The Ferris State Bulldogs football program, 2020âÂÂpresent represented Ferris State University during the 2020s in NCAA Division II college football as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The team has been led by head coach Tony Annese since 2012. Highlights of the decade included:
The team played its home games at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Michigan.
The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2021 Ferris State Bulldogs football team represented Ferris State University as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 2021 NCAA Division II football season. In their tenth year under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs compiled a perfect 14âÂÂ0 record (7âÂÂ0 in conference games), won the GLIAC and NCAA Division II national championships, and outscored opponents by a total of 661 to 256. They advanced to the NCAA Division II playoff where they defeated Valdosta State in the national championship game. This was their first appearance in the championship game since the 2018 game. Ferris State defeated Valdosta State, 58âÂÂ17. The win gave Ferris State its first national championship in football.
Senior quarterback Jared Bernhardt, who previously won the Tewaaraton Award as the nation's best collegiate lacrosse player while attending the University of Maryland, led the team in passing, rushing, and scoring. He completed 87 of 123 passes (70.7%) for 1,321 yards, 11 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 182.4 efficiency rating. Bernhardt also led the team with 1,421 rushing yards on 159 carries for an average of 8.9 yards per carry. He scored 156 points on 26 rushing touchdowns.
Other key players included:
The 2022 Ferris State Bulldogs football team represented Ferris State University as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 2022 NCAA Division II football season. In their 11th year under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs compiled a 14âÂÂ1 record (5âÂÂ1 in conference games), finished second in the GLIAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 537 to 219. They advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs where they defeated Davenport in the first round, in the second round, Grand Valley State in the quarterfinals, West Florida in the semifinals, and Colorado Mines in the Division II national championship game to repeat as NCAA Division II champions.
Defensive end Caleb Murphy tallied 25.5 sacks and 39 tackles for loss. He was the first Division II player to receive the Ted Hendricks Award as the best defensive end in college football, regardless of division. He was also named the GLIAC Player of the Year and won the Cliff Harris Award (top defensive lineman, lower divisions) and the Gene Upshaw Award (best Division II lineman). The team's other key players included:
The 2023 Ferris State Bulldogs football team represented Ferris State University as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 2024 NCAA Division II football season. In their 12th season under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs compiled an 8âÂÂ3 record (5âÂÂ1 in conference games), finished second in the GLIAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 442 to 197. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 3 at the end of the regular season, advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs where they lost to No. 2 Grand Valley State in the first round.
Prior to the season opener, Ferris State was ranked No. 1 nationally by Lindy's Sports and was ranked first in the GLIAC coaches poll.
The Bulldogs' 17âÂÂ10 loss on September 16 to Division I FCS Montana snapped a six-year, 28-game road winning streak dating to September 2017.
In their homecoming match against Northern Michigan on September 30, the Bulldogs set new school records for points scored (78, of which 55 were scored in the first half) and for largest margin of victory (75 points). They tallied 705 yards of total offense, including 497 rushing yards in the game.
The team's statistical leaders included:
The 2024 Ferris State Bulldogs football team represented Ferris State University as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 2024 NCAA Division II football season. In their 13th season under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs compiled a 14âÂÂ1 record (7âÂÂ0 in conference games) and outscored opponents by a total of 675 to 197, a delta of 478 points. After losing the season opener on the road against , the Bulldogs finished the season with 14 consecutive victories and won the GLIAC championship and the NCAA Division II national championship. Ferris State participated in the Division II playoffs, defeating in the second round, defending national champion Harding in the quarterfinals, Slippery Rock in the semifinals, and Valdosta State in the Division II national championship game.
Junior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed 226 of 367 passes (61.6%) for 2,925 yards, 26 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 148.6 passer efficiency rating. Chambliss also tallied 1,019 rushing yards and led the team in scoring with 150 points on 25 rushing touchdowns. In April 2025, Chambliss announced that, rather than return to Ferris State for his senior year, he was transferring to Ole Miss.
Kannon Katzer was the team's leading ground-gainer with 1,128 rushing yards on 128 carries, an average of 8.8 yards per carry.
Senior Emari O'Brien was the leading receiver with 48 catches for 657 yards.
The 2025 Ferris State Bulldogs football team represents Ferris State University as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 2025 NCAA Division II football season. Tony Annese is expected to lead the team in his 14th season as the Bulldogs' head coach.