ASHLAND — Ferris State won in spite of itself.
The top-ranked Bulldogs committed a whopping 21 penalties for 193 yards, surrendered a touchdown on a blocked punt, had a chip-shot field goal blocked and still escaped with a 38-28 win at No. 21 Ashland on Saturday night.
The Eagles (0-2) led two-time defending national champion Ferris 21-10 at the half and 28-17 late in the third quarter only to give up 21 unanswered points.
“We feel like we let them off the hook,” first-year AU head coach Doug Geiser said. “The hallmark of Ashland football, and it has been since even before I was here, is our kids fight their tails off. I’m extremely proud of the effort we gave.”
Ashland took a quick 7-0 lead when Deeb Alawan blocked a punt on Ferris State’s first possession and Chaise Ford, who transferred to Ashland from Ferris, pounced on it in the end zone. It was AU’s third blocked punt in two games.
Obviously, we didn’t finish the way we wanted to, but it was a special feeling,” Ford said. “I’m very blessed to be here and I love those guys there to.
“It definitely felt great to get it against them.”
Ferris cut Ashland’s lead to 7-3 early in the second on Eddie Jewett’s 29-yard field goal and took a 10-7 lead on quarterback Carson Gulker’s 1-yard keeper with 7:58 to play in the first half. AU answered with a pair of TD passes from quarterback Trevor Bycznski to wideout Dezmin Lyburtus, another Ferris State transfer.
“One of my reasons for coming to Ashland was to be closer to home,” said Lyburtus, a Bellefontaine native. “Having a good performance in front of my friends and family and against my former team … it was a good overall game.”
Ferris cut Ashland’s advantage to 21-17 early in the third when Gulker hooked up with Tyrese Hunt-Thompson on a 7-yard scoring strike, but Larry Martin’s 4-yard run gave AU a 28-17 lead with 4:41 left in the third.
From there it was all Ferris State.
Hunt-Thompson got loose behind the AU secondary for a 54-yard TD to cut Ashland’s advantage to 28-24 with 2:48 left in the third. The Bulldogs took the lead for good early the fourth when Gulker found Xavier Wade for a 50-yard TD. Gulker iced it with a 4-yard TD run with just 28 second remaining.
Gulker rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries and completed 6-of-12 passes for 121 yards and three TDs. Starting quarterback Mylik Mitchell completed 10-of-13 passes for 106 yards.
Wade had six catches for 131 yards. Hunt-Thompson added 91 yards and two CDs on four catches.
Bycznski completed 15-of-29 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns. Lyburtus had seven catches for 122 yards and two TDs. Gei’vonni Washington rushed for 58 yards on 12 carries and caught four passes for 34 yards. Jent Joseph had three catches for 92 yards for the Eagles.
Ashland begins defense of its Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship at home next week against Hillsdale.
“All the goals we set before the season are still there for us,” Geiser said. “We’ll come in tomorrow … and turn the page and we’re on to Hillsdale.”