Bulldogs also have smashed division’s home winning streak record while chasing 3rd straight national football title
Ferris State football Saturday set the Division II record with 41 consecutive wins and finished the regular season 11-0. The two-time defending Division II champions haven’t lost a game since Aug. 31, 2024, compiling a streak that surpasses Grand Valley State’s 40 consecutive victories from 2005-07.
Ferris State, led by head coach Tony Annese, entered this season having won four Division II titles in the past five seasons, the first coming in 2021.
For Annese, this sustained success isn’t taken for granted.
“It’s overwhelmingly taxing to try to win every week,” he said. “It’s crazy to ever have a season in which you go undefeated in the regular season. In this streak and playing for 40 (plus) straight wins, you have to include playoff runs, too … but you can have a slipup. It happens every week in college football where a team isn’t at their best. Our guys have been really unbelievable and tenacious. It really takes your best every day because you don’t always win on Saturdays. You perform on Saturdays, but you win on the rest of the days of the week.”
By the numbers
- 2026 record: 11-0.
- Consecutive NCAA playoff victories: 9.
- Current championship streak: 2 national titles.
- Division II championship appearances since 2014: 11.
- National championships all time: 4, third most in Division II history and all coming since 2021.
Record-setting dominance at home
Ferris State has set a Division II football record by winning 35 consecutive games at Top Taggart Field. This benchmark surpasses the previous Division II record of 31 consecutive home victories set by Indiana (Pennsylvania) from 1986-92. Ferris State’s last home loss came against longtime rival Grand Valley State on Oct. 15, 2022.
This streak spotlights how the Bulldogs have turned their home field into one of the nation’s toughest environments for visiting teams.
“We practice here every day,” said Tim Allen, senior defensive lineman. “Everything that we have here on campus, it’s hard to describe. … It’s a feeling that gets everybody ready to go. It’s our home, you know? You can’t let somebody come in and take what’s yours.”
A place among all-time Division II football programs
The Bulldogs’ pursuit of a third consecutive national championship places them among the most accomplished programs in Division II football history.
Ferris State captured national titles in 2024 and 2025 after claiming championships in 2021 and 2022. The program’s four national championships rank third all time in Division II history, trailing Northwest Missouri State (six) and North Dakota State (five).
A national championship this year would make Ferris State the first program since North Alabama (1993-95) to win three consecutive Division II football titles.
Postseason success
Ferris State has won nine consecutive NCAA Division II playoff games dating back to its 2024 championship run. The Division II record is 12, set by North Alabama during its three-peat championship run from 1993-95.
Ferris State has the opportunity to tie this record in the semifinals.
Senior slot receiver Taariik Brett described how the team’s approach has remained unchanged despite the attention surrounding winning streaks, rankings and records.
“We weren’t focused on anything besides week by week and game by game,” Brett said. “We want to win games, win our conference, make it to the playoffs, make it to the end and win it all again. That’s really all we focus on, no matter if people are talking about these records or not.”
Award-winning Bulldogs
During Ferris State’s championship era, the Bulldogs have garnered national acclaim for their dominance. Defensive lineman Caleb Murphy (2022) and defensive back Justin Payoute (2025) were winners of the Cliff Harris Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive players in NCAA Divisions II and III, as well as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Additionally, Ferris State has had three of the past five Gene Upshaw Award winners since 2021 — Tim Anderson (2025), Caleb Murphy (2022) and Dylan Pasquali (2021). This award is presented annually to the top senior or graduate student lineman, offensive or defensive, in Division II.
Consistent excellence on and off the field
Ferris State’s success extends beyond championships and records.
During this era of national prominence, Bulldog student-athletes have earned significant academic recognition, including the NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award (formally the Elite 90 Award) and other national academic honors, reinforcing a culture that values achievement in the classroom alongside success on the field.
Sam Wahlberg (2024) and Nick Thomas (2021) both received the Elite Scholar-Athlete Award.
Ferris State has also produced several College Sports Communicators first-team Academic All-Americans since 2021: Carson Gulker and Mitch Middleton (2025), Sefa Saipaia (2024) and Olalere Oladipo (2023).
“We want our guys to know what it takes to be their best,” Annese said. “Our guys internalize not only what they need to do from a day-to-day standpoint, but what they need to do to be the best they can be in all aspects of life — whether it’s academics or community. There are high expectations for being a student-athlete at Ferris State. You’re going to be a student. You’re going to be committed to being the best you can be, and then you’re going to be an athlete.”
What’s next
With another Division II record set and a third consecutive national championship to compete for, each remaining game carries historical significance for Ferris State.
The final game of the NCAA Division II Football Championship will be played Dec. 19 in McKinney, Texas. Secure your championship tickets today and experience the excitement of Division II football’s premier event.
