Slippery Rock enters NCAA D-II football semifinal vs Ferris State as rare underdog
SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University football coach Shawn Lutz bristles at the thought of his team being a major underdog Saturday.
But that’s reality ... and he relishes it at the same time.
“People think we shouldn’t bother to show up, the game’s going to be over in the first quarter. ... All that does is motivate us that much more,” Lutz said of the 11th-ranked Rock’s NCAA Division II semifinal game at No. 2 Ferris State on Saturday. “I believe we’re going to win this game. If I didn’t genuinely believe that, I shouldn’t be coaching.
“We’re playing our best football right now. I’m confident we can get this done.”
Both teams are 12-1. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. at Top Taggart Stadium in Big Rapids, Mich.
Ferris State was national champion in 2021 and 2022. The Bulldogs have been to the national playoffs 10 successive years, the longest such streak in the country. SRU is second with six straight years.
Saturday will mark the first game between the programs.
“People don’t realize how hard it us to even qualify for the playoffs in Division II,” Ferris State coach Tony Annese said. “We’re talking about 28 teams out of 162. For these two teams to get in year after year is a testament to both programs.”
They have reached this point in different ways.
While The Rock edged New Haven (14-7) and got past Super Region One top-seed Kutztown in overtime before handling California (31-13) last week, Ferris State cruised to a 41-7 triumph over defending national champion Harding last week after obliterating Central Oklahoma 78-17 the week before.
“They’e just been rolling through teams,” Lutz said.
The Bulldog attack is centered around quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Like Rock quarterback Brayden Long, Chambliss is a Harlon Hill Trophy candidate. He’s thrown for 2,551 yards and 22 touchdowns, run for 817 yards and 20 scores.
“He’s a special athlete,” Annese said of his quarterback. “He doesn’t turn the ball over, and he makes great decisions in our run option and RPO game.”
Said Lutz: “Everything they do offensively surrounds their quarterback play. We have to force them to throw the football.”
Running back Kannon Katzer has rushed for 866 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging more than 8 yards per carry. Three receivers have more than 30 catches each, and a fourth, Cam Underwood, averages nearly 18 yards per reception on 23 catches.
The Bulldogs have one senior and five juniors comprising a sizable offensive line. Four of those linemen played on Ferris State’s 2022 title team.
“We’re not senior laden, but we are a mature group,” Annese said. “Juniors are our biggest class this year.”
While SRU has yet to score 40 points in a game this season, Ferris State is averaging 44.5 points per game and has scored more than 40 points eight times, more than 50 points on five occasions and more than 70 points twice. The Bulldogs defeated American International 84-7 in the regular season.
The Bulldogs allow only 11.2 per contest.
“We’re going to have to make them defend the whole field,” Lutz said. “We’ll go five-wide with an empty set. They play basic defense, pretty much, and not much else because they’re just that much better than everybody.”
SRU is on its third placekicker this season in Mason Yohn, who has connected on five of six field goal attempts. Linebacker Andrew Vince has led the team in tackles twice after missing most of the season with a concussion. Junior safety Michael Henwood had the play of the season for The Rock, punching the ball out of a New Haven receiver’s hands just before the latter could score a game-tying touchdown.
Receiver Logan Ramper has 19 catches for 316 yards and three touchdowns in SRU’s three playoff games, including his first two career 100-yard receiving games. Ramper had 15 catches for 261 yards during an injury shortened regular season.
It’s been that kind of season for The Rock.
“At times I want to kill these guys, but I love them at the same time,” Lutz said. “We’re practicing this week, it’s miserable, it’s rainy, the lights are on, we’re just out there having fun. We have a prideful group that’s not going to back down from anybody. We’re going up there to win.”
Annese is 135-21 in 12 years as Ferris State head coach. He coached high school football in Michigan for 22 years before joining the college ranks. Lutz is 82-20 in nine years as The Rock head coach.
SRU is in the national semifinals for the first time since 2019, the fourth time in program history. The Rock has never reached the national title game.
Annese said Slippery Rock offensive line coach Chris Conrad is “the hero of their season, the way he replaced four starters and has them playing at such a high level. Slippery Rock is battle-tested. They’ll be ready for us.”
