Chase Carter Leads Ferris State to Playoff Victory Over Northwood

Big Rapids, MI – Chase Carter threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more, guiding Ferris State to a commanding 65-14 victory over Northwood University in the first round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs.

Carter showcased his versatility by rushing 15 times for 152 yards, with touchdown runs of 53 and 40 yards, allowing Ferris State to build a significant 44-14 lead by halftime. Additionally, he completed 11 of 21 passes for 133 yards, which included a 7-yard touchdown pass to Carson Gulker and a 23-yard touchdown pass to Taariik Brett.

Northwood finished its season at 9-3, marking their first playoff appearance in 19 years. After Ferris State scored the first two touchdowns, Northwood responded with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Hamby to Gerry Hanson, a freshman from Anchor Bay.

However, Ferris State countered with another touchdown, and later, Jalen Jones, a senior from Mattawan, intercepted a Hamby pass and returned it 15 yards for a score, extending their lead to 27-7. Notably, this was Hamby’s first interception of the season. The sophomore from Macomb Dakota had previously thrown 22 touchdown passes without an interception.

Northwood managed its final touchdown of the game in the second quarter when Pauly Seeley, a junior from Alma High School, connected with Hudson Gerstacker, a sophomore from Midland High, on a 25-yard touchdown pass, bringing the score to 41-14.

During the game, Hamby completed 4 of 10 passes for 56 yards, while Seeley completed 5 of 13 for 75 yards. Lake Boos caught three passes for 27 yards, and Gerstacker finished with two catches for 48 yards to lead Northwood.

On the ground, Trent Hill, a junior from Chelsea, led Northwood with 56 yards on 13 carries, followed by Devin Brown with 54 yards on 14 carries. The Timberwolves’ defense featured strong performances from Cole Simpson, who made 13 tackles, and both Joe Lathers and Jack Murray, who each added nine tackles. Alfred Lorenz chipped in with five tackles and an interception.

Ferris State, the defending NCAA Division II national champion, finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the country. The Bulldogs dominated the game with a total of 588 yards of offense against Northwood, including 432 yards on the ground. Gulker contributed significantly, running 15 times for 100 yards and catching three passes for 38 yards, while Brett ended the game with three catches for 40 yards.

Ferris State’s defense saw Eric Jackson, Isaiah Byars, and Stanley Lambert each making five tackles. The Bulldogs are set to face Ashland (Ohio), which won their first-round matchup against Minnesota-Duluth 32-7. Ashland, boasting a record of 10-2, previously defeated Northwood during the regular season, 21-13.