Posted: Oct 24, 2024
Game 8: Saginaw Valley State at Wayne State
Saturday, October 26, 2024 | 1:00 p.m. ET
Tom Adams Field | Detroit, Michigan
2024 Game Notes: at Wayne State
FOLLOW THE ACTION
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Live Stats - https://wsuathletics.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
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KICK-OFF
The Saginaw Valley State University Football team travels to Wayne State for a GLIAC contest on Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. (ET) kick-off.
The Cardinals had their four-game winning streak snapped in a tightly contested 16-9 loss against Grand Valley State last Saturday, October 19. SVSU took a 9-3 lead into the half, but the Lakers were able to take the lead in the third quarter despite being held to a season-low 50 yards rushing.
Wayne State is coming off a 43-26 loss on the road against Davenport. The Warriors held a 19-12 advantage at halftime, but the Panthers scored 17 points in the third to take the lead for good in the game.
THE SERIES
This is the 44th meeting between Saginaw Valley State and Wayne State. The Cardinals lead the all-time series 32-11-1 and have won the last four meetings and five of the last six in the series.
Four of the last six meetings have had a one-score deficit; five of the last six finals scores have had a two-score difference, with the average margin of victory during that time being just over eight points.
Last season's overtime win of 17-10 win took place during homecoming weekend for SVSU. The Cardinals scored before an interception by Eli Gordon sealed the victory.
1ST-AND-10
• The Cardinals currently sit in a tie for second in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) standings with Davenport. The Cardinals and Panthers are 5-2 overall and 2-1 in league play. Davenport and Saginaw Valley State will meet in two weeks at Harvey Randall Wickes Memorial Stadium.
• SVSU has two games on the road and two at home in the final four games of the season. The Cardinals are at Wayne State this week before hosting Davenport on 11/2. SVSU then goes to Big Rapids to face Ferris State on the road on 11/9 before wrapping up the regular season against Michigan Tech on 11/16.
• 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 (W, 28-24), (#2) Grand Valley State (L, 16-9), and at (#5) Ferris State on November 9.
• Freshman quarterback Mason McKenzie is 96-of-172 through the air for 1,288 yards and nine touchdowns. McKenzie leads the Cardinals in passing and rushing with 60 carries for 459 yards and four scores on the ground. He currently ranks third in the GLIAC in rushing and passing yards.
• Junior receiver Eric Craft leads the team in receptions with 20 for 325 yards and two scores. Redshirt freshman Joseph Walker has the second-most catches on the team with 16 for 255 yards and a score.
• Terrence Brown Jr. is third on the team with 13 receptions for 197 yards and five total touchdowns (2 rushing, 3 receiving) this season.
• Alfred Dailey Jr. leads the defense with 44 tackles through six games. 2023 All-American linebacker Micah Cretsinger and safety Eli Gordon have 39 stops for second-best on the team. Gordon has a GLIAC-high four interceptions (6th-most in the nation). Leonard Henry IV has 36 stops and leads NCAA Division II in sacks with 8.5 (1.21 per game).
• Brandon Rawls recorded a season-high 11 tackles against Grand Valley State last week. It is the second time this season that Rawls has compiled double-digit tackles (the fourth time in his career).
ADDITIONAL NOTES
ABOUT THE WARRIORS
Wayne State is still seeking its first victory of 2024 with a 0-7 start. The Warriors are on a nine-game winless streak dating back to last season. The last win was a 41-17 win over Northern Michigan on October 28, 2023.
Quarterback Champion Edwards leads the team in both passing and rushing. He has 85 carries for 452 yards and one touchdown, along with 64-for-117 passing for 705 yards and five scores.
D'Marco Singleton leads all running backs with 47 carries for 182 yards and a touchdown. Myles McKatherine is Edwards's favorite target with 22 catches for 245 yards and three touchdowns.
Carl Ware is the team's leader on defense with 55 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, and three sacks. He also has one interception, three pass breakups, and a fumble recovery on his stat line. Brayden Vredeveld has 46 tackles. Kaleb Coleman and Elijah Fowlkes tie for third-most stops with 44, while each of them has recovered a fumble as well.
GLIAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior safety Eli Gordon has won GLIAC Football Defensive Player of the Week three times this season. Gordon earned the honor after Cardinal wins over Winona State, Truman State, and Indianapolis. The Midland, Michigan native, leads the SVSU defense in tackles and interceptions. He is sitting third in all of NCAA Division II with an average of 0.7 picks per contest having recorded an interception in four of the first six games this season.
PASS RUSH NIGHTMARE
Cardinal pass rusher Leonard Henry IV has been a nightmare to opposing teams this season. Henry has eight and a half sacks through seven games and has the nation's best sack numbers, averaging 1.21 per game along with a fourth-best 13.5 tackles for loss.