DETROIT – The Saginaw Valley State University football team bounced back with a 37-10 win over Wayne State on the road Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals (6-2, 3-1 GLIAC) had a season-high 286 rushing yards while holding the triple option attack of the Warriors (0-8, 0-3 GLIAC) to just 44 yards on the ground.
"Our offensive line deserves a lot of the credit, those guys are veterans, they've been through it." said head coach Ryan Brady. "Terrence [Brown] and Michael Jamerson both ran the ball and at the end of the game Jaquon Howard and Austin Bills came in and ran the ball well."
Meijer Player of the Game Terrence Brown, Jr. scored a career-best three touchdowns to lead SVSU in scoring. He finished with 11 carries for 86 yards.
Mason McKenzie connected with Tylor McCoon for a 30-yard pass that set up first-and-goal at the Warrior 10-yard line during SVSU's opening drive. Two snaps later, Brown put the Cardinals on the board with a one-yard touchdown run with 6:44 left in the first quarter that capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive that took 4:42 off the clock. Wayne State blocked the extra point to keep the score at 6-0.
The Warriors completed a six-play drive in the second quarter that got WSU on the board with a 23-yard field goal with just under five minutes remaining before the half.
Eli Gordon blocked a punter later in the quarter that set up the Cardinal offense on the Warrior 28-yard line. Brown added his second score of the contest with a 10-yard score that sealed a five-play, 28-yard drive to extend the lead to 13-3 with 1:21 left in the first half.
Leonard Henry IV recorded a sack-fumble and gave SVSU the ball back on the 17-yard line and allowed Rodrigo Castaneda to convert a 33-yard field goal to increase the gap to 16-3 as the teams went into the locker room at the break.
McKenzie hit Joseph Walker on a 22-yard touchdown pass at 9:33 in the third to push the advantage to 23-3 for the only score in the third frame.
Brown would add his third score of the game with a 52-yard run at 12:51 of the fourth quarter and the Cardinals led 30-3 with just under 13 minutes left.
The Warriors finished an eight-play, 75-yard drive for their first touchdown with an eight-yard pass from Rob Brazziel to Joshawn Lewis at 8:28 of the final quarter.
Austin Bills put the capper on the contest with a five-yard run for a score in the final two minutes of play as the Cardinals improved to 6-2 on the season.
McKenzie finished 15-for-21 for 165 yards and a touchdown through the air and 13 rushes for 41 yards. Michael Jamerson III carried nine times for 90 yards. Walker made six catches for 78 yards and a score. Bills had five carries for 39 yards and a touchdown. Howard also had five rushes for 31 yards.
Micah Cretsinger led the defense with 11 tackles and a pass breakup. Eli Gordon had seven stops, a pass breakup, and blocked a punt. Henry IV and Jasper Beeler had six tackles each. Henry recorded two sacks and had the sack fumble with the recovery.
UP NEXT: The Cardinals host Davenport at home next Saturday, November 2 at 1:00 p.m. (ET). The game against the Panthers is the SVSU Military Appreciation Game at Harvey Randal Wickes Memorial Stadium.
