Big 1st Quarter Leads To 43-7 Win Over FSU
The University of Findlay football team remained undefeated on the year by taking the bite out of the Ferris State University Bulldogs in a 43-7 win at home on Saturday, September 12 in Donnell Stadium. The victory gives the Oilers a 3-0 record on the season with a 2-0 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
The Oilers put Ferris State away early as they racked up 31 points in the opening period, the most since scoring 47 in the second quarter of an 82-3 win against Defiance College during the 1985 campaign.
Freshman running back Monterae Williams gave Findlay a 7-0 lead when he found the end zone from two yards out with 9:23 remaining in the first. Senior linebacker Joe Knopick then pounced on a Bulldog fumble at the six-yard line which led to a 28-yard field goal by junior kicker Cameron Stevens with 6:53 left in the opening quarter.
Leading 10-0, senior defensive back Anthony Fields blocked a Ferris State punt and freshman linebacker Brandon Butler recovered it in the end zone for a score with 5:13 to play in the quarter.
A fumble on the ensuing kick-off gave the Oilers the ball again and they capitalized when senior quarterback Andrew Beam hit red-shirt sophomore fullback Terrance Schaefer on a two-yard pass for a touchdown with 57 ticks remaining in the first quarter.
Up 24-0, junior defensive back Bryon Rizzi picked off a pass and scampered 27-yards for a touchdown to make the score 31-0 at the end of the opening period.
In the second quarter, Beam fired a 76-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Mike Chambers to make the score 38-0 in favor of Findlay with 10:23 left in the half.
The Bulldogs scored their first and only touchdown of the game on a 17-yard pass from Tom Schneider to Matt Schuelke with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter and then after a few failed possessions for both teams, Stevens drilled a 21-yard field goal to make the score 41-7 with 14:53 left in the game.
Later in the fourth, Ferris State had a high snap on a punt attempt which led to a safety for the Oilers and the final score of 43-7.
As a team, Findlay churned out 431 total yards and held the Bulldogs to a mere 128. They also ran for 292 and were able to stop Ferris State's running game as they only gave up 53 on the ground.
The Oilers defense forced four turnovers while the offense controlled the clock for 39:27 during the win.
Williams led the team with 196 yards rushing on 33 carries while freshman running back Anthony King totaled 70 yards on 15 carries.
Beam finished 10-of-20 passing for 139 yards and two scores while Chambers hauled in three receptions for 87 yards.
Defensively, Knopick led the squad with nine tackles while senior linebacker Jesse Kontras chipped in eight.
The Oilers will be back in action again on Saturday, September 19 when they travel to Detroit, Michigan to take on Wayne State University at 12:00 p.m.