BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Wyatt Bower rushed for a pair of first-half scores and tossed a fourth quarter touchdown pass to help lead No. 1 ranked Ferris State University to a 34-17 victory over No. 9 Pittsburg State University in the season opener Thursday (Aug. 28) at Top Taggart Field.

The Bulldogs (1-0) recorded their 15^th straight victory dating back to the 2024 campaign. After dropping a 19-3 decision to the Gorillas in Pittsburg a year ago, FSU reeled off 14 wins to claim the NCAA Division II National Championship.
 
Thursday night, the Bulldogs scored 20 straight points to build a 20-3 advantage against Pitt State midway through the second quarter.
 
The Gorillas marched 40 yards in six plays on the opening drive of the season and took a 3-0 lead on Austin Schmitt's career best 47-yard field goal.
 
FSU countered with an eight-play, 56-yard drive with Bower crashing into the end zone from eight yards out to claim a 7-3 advantage. The Bulldogs added a three-yard scoring run by Zak Ahern and an 11-yard scoring jaunt by Bower to make it a 20-3 game with 6:31 to play in the second period.
 
The Gorillas ended the scoring run in the final minute of the first half as quarterback Jackson Berry, in his Pitt State debut, hooked up with wide receiver Kuron Parchmon on a 60-yard connection.

The two squads trades scores in the third quarter. Brady Rose capped six-play drive with a four-yard scoring run to stake the Bulldogs to a 27-10 advantage; and Cleo Chandler Jr. countered with a three-yard touchdown plunge seven plays later to make it a 27-17 game just under three minutes later.
 
Bower added a 24-yard touchdown pass to Taariik Brett for the game's final score with 8:40 to play in the game.
 
For the Gorillas, Berry completed 18 of 41 passes for 294 yards and a touchdown. He also threw an interception. Greyson Holbert caught four passes for 81 yards in the contest and Chandler rushed the ball 16 times for 49 net yards.
 
Steven Ward II and Jordan Rogers made nine tackles apiece to lead the Pitt State defense. Rogers also snared a fourth quarter interception.