yard drive in nearly five minutes (4:50), with senior James Hill (Livonia, Mich. / Clarenceville) scoring on a three-yard run.  It was the ninth straight game with a rushing touchdown by Hill, which is tied for the second longest in the last 40 years (Joique Bell had two 13-game rushing touchdown streaks).

After an exchange of punts, the Cardinals cut the Wayne State advantage to 24-20 with a 76-yard drive in 11 plays.  Conklin had a two-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal.

The next three drives ended in punts.  Saginaw Valley State drove to the WSU 12, but Eggleston had a 13-yard tackle for loss on first down, and on fourth down sophomore nose tackle Damani Green (Detroit, Mich. / Martin Luther King) blocked a 41-yard field goal attempt by Luksic.

Both teams punted on their ensuing possessions, before the Warriors were able to run the final 4:32 off the clock to seal the victory.

TEAM STATS

Wayne State had a slim 312 to 307 advantage in total offense, including a 168-139 edge on the ground.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Nicholas rushed for a team-high 62 yards, while Kupp (42 yards) and Hill (41 yards) also contributed to the rushing attack.  Kupp was 10-of-24 for 144 yards with one interception.  Sophomore tight end Nick Poterack (Byron Center, Mich.) had a team-high 58 receiving yards.

LEADING THE CARDINALS

McCrary rushed for a game-high 156 yards on 15 attempts, with 83 of those yards coming on one play.  Conklin was 14-of-26 for 168 yards with one interception. Casey Williams led SVSU in both receptions (5) and receiving yards (79).

UP NEXT

Wayne State will take its third long road trip in a four week span with a 1 p.m. kickoff in the Superior Dome against Northern Michigan on Oct. 5.
 
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