Battle of the Valleys has GLIAC, playoff implications

GVL Archive / Andrew Mills Quarterback Brad Iciek calls for the snap during a past game at Saginaw Valley. Grand Valley routed Saginaw 36-0 during that year’s Battle of the Valleys.

Cody Eding
Nov 11, 2010

The Grand Valley State University football team has much more than just bragging rights at stake heading into Saturday’s Battle of the Valleys game against cross-state rival Saginaw Valley State University.

A win for GVSU would secure the team’s 10th-straight playoff appearance and sole possession of the GLIAC Championship.

A loss, however, would see the Lakers drop into a four-way tie for the conference title and put the team’s playoff hopes in jeopardy.

“It’s like the playoffs, really,” said senior running back Justin Sherrod. “We can’t lose. We’ve got to go there and get to business and get our stuff done.”

The No. 6 Lakers currently hold the top spot in the GLIAC at 8-1 (9-1 overall), but Hillsdale College, Michigan Technological University and Wayne State University – teams sitting one game behind GVSU in the conference standings – will all be rooting for Saginaw Valley to pull off an upset.

GVSU has won six consecutive games against Saginaw Valley dating back to the 2005 season. Last year, the Lakers defeated the Cardinals 38-7 at home in front of 16,467 spectators, a GLIAC and Lubbers Stadium record.

Saginaw Valley entered this season at No. 14 in the American Football Coaches Association preseason poll, but the Cardinals have struggled against one of the toughest schedules in the GLIAC. They enter Saturday with a 4-6 overall record.

Still, Saginaw Valley has been competitive in many games. The Cardinals narrowly lost 21-17 to then-No.5 California (Pa.) University on Sept. 4 and had a halftime lead against Hillsdale. Saginaw Valley also defeated Michigan Tech, the only team to defeat GVSU this season, 43-31 on Oct. 9.

“If that doesn’t get our guys’ attention, I’m not sure what will,” said GVSU head coach Matt Mitchell.

The Cardinals lost seven starters on the defensive front from last year’s playoff team to graduation, and senior quarterback Chuck Dowdell has been injured for parts of the season. True freshman quarterback Jonathan Jennings has passed for 910 yards and eight touchdown’s in Dowdell’s absence.

“The Jennings kid is a little more of a solid passer (than Dowdell),” Mitchell said. “Their whole offense really runs through their quarterback.”

Mitchell said he expected Saginaw Valley’s defensive game plan to revolve around stopping the Laker rushing attack. The Lakers rushed for 354 yards in last weekend’s 35-21 defeat of Northwood University.

“I think it’s important for our offensive line, our backs and (senior quarterback Kyle McMahon) and everyone involved — we’ve got to be able to run the ball Saturday when we go up there,” he said.

Despite beating Northwood and Augustana (S.D.) College’s loss last weekend, the Lakers did not move up in the newest NCAA Regional rankings released Monday evening. Currently GVSU is the No. 3 seed in the rankings while Augustana is second behind top-seeded University of Minnesota-Duluth. The top two teams receive a first-round playoff bye.

If the Lakers win, the team would likely open the playoffs at home on Nov. 20. A loss could drop GVSU out of the playoffs all together.

“This is always a big game for us,” said senior safety Matt Bakker. “We know it’s a rivalry game. It’d be really good to come out right away and have a bunch of intensity and be able to force some stops. Hopefully the offense can put points on the board. That’s obviously going to be our goal, is to come out early and play with some passion.”

Mitchell’s told his team after Tuesday’s practice to ignore the regional rankings and to instead focus on how each game for the rest of the season could be the team’s last.

“If we lose this week, we don’t know where we will be in the next regional rankings,” said senior left tackle Cameron Bradfield. “At this point, we have to treat it as a playoff game, and if we lose, we’re going home.”

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A CLOSER LOOK

Saginaw Valley State University

Nickname: Cardinals

Location: University Center, Mich.

Enrollment: 10,498

Head Coach: Jim Collins, 3rd year (19-12)

Offensive Scheme: Spread

Defensive Scheme: 4-3

AFCA Ranking: Unranked

Last Week: 24-17 (OT) Win at Northern Michigan

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