The more things change, the more they stay the same.

In the case of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, that could mean the effect, or potential effect, Pittsburg State has on the GLIAC and the NCAA Division II football landscape as a whole.

Right now, it’s just a working theory. One time is a coincidence, but, if it happens again, it could lead to a scramble for GLIAC teams to get the Gorillas on their schedules.

What does that mean? Get to the point already? Keep reading.

• Subscribe To FloCollege To Watch GLIAC Football In 2025
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• Division II Football Rankings 2025 Week 3: Chaos Reigns Across The Top 25
• FloCollege Division II Football Team Of The Week – Week 2

Last season, Pittsburg State stunned Ferris State in the opening week of the season, silencing one of the nation’s most potent offenses in an unexpected 19-3 contest. 

The shocked Bulldogs responded by winning their next 14 games, including a 49-14 win over Valdosta State in the Division II championship game. 

The Bulldogs finished the year 14-1, outscored their opponents 45 to 13.1 per game and hoisted the national championship trophy for the third time in four years.

It’s a year later, and the Gorillas again have brought chaos to the GLIAC, where Ferris State and Grand Valley State are expected to battle for the conference championship and likely contend for another shot at season-ending glory.

Last weekend, Pittsburg Stage handed GVSU its first loss of the season and saw the Lakers take a quick tumble down the Division II rankings from No. 3 to No. 10.

The big question now is if Grand Valley State can respond with the same vengeance and ferocity the Bulldogs did on the way to the 2024 national title. 

Sure, that all sounds pretty far-fetched and dramatic, but wouldn’t it be something?

GVSU is the only GLIAC team not in action this week, so the Lakers will have some more time to talk through the loss and plan their next moves before the start of conference play Oct. 4 against Davenport. 

The showdown that has determined the GLIAC champion in recent years – the Anchor-Bone Classic – between GVSU and Ferris State is set for Oct. 25. 

In the meantime, here’s a look at the matchups for the GLIAC teams during Week 3 of the 2025 season, along with predictions for each game.

Note: All start times for Saturday are Eastern. Games marked with an asterisk will be streamed live on FloCollege..

GLIAC Teams In Week 3

Sept. 20

Saginaw Valley State At New Haven, 1 p.m.

New Haven (1-2) made the jump from Division II to the Division I FCS level for the 2025 season, but the Chargers are taking a jump back to their Division II roots this week for the first meeting in history between New Haven and Saginaw Valley State.

The Chargers are coming off their first Division I win, a 24-17 victory over UAlbany that wrapped up a three-game road trip to start the season.

SVSU has had similar results, a 1-2 start, with all three games happening at home in University Center, Michigan. The Cardinals are looking to rebound from a 38-14 loss to Northwood as they hit the road for the first time this year.

Both teams will enter this week’s matchup with something to prove, however.

New Haven is looking to show its ready for the Northeast Conference and more Division I wins, while Saginaw Valley State is hoping to figure out the puzzle that is the GLIAC, dominated by powerhouses Ferris State and Grand Valley State, and get back to where the Chargers were last season – the Division II Playoffs.

In their Division II swan song, the Chargers were 8-3 overall and saw their season end against Slippery Rock in the first round of the postseason.

The Cardinals are on a bit of a redemption tour after seeing a 5-1 start to the 2024 campaign turn into a 7-4 final tally and letting a trip to the playoffs slip away more times during the year than they probably could count.

PREDICTION: New Haven is on a high after last week’s win, and that feeling won’t fade in front of the Chargers’ home crowd at Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium. New Haven wins 28-21.

*Davenport At Northern Michigan, 1 p.m.

Northern Michigan, we see you. 

While we don't play favorites, you might have been the most talked about team in the FloCollege in-house Slack channel last week, and there might be a bandwagon driving through Austin, Texas, this season. And we might own NMU merch. 

There are few feelings like a team victory in college sports – for the players, staff, students, alumni and fans – and we want that for the Wildcats.

Despite a much-talked-about 25-game losing streak that spans all of 2023, 2024 and three games of the 2025 season, there is a lot for Northern Michigan to be excited about this year.

The Wildcats played their first two opponents close, losing to Minnesota State Moorhead and Northwood 44-37 and 23-18, respectively. 

And, last week, NMU welcomed a Division I team to the Superior Dome in Marquette, Michigan, for the first time since it opened in 1991, and the effort was promising through three quarters, with the Wildcats leading 7-6 heading into the final 15 minutes.

Unfortunately, two fourth-quarter touchdowns from St. Thomas resulted in a 20-7 win for the Tommies. 

The Wildcats are back at home this week for the start of GLIAC play against a 1-1 Davenport team that’s coming off a 28-27 overtime loss to Truman State. It’s the first conference game for each team this year and the first GLIAC matchup of the season so far.

Davenport has been tough in recent seasons, jockeying with Saginaw Valley State and Michigan Tech for the No. 3 spot in the GLIAC. Are the Panthers as strong as they have been, or is this the week NMU’s streak comes to an end?

Ahead for the Wildcats will be games against SVSU and Grand Valley State, so things won’t be getting any easier.

For reference purposes, the Division II record for consecutive losses is 52 by Lock Haven from 2008-2012. And unless the Wildcats make a run at 40 straight losses, they have no danger of being among the top 5 in the category. 

PREDICTION: Northern Michigan is a stronger team than it has been, and the progress is clear. The Wildcats are on the verge of ending the streak, but not quite yet. Davenport takes this one, 31-14.

Roosevelt At Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 2 p.m.

Roosevelt still may be getting its footing in the tough GLIAC and at the Division II level, in general, as this is only the team’s second season experiencing both.

The Lakers opened their inaugural Division II campaign in 2024 with five consecutive losses, before taking advantage of struggling Northern Michigan for their first win in their new digs. 

Unfortunately, that’s where the momentum ended, with Roosevelt finishing the season at 1-9 overall and 1-6 in conference play.

The Lakers’ sophomore campaign began with a 23-21 win over Quincy and a 40-34 loss to Southwest Baptist – both at home in Illinois.

Roosevelt hits the road for the first time this season and will face Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which is ranked No. 21 in the latest American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches Poll. 

UW-Oshkosh is coming off a 45-14 road rout by defending Division III national champion and No. 1-ranked North Central that quickly got out of hand in the second quarter.

The Titans scored first and led 7-0 after the first 15 minutes, but the Cardinals rallied for three scores in the second quarter and ran away with the game, leading 24-7 at halftime. 

Logically, a Division II team from one of the nation’s top conferences should have the advantage over a Division III program, but this is a tough one. 

PREDICTION: Despite the loss last week, it’s hard not to see the momentum belonging to the Titans. Plus, they’ll be at home and looking for redemption after letting last week’s game against the reigning champs get away. UW-Oshkosh wins here, 35-13.

Wayne State At Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2 p.m.

Wayne State showed some fight last season, pushing eventual national champion Ferris State to the limit in October, and then catapulting from the bottom of the GLIAC standings to close the season. 

While those wins came against Roosevelt (38-14) and Northern Michigan (30-14), which went a combined 1-20 in 2024, a dub is a dub, and it was a great way to end a campaign that started with nine consecutive losses for the Warriors.

As the new season gets going, things again are trending the wrong way for Wayne State, but there’s a bright spot – the defense just held an opponent to less than 10 points for the first time since 2021, a run that spanned 37 games.

Unfortunately, in that 7-3 loss to Findlay last week, the offense wasn’t able to capitalize.

The Warriors started the 2025 season with a 34-7 loss to Tiffin, marking the sixth consecutive year they opened with a loss.

This week, Wayne State will hit the road for the second straight time and journey to meet Division III Wisconsin-La Crosse, which was predicted to win its third Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title in four years and is aiming to advance to the Division III Playoffs for the fifth consecutive time.

So far, the Eagles, ranked No. 8 in the latest AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, are living up to the hype and will be hosting the Warriors on the heels of a 38-14 season-opening win over nationally ranked Carnegie Mellon.

PREDICTION: The Warriors may show up and battle, but the Eagles will be too much for slumping Wayne State. The Eagles will soar here with a 42-14 victory before settling in for their conference slate.

*Rio Grande At Ferris State, 3 p.m.

Ferris State was one of the two GLIAC teams to win last week, but the Bulldogs certainly were pushed by Tiffin in a 41-34 victory that saw the Bulldogs ahead 35-14 at halftime.

Regardless, Ferris State is 3-0 to start the 2025 season and has outscored its opponents 138-57. Oh, and the Bulldogs have won 17 consecutive games, including a 49-14 win over Valdosta State in the 2024 Division II championship game.

But does Ferris State have the same firepower and potential without superstar quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who’s now looking to shine with Division I FBS Ole Miss in the tough Southeastern Conference?

If you ask new gunslinger Wyatt Bower, a redshirt freshman who has completed 37 of 61 passes this season and thrown for six touchdowns, the answer is YES.

While it’s still early, Bower’s completion percentage through three games is 60.7%, just shy of the 61.6% by Chambliss last year in 15 contests. 

Chambliss finished the championship-winning season with 26 touchdown passes and just under 3,000 passing yards. He also ran for another 25 TDs, an attribute Bower also seems to possess, as he’s found the end zone on the ground five times so far.

With conference play on the horizon, No. 1-ranked Ferris State will take this week to celebrate homecoming (its 99th) and welcome Rio Grande to Big Rapids, Michigan, for the first meeting in history between the two teams. 

The Red Storm, who play at the NAIA level, are back in action for the first season since 1949, but they’re still searching for their first win. The new era in Rio Grande football began with a 48-6 loss to Defiance College and 48-0 loss to Georgetown, both at home.

Ferris State is one of the few schools to include the playoffs and championship game on its schedule, so the team’s intentions seem pretty clear. The Bulldogs are looking for their fourth national title in five years and fifth title-game appearance since 2018.

PREDICTION: This one likely will be an opportunity for Ferris State to try some things or just finalize strategy before its GLIAC slate and a great learning opportunity for the Red Storm. Bulldogs by a bunch: 66-10.

*Upper Iowa At Michigan Tech, 4 p.m.

Last year, Michigan Tech started the season at 4-1 and looked poised to make a memorable run in the GLIAC, or at least have a legitimate chance at the postseason. Unfortunately, things fizzled out, and the Huskies finished the year at 7-4 overall and tied for third place in the conference at 4-3.

So far in 2025, the trajectory is similar, as the Huskies are 3-0 with a trio of convincing victories and looking to keep their perfect start intact with a homecoming win over Upper Iowa.

The difference from last season is that the 2024 campaign started with an overtime loss to top-25 Bemidji State (19-13). This time, MTU got the best of the Beavers, winning their season-opener 37-17.

Generally, homecoming games are expected to be won, but Upper Iowa may prove to be a tough opponent.

The 1-1 Peacocks are coming off a 58-14 home win against South Dakota Mines and definitely gave the Huskies a scare in their first meeting two years ago.

Their 2023 contest was played in Iowa and saw the Peacocks head into halftime with a 34-7 advantage. Unfortunately for Upper Iowa, its defense never came back out of the locker room, and Michigan Tech used 20 fourth-quarter points to escape with a 34-31 victory.

PREDICTION: A homecoming spoiler for Michigan Tech. Momentum and redemption for Upper Iowa. Peacocks prevail 37-28.

How Did The GLIAC Football Teams Perform In Week 2?

*GLIAC teams in bold

• Findlay 7, Wayne State 3
• St. Thomas 20, Northern Michigan 7
• Michigan Tech 34, Hillsdale 21
• Truman State 28, Davenport 27
• Southwest Baptist 40, Roosevelt 34
• Pittsburg State 17, Grand Valley State 14
• Northwood 38, Saginaw Valley State 14
• Ferris State 41, Tiffin 34

Watch More GLIAC Football On FloCollege

Here’s a look at the Division II rankings, the schedule for Week 3 of the 2025 college football season and more.

Latest Division II Rankings 

FloCollege D2 Football Rankings: Week 3

1. Ferris State (Prev. 1)
2. Harding (Prev. 2)
3. West Florida (Prev. 4)
4. Angelo State (Prev. 6)
5. Kutztown (Prev. 8)
6. Slippery Rock (Prev. 5)
7. Grand Valley State (Prev. 3)
8. Western Colorado (Prev. 9)
9. West Alabama (Prev. 13)
10. Michigan Tech (Prev. 15)
11. UT Permian Basin (Prev. 12)
12. Minnesota Duluth (Prev. 21)
13. Valdosta State (Prev. 11)
14. MSU Moorhead (Prev. 18)
15. Lenoir-Rhyne (Prev. 19)
16. Minnesota State (Prev. 7)
17. Virginia Union (Prev. 10)
18. Augustana (SD) (Prev. 20)
19. Wingate (Prev. NR)
20. CSU Pueblo (Prev. 23)
21. Pittsburg State (Prev. NR)
22. Sioux Falls (Prev. NR)
23. Delta State (Prev. 16)
24. Charleston (WV) (Prev. 14)
25. Emory & Henry (Prev. NR)

Also Received Votes: Anderson (SC), Central Oklahoma, Johnson C. Smith, Indianapolis, Edward Waters, Clarion, Albany State, Colorado Mines, Central Washington, Arkansas Tech

AFCA Division II Coaches Poll For Week 3 Of 2025 Season

1. Ferris State (Prev. 1)
2. Harding (Prev. 2)
3. West Florida (Prev. 5)
4. Slippery Rock (Prev. 4)
5. Kutztown (Prev. 6)
6. Angelo St. (Prev. 8)
7. Western Colorado (Prev. 9)
8. California (Pa.) (Prev. 10)
9. Augustana (S.D.) (Prev. 11)
10. Grand Valley St. (Prev. 3)
11. UT-Permian Basin (Prev. 12)
12. Colorado St.-Pueblo (Prev. 14)
13. West Alabama (Prev. 17)
14. Minnesota St. (Prev. 7)
15. Central Oklahoma (Prev. 15)
16. Minnesota-Duluth (Prev. 24t)
17. Central Washington (Prev. 18t)
18. Pittsburg St. (Prev. 24t)
19. Lenoir-Rhyne (Prev. 21)
20. Valdosta St. (Prev. 22)
21. Johnson C. Smith (Prev. NR)
22. Virginia Union (Prev. 13)
23. Wingate (Prev. NR)
24. Michigan Tech (Prev. NR)
25. Sioux Falls (Prev. NR)

Dropped Out: Delta St. (16), Charleston (18t), Ashland (20), Carson-Newman (23)

Others Receiving Votes: UIndy, 70; Delta St., 69; Colorado School of Mines, 60; Charleston, 38; Ashland, 35; Fort Hays St., 34; Henderson St., 9; Indiana (Pa.), 8; Ouachita Baptist, 8; Southern Arkansas, 8; Minnesota St.-Moorhead, 7; Fairmont St., 6; Frostburg St., 6; Carson-Newman, 5; UNC Pembroke, 5; Findlay, 4; Albany St., 3; Clarion, 2; Edward Waters, 2; Anderson, 1.

When Do The 2025 NCAA Division II College Football Playoffs Start?

The first round of the 2025 NCAA Division II Playoffs will be Nov. 22.

The 2025 Division II Football Championship title game will be played Dec. 20, 2025, at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas

Tiffin vs. Ferris State Football Highlights | 2025 Division II Football

Check out the highlights from Ferris State's 41-34 win over Tiffin during Week 2 of the 2025 college football season.

Archived Footage On FloCollege

Video footage from all games will be archived and stored in a video library for FloCollege subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

Watch The 2025 College Football Season On FloCollege

FloCollege is the home of the best FCS, Division II and Division III football action all season long. 

Don’t miss the latest college football action by bookmarking the FloCollege schedule page for the latest games. 

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