Findlay Comeback Falls Short Against #13 Bulldogs
Findlay, OH – For the second consecutive year, the University of Findlay football dropped a heartbreaker at the hands of Ferris State University. Last season, Findlay lost by three points to the then #4 Bulldogs. On Satruday, Oct. 1 of 2016, the Oilers again dropped a three-point decision (20-17), this time to the #13 Bulldogs. The loss drops the Oilers to 2-3 overall with all of those games being Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) games. The Bulldogs improve to 4-1 on the year.
Ferris State opened the scoring in a hurry with a 49 yard touchdown scramble from Reggie Bell just three minutes into the game to put the Bulldogs ahead 7-0. Findlay answered with a drive that covered 67 yards but ended with a just a field goal, making the score 7-3.
The Oilers defense then buckled down on the next drive as they bent to the tune of an 11 play, 34 yard drive, but did not break as Kenneth Washington picked up a sack on fourth down to give Findlay the ball.
The teams next four total possessions included a punt and missed field goal for each squad before the Bulldogs picked up a three points on a 28-yard field goal with a minute on the clock. With 15 seconds on the clock, Rhys Gervais took a chance to get his team down the field, but was intercepted. The Bulldogs turned that into three more points to take a 13-3 lead into the break.
The teams went back-and-forth to begin the second half until Findlay got on the board with a 69 yard touchdown pass from Gervais to Jason Moore. That made the score 13-10 with more than a quarter left to play. Findlay later took the lead in the fourth quarter on another touchdown pass from Gervais to Moore that put the Oilers up 17-13.
Ferris State then came back on the next possession and traveled 65 yards on three plays to take a 20-17 lead. Findlay drove 37 yards but an interception by the Bulldogs' Willie Smith gave Ferris the ball back with 4:00 minutes remaining. The Bulldogs were able to ice the clock and escape with the victory and their #13 national ranking intact.
Gervais completed 27 of 45 attempts for 380 yards, just 16 yards shy of becoming the all-time leading passer in school history. He threw two touchdowns, both to Jason Moore, and also tossed three interceptions.
Chauncey Bridges was the team's leading rusher as he scrambled 17 times for 54 yards.
Jason Moore and Airion Kosak had big games as each had over 100 yards receiving. Moore caught five balls for 124 yards and two touchdowns while Kosak had eight catches for 107 yards.
The defense, which held Ferris State to just 5-of-15 on third down attempts, was led by Myles Alexander who made a season-high 13 tackles, 2.5 of which were for loss. Francis Cutchember also had double-digit tackles as he reached the 11 tackle plateu for the fourth time in five games.
Findlay is back in action again at home next Saturday, Oct. 8 when they will take on Wayne State in a game set to begin at noon.