Oct. 12, 2004

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2004 - GAME 7

WAYNE STATE FOOTBALL (1-5, 1-5 GLIAC)
at Findlay (3-4, 2-4 GLIAC)
Saturday, Oct. 16 - Findlay, OH

MATCH-UP AT A GLANCE:

Stadium - Donnell Stadium (7,500)
Surface - High Performance Gravity
Kickoff - 6:00 p.m. ET
Series Record/Streak - Findlay leads 9-3/UF has won three straight
Radio - 1400 AM - WDTK
Play-By-Play - Matt Williamson
Analyst - Ron Rice (home games), Richard Jordan (away games)
Sideline Reporter - Richard Jordan (home games)

THE GAME

The Wayne State University football team will look to snap its two-game losing streak this Saturday night at The University of Findlay.

The Warriors are 1-2 on the road this season and 3-4 in their last seven away games. WSU is 0-6 all time at Findlay.

Four of WSU's first six games in 2004 were against squads currently ranked in the top 17 nationally (AFCA poll of Oct. 5).

Wayne State's opponents in the final four regular-season games are a combined 7-19 in the conference, while WSU's first six league opponents are a combined 25-12 in the GLIAC.

Last year's affair between the Warriors and Oilers was a tight defensive battle with the then #23-ranked Findlay squad claiming a 19-3 win.

Wayne State's young team is starting to mature with each week. At Michigan Tech, freshman quarterback Nolan Martin set career-highs in completions (15), yards (181) and touchdown passes (1) without throwing an interception for his third consecutive game. Sophomore running back Chris Middlebrooks had his second career 100-yard game, while freshman wide receiver Gary Frisby had career-highs in receptions (2), kickoff returns (5) and kickoff return yards (132). Sophomore Jerriel Burrus returned a punt for a touchdown.

THE COACHES

Wayne State's Paul Winters is in his first season as a collegiate head coach.

Findlay's Dan Simrell is in his fifth season at Findlay and has a 23-27 record.

Winters served as offensive backs coach for Simrell from 1986-89 at the University of Toledo. Simrell was the UT head coach from 1982-89.

THE SERIES

Wayne State trails 9-3 in the all-time series. The Warriors are 0-6 in Findlay dating back to 1930.

WSU won the first meeting in 1923, but Findlay won the next three (1930-33). The Warriors won home games in 1988 and 2000 but each time lost the next three series contests.

IN THE POLLS

The Warriors were selected 12th in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) preseason coaches poll after finishing tied-for-11th in 2003. Findlay was selected sixth in the poll.

SCOUTING FINDLAY

After winning its first three games, Findlay has lost its last four contests.

Michael Simpson has rushed for a team-high 923 yards and seven touchdowns. Senior Kevin Crooks has completed 131 of 218 passes (60.1%) for 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns. Andy Witker has a team-best 41 receptions for 447 yards and four touchdowns.

Sophomore linebacker Nick Notario leads UF in tackles (58), tackles for loss (10) and sacks (3). Harry Garland has a team-best three interceptions.

MICHIGAN TECH GAME NOTES

• Earl Carruthers scored the first WSU defensive extra point since the rule was instituted in 1988. The blocked kick marks the third consecutive game WSU has blocked a kick. WSU had blocked a field goal attempt the previous two weeks.

• Nolan Martin's first collegiate touchdown pass was also the first collegiate TD reception for Chris Middlebrooks. The 64-yard TD play was WSU's longest pass play of the campaign. Middlebrooks rushed 27 times for 100 yards, his second career 100-yard game.

• WSU's final touchdown came on Jerriel Burrus' second career punt return for a touchdown. His first came on Aug. 30, 2003, versus Gannon.

• Gary Frisby had five kickoff returns for 132 yards including a WSU season-best 43-yard return in the first quarter. The 132 yards is the fifth-highest single-game total in school history while the five returns is tied-for-seventh highest in school annals.