The No. 21 Grand Valley State University football team (7-3) hosted Roosevelt University (2-8) for Senior Day. The Lakers dominated Roosevelt with a 69-13 score.

The team’s seniors were honored just before kickoff with a thank you for their efforts in the program, and the team gave them a dominant send-off in their final game at Lubbers Stadium.

The GVSU offense was moving the ball with ease the entire first half. Redshirt freshman quarterback Zak Olejniczak got in the end zone on a 3-yard touchdown run to open the scoring 7-0. On the ensuing Roosevelt drive, junior defensive lineman Jamari Buddin took a strip sack of the Roosevelt quarterback for a 37-yard scoop and score touchdown, giving GVSU an early 14-0 lead. After a defensive stop against the Roosevelt offense, GVSU’s offense once again drove the length of the field. Redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Schuster connected with junior wide receiver Lynn Wyche-El to set up another Olejniczak rushing score, bringing the score to 21-0 with 6:10 left in the first quarter.

The GVSU defense yet again forced a punt, with GVSU finding the end zone in three plays with Schuster finding senior wide receiver Griffin Shinrock for a 10-yard score to have GVSU go up four touchdowns, 28-0. Roosevelt then missed a field goal on their next drive, giving the Lakers the ball back with a chance to go up 35-0 early in the second quarter.

GVSU capitalized on that opportunity by scoring on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Schuster to junior wide receiver Kellen Reed. Schuster and Reed were in rhythm all day, with both posting career-high yardage in the win.

Reed described that getting into the groove early allowed both him and Schuster to have such a potent connection.

“I feel like everything was working,” said Reed. “We started early on the first drive, and it just carried on throughout the game and kept going.”

Roosevelt posted their points of the game with 1:32 left in the first half with a touchdown pass, making the score 35-7. In response, GVSU had some tricks up its sleeve to keep the drive alive on its two-minute drill. The coaching staff dialed up a fake punt on 4th down around midfield and converted on the fake..

Schuster found Reed again for a 35-yard touchdown on a wide-open seam route that allowed GVSU to put the score at 42-7. GVSU then blocked the field-goal attempt from Roosevelt as time expired in the second quarter, going into halftime with the game already out of reach.

GVSU cruised through the second half, giving opportunities to many seniors and young players alike, and everyone was given a chance to contribute to the Senior Day win.  Senior offensive lineman Brett Weaver was given a chance to get an offensive touch in the third quarter with a designed swing pass with GVSU deep in Roosevelt territory. Weaver rumbled for a five-yard gain to set GVSU down at the one-yard line, but the Roosevelt defense got a goal-line stand to keep the score 42-7.

However, Roosevelt then threw an interception on that next drive, with senior defensive back Tony Roberts coming down with the pick, setting GVSU up at the Roosevelt 6-yard line, with Olejniczak then throwing a touchdown to senior wide receiver Jordan Johnson. This made the score 49-7.  Junior defensive back Davon Pearson then picked off Roosevelt again on the next drive, but GVSU failed to score on the drive, leading into the fourth quarter.  GVSU scored on the first drive of the fourth with Schuster tallying his 400th passing yard of the game with a 2-yard touchdown pass to senior running back Syone Usma-Harper, bringing the score to 55-7.

Roosevelt scored with 5:36 left to play in the game to make the score 55-13 after a missed extra point attempt, with GVSU senior running back Derrick Woods scoring a 79-yard touchdown immediately after Roosevelt’s score, bringing it to 62-13. For the game’s final score, GVSU put in young players and allowed them to score their first touchdowns. The two recipients of their first GVSU touchdown came from true freshman quarterback Ethan Plumb, throwing a touchdown to sophomore wide receiver Alex McLean, bringing the final score to 69-13.

Head coach Scott Wooster noted this imposing win was great, as it provided a fitting send-off to the senior class that has meant so much to the program.

“This moment for the seniors, being in the moment with these guys, it’s really special,” said Wooster. “To have a win like this and the way we played, that’s GVSU football.”

Despite this victory, GVSU will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2019. The Lakers will now look to the off-season, with their eyes on getting back to playoff football for the 2026 season.