BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The first road night game in school history was unkind to Ohio Dominican's football team, which saw its two game winning streak to start the season snapped as the Panthers fell 35-13 at Ferris State in GLIAC action Saturday night.

The loss dropped ODU to 2-1 (1-1 GLIAC), while the Bulldogs improved to 2-1 (1-1 GLIAC).

Ohio Dominican was outgained 617-274 for the game, allowing 283 yards rushing and 334 passing. FSU ran 90 plays to ODU's 51 as well.

Mike Noffsinger (West Branch, Mich.) led the Panthers with 123 yards rushing, his third consecutive 100-yard game to begin the season. Jeremy Fudge (Eaton, Ohio) completed 11-of-16  passes for 98 yards and a touchdown and also ran for a score.

A handful of Panthers had more than 10 tackles, led by Kevin Guthrie (Gahanna, Ohio) and Eisen Hardy (Pickerington, Ohio) with 12 apiece, and Justin Bell (Groveport, Ohio) and Ricardo Thompson (Cincinnati, Ohio) with 10 apiece. Mark Markakis (Steubenville, Ohio) had nine stops for the Panthers as well.

Ferris State took control early in the first quarter, taking advantage of ODU miscues. After the Panthers fumbled away the opening kickoff, Bell recorded his first career interception in the end zone to stop the Bulldogs initially. Another ODU fumble, though, resulted in a short field for FSU, and six plays later Skylar Stoker scored from 18 yards out to make it 6-0 Ferris State.

The Panther offense crossed into Bulldog territory on each of its next two possessions, reaching the 37 on the first and the FSU 27 on the second, but could not advance any further, punting on both possessions.

Ferris hit a big pass play on its ensuing drive, a 52-yard completion from Tom Schneider to Mike Ryan, and kicked a field goal to make 9-0 early in the second period. The Bulldogs put together two more scoring drives in the period, converting a key fourth down leading to a touchdown with 2:19 left in the quarter, then tacking on a field goal with one second left to build a 19-0 lead at the break.

FSU outgained the Panthers 326 yards to 104 in the opening half and ran 20 more offensive plays than ODU as well.

The Bulldogs kicked a field goal to start the third quarter and ODU broke a big play on the kickoff return, as Abraham Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) broke free on the near sideline and raced 55 yards to the Bulldog 37 before being pushed out. Noffsinger had a 17 yard run and the Panthers reached the one-yard line but could not punch it in, turning the ball over on downs.

Ferris kicked another field goal to make it 25-0 when the ODU offense finally cracked the scoring column. Fudge connected with Casey Williams (Nashport, Ohio) on a pair of first down passes, and Noffsinger ran around the left end, dancing his way to the FSU five-yard line before being brought down. Fudge kept it up the middle himself on the next play to make it 25-7 with 1:01 left in the period.

The Bulldogs built their lead to 35-7 in the fourth before ODU answered with one final scoring drive, moving 59 yards in six plays, capped off by a 15-yard catch and run by Tyler Purcell (Franklin, Ohio).

ODU returns home to host nationally ranked Wayne State at 7 p.m. Saturday in Panther Field. It is ODU's Homecoming game, and the 2011 ODU Athletic Hall of Fame class will also be honored at halftime.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu