FOOTBALL: An Early Look At Bulldogs-Timberwolves Matchup

BIG RAPIDS - Obviously, this has been a tough season of football for Ferris State University and it's a season not likely to get any easier this weekend.

The Bulldogs travel to Midland Saturday afternoon for a noon kickoff as they take on Northwood University at Hantz Stadium in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest. Ferris would love nothing more than to reverse a particularly painful trend that has it 1-7 overall and 0-7 in the GLIAC entering this contest against the host Timberwolves.

So, what are early thoughts on this contest that pits the Bulldogs and Timberwolves against each other?

• Ferris has badly struggled to stop the run and it ranks 11th in rushing defense giving up 266 yards per game;
• The Bulldogs rank just 10th out of 12 teams in rushing offense (compiling 79.1 yards per contest);
• Northwood ranks fourth in the GLIAC in rushing offense (totaling 192.1 yards per game); and
• More importantly, the Timberwolves rank second in the conference in rushing defense (giving up just 95.1 per game)

This game appears destined to coming down to what it always comes down to: stopping the run. The Bulldogs both desire and need a stout run defense and it needs to be able to establish some kind of consistent rushing attack to get up around the 100-yard mark. A solid rushing attack will maybe take some pressure off the passing game. Last week, against Wayne State University, quarterback Kyle Parrish rarely had time to make his reads down field to establish a consistent passing attack.

But, if the offensive line can provide protection for the quarterbacks, then the Bulldogs could be in business.

The young guys on this team need a win badly.