Posted: Sep 26, 2024
Game 4: Saginaw Valley State at Indianapolis
Saturday, September 28, 2024 | 6:00 p.m. ET
Key Stadium | Indianapolis, Ind.
2024 Game Notes: at Indianapolis
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Video - https://www.glvcsn.com/uindy/
Live Stats - https://athletics.uindy.edu/sidearmstats/football/summary
WSGW Broadcast - https://www.alphamediaplayer.com/wsgwsports
KICK-OFF
The Saginaw Valley State University Football team travels to face 15th-ranked Indianapolis on Saturday.
This is the 29th meeting between the Cardinals and the Greyhounds.
Saginaw Valley State defeated Truman State 37-14 last week in the Cardinals' home opener. SVSU hopped out to a 16-0 lead in the first half, before the Bulldogs battled back to cut the lead to two points (16-14) in the third quarter, but SVSU scored twice in the fourth to seal the victory.
Indianapolis got a win over Wayne State 30-6 in Detroit, Michigan last week. The Greyhounds built a 19-0 lead before the Warriors made a field goal to get on the board. The lead grew to 28-3 before Wayne State made a second field goal. A safety in the final three minutes of play put the score in its final place.
1ST-AND-10
• The Cardinals currently sit in a three-way tie for third in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) standings with Davenport and Ferris State, who all have an overall record of 2-1.
• This is the start of a three-game road trip with games at UIndy (9/28), Northern Michigan (10/5), and Roosevelt (10/13). The Cardinals are 1-1 on the road this year with five more away contests for the season.
• Senior All-American linebacker Micah Cretsinger was named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 and the D2 Elite 100 watch lists. Junior linebacker Brandon Rawls joined Cretsinger on the D2 Elite 100 list.
• Saginaw Valley faces three ranked opponents this season: at (#15) Indianapolis on September 28, (#2) Grand Valley State on October 19, and at (#5) Ferris State on November 9.
• Freshman quarterback Mason McKenzie leads the Cardinal offense with 517 yards through the air on 41-for-74 (55.4%) passing and three touchdowns. McKenzie also leads the team in rushing with 24 carries for 285 yards and a touchdown. He currently ranks second in the GLIAC in rushing yards and fourth in passing.
• Junior running back Michael Jamerson III and receiver Eric Craft lead the team in receptions with seven. Jamerson III has 31 yards while Craft has 152 and a touchdown. Sophomore back Terrance Brown Jr. has six catches for 51 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Zarek Zelinski also has six receptions for 94 yards and a score.
• Micah Cretsinger and Brandon Rawls are the leading tacklers for the Cardinal defense, with 22 stops. Cretsinger scored the sixth touchdown of his career last Saturday with his 32-yard scoop-and-score in the first quarter that put the Cardinals ahead 7-0. Brandon Rawls caused the fumble that Cretsinger scored on with his one sack in the game. Both linebackers have 2.5 tackles for loss in 2024.
• Alfred Dailey Jr., Leonard Henry IV, and Jasper Beeler have 19 tackles. Henry IV leads the SVSU pass rush with a career-high 5.5 sacks through the first three games. He currently sits tied for 14th all-time with 15.5 career sacks.
• Eli Gordon leads the defensive backfield with two interceptions this season. He was named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week this week after making 11 tackles, the second time he had double-digit tackles in a game. He also forced a fumble, recovered a blocked field goal, and had an interception against the Bulldogs in week three. It is the second time this season he was named the GLIAC player of the week.
• The Cardinal defense leads the GLIAC in sacks with 11, forced fumbles with five, and is tied with Michigan Tech, Ferris State, and Davenport for the most interceptions with four. The unit ranks third in rushing yards per game, holding opponents to just 76.7 yards, and ranks third in the league allowing just 12.4 points per game through the first two games of the season.