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Football

#22 Cardinals Defeat Bulldogs, 41-7

Chuck Dowdell threw for 206 yards and a TD while also rushing for a TD
Chuck Dowdell threw for 206 yards and a TD while also rushing for a TD
Posted: Nov 07, 2009

UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The 22nd ranked Saginaw Valley State football team defeated Ferris State University today (Nov. 7) in their final game of the 2009 regular season, 41-7.

The Cardinals took an early 14-0 lead over the Bulldogs in the first quarter as junior quarterback Chuck Dowdell (Ft. Wayne, Ind. / Indiana State) completed a 45 yard pass to sophomore wide reciever Nick Gallina (Troy, Mich.) to put Saginaw Valley on the scoreboard.  With four minutes left in the quarter, junior running back Xavier Walker (Bridgewater, N.J. / Raritan HS) found the endzone from four yards out to give the Cardinals a strong lead heading into the second quarter. Walker would finish the day with 73 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown. 

Saginaw Valley continued to increase their lead as Dowdell found a crease and scampered 59 yards to paydirt.  With under a minute left in the half, sophomore running back Brandon Hayes (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley HS) would put the Cardinals up 28-0 on a four yard plunge into the endzone. 

Ferris State's lone touchdown came at the 13:22 mark in the third quarter on a 59 yard pass completion to Mike Ryan.  The Cardinals would respond just minutes later as Dowdell found the endzone once again, this time on a seven yard rush to put Saginaw Valley up 35-7 heading into the fourth quarter.  Dowdell would find the hands of sophomore wide reciever Justin Groeneveld (Kingsford, Mich.) on a 44 yard pass for the final touchdown of the game.

The Saginaw Valley defense was lead by senior line backer John Jacobs (Prudenville, Mich. / Midland Dow HS) who had 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks.  Senior line backer Mike LeVand (Grandville, Mich.) added six tackles and one sack while Matt Peterson (Midland, Mich. / Bullock Creek HS) and Carlton Downs (Detroit, Mich. / Denby HS) each added four tackles on the afternoon.

With the win Saginaw Valley improves to 9-2 overall on the season and 8-2 in the GLIAC, while Ferris falls to 1-10 overall on the season and 0-10 in the GLIAC.  SVSU will now have to wait and see who they play when the final NCAA Division II Regional Rankings show tomorrow (Nov. 8) at 3 pm.  General public is welcome to attend the selection show with the team starting at 2:45 in Wickes room 115 on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University.