FOOTBALL: Bulldogs Can't Sustain First-Half Momentum Against Timberwolves

MIDLAND - Ferris State University had one of its best first halves of football all season, against Northwood University, but could not sustain the momentum in the second half.

The Bulldogs and Timberwolves were deadlocked in a 7-7 tie. Northwood capitalized on a Ferris turnover (the Bulldogs fumbled on their first possession of the game). FSU bounced back to tie the game by the end of the first half. But, from there, Northwood looked like a completely different squad as it dominated the third and fourth quarters in the trenches (on both lines of scrimmage) and poured it on in a 33-7 win.

In the first half, the Bulldogs had a good running attack going thanks to the abilities of freshman back Skyler Stoker who looked arguably the best he has looked all season. At halftime, Stoker totaled 53 yards rushing the ball on 16 carries, but finished the game with 57 on 22 attempts. With the deficit building, Ferris was forced to pass the ball more in the last quarter and a half to try and get back in the game.

Kyle Parrish, at quarterback, was solid with his passing and decision making and helped the Bulldogs balance out the offensive attack.

Ferris has reinvented its offense to try and run the ball more effectively out of more of a pro-style I formation. Against Wayne State University, last weekend in Detroit, Ferris was mostly ineffective, but at times against Northwood Ferris looked solid.

For whatever reason, however, the second half saw Ferris simply unable to reestablish its consistency from the first half in the second half.

The Bulldogs had 127 yards of total offense to 94 for Northwood in the first half. By the end of the game, however, Ferris had 193 yards of total offense to 281 for the Timberwolves.