Posted: Oct 23, 2025
Game 8: Saginaw Valley vs Wayne State
Saturday, October 25, 2025 | 2:00 p.m. ET
Wickes Memorial Stadium | University Center, Mich.
Preview Interview: Coach Brady
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Video - https://flosports.link/4nEhv83
Live Stats - https://svsucardinals.com/sports/fball/2025-26/boxscores/20251025_aeqk.xml
Radio - https://alphamediaplayer.com/wsgwsports
KICK-OFF
Saginaw Valley State University football hosts Wayne State at home for a GLIAC matchup this week. The Cardinals (4-3, 3-0 GLIAC) are tied at the top of the conference standings with Ferris State and will look to extend their current winning streak to four with a win over the Warriors (0-7, 0-3 GLIAC).
LAST TIME OUT...
The Cardinals upset No. 7 Grand Valley State 20-19 in the Battle of the Valleys inside Lubbers Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals (4-3, 3-0 GLIAC) overcame three turnovers to pull off the one-point victory over the Lakers (4-2, 2-1 GLIAC). The win is the first for SVSU since 2012 and the first road victory at Grand Valley State since 2003.
James McDonald (Warren, Mich. / De La Salle HS) led SVSU with 12 tackles, anchoring a defense that allowed just 38 rushing yards.
Mason McKenzie (Caledonia, Mich. / Caledonia HS) was 11-of-25 for 131 passing yards and rushed 17 times for 100 yards, including the game-winning touchdown.
Kicker Teagen Lenderink (Rockford, Mich. / Brentwood Academy TN) was a difference-maker in the Cardinals' 20–19 victory on Saturday. Lenderink accounted for 10 of SVSU's 20 points, going a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals from 53, 25, and 49 yards. His 53-yarder was his career-long as a Cardinal. In addition to his scoring, Lenderink handled all punting and kickoff duties, averaging 46.2 yards on five punts with a long of 53 and 57.5 yards on four kickoffs, including two touchbacks.
Adom LeDuc (Utica, Mich. / Utica Stevenson HS) finished with seven tackles, including 3 tackles for loss. He registered 1.5 sacks to put his career total at 15.0 to tie for 16th all-time in that category. Junyoung Chung (Berrien Springs, Mich. / Berrien Springs HS) finished with six tackles. Hodges, Jaden Bevier (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Ypsilanti HS), Jamil Thomas (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Huron HS), and Christian Boivin (Traverse City, Mich. / Traverse City West HS) had five tackles. Boivin also tallied a sack, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry. Thomas and Hodges added a breakup to their stat line as well.
1ST-AND-10
• The 2025 schedule features seven home games and four road contests. SVSU drew three-straight at home (Northeastern State, Ganon, Northwood) to begin the season before making its only trip out of the state of Michigan las week against New Haven in Connecticut. The Cardinals open GLIAC play this week for homecoming against Northern Michigan before hosting Roosevelt the following week. Saginaw Valley then makes the first of two trips to Grand Rapids with a game at Grand Valley State for week seven before hosting Wayne State the next weekend. The second trip to Grand Rapids comes in week nine against Davenport. SVSU hosts Ferris State for the final home game of the season in week 10. It is the first time the Bulldogs have visited Saginaw Valley since the 2022 season. The season wraps with a trip to Houghton for a game against the Michigan Tech Huskies.
• Mason McKenzie leads the team with 1,295 passing yards and 618 rushing yards this season. McKenzie moved up in three career record categories. He jumped to seventh in completions with 271 and eighth in both pass attempts (471) and passing yards (3,510). He stayed put at ninth all-time in touchdowns with 24. He currently ranks 10th in NCAA DII, 1st in the GLIAC, in rushing yards per carry (7.27), 24th in total offense (273.3) and 25th in rushing yards (618).
• Tylor McCoon is tied for 6th all-time in career average yards per punt with 39.0. Jaquan Howard remains 4th in all-time kick return yards (985). He is 106 yards short of moving into the top three of that chart. Adom LeDuc is tied for 17th in sacks with 15.0. He is a half-sack short of advancing to 15th all-time. Terrence Brown Jr. is just 30 kick return yards outside of the career top 10 list.
• Christian Boivin leads the defense with 63.0 tackles. He has compiled 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, one interception, and four pass breakups through the first seven games of the season.
• Junyoung Chung has 42 tackles, second-most on the team, with 20 solo stops. He has 1.5 tackles for loss and two breakups to his credit as well.
• Adom LeDuc helps lead the Cardinal pass rush with 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. He ties Chung with 42 tackles and has one forced fumble and a pass breakup.
• James McDonald is fourth on the team in tackles with 38. He has a fumble recovery and is one of five Cardinals with an interception this season. He recorded a career-high 12 tackles in the win over GVSU last week. It was the second time in his career that he recorded 10+ stops in a game, both occasions happened this season.
• Kicker Teagen Lenderink was named Player of the Week by the GLIAC and D2Football.com after his performance last week. Lenderink accounted for 10 of SVSU's 20 points in the 20-19 win over No. 7 Grand Valley State. He was a perfect 3-for-3 in field goals with a career-long 53 yarder. His second field goal was from 49 yards out, with the third being from 25-yards deep.
• The Cardinals are tied with Ferris State for the top spot in the conference with a 3-0 start in league play.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS
Wayne State is still seeking its first victory of the 2025 season as the Warriors enter this week 0-7. WSU has won just two of the last 18 contests (they finished 2024 with back-to-back wins).
Last week, the Warriors fell 49-14 at home against Davenport. The Panthers held Wayne State to 37 rushing yards in the contest.
Linebacker Luke Johnson put the Warriors on the board with a 67-yard pick six in the second quarter. XaVior Tyus scored on a one-yard run that capped a seven-play, 52-yard drive in the fourth quarter that gave WSU its 14 points on the afternoon.
Champion Edwards leads Wayne State at quarterback. He has completed 75-of-129 passing attempts for 764 yards and three touchdowns.
XaVior Tyus is the teams leading rusher with 171 rushing yards and a score. D'Vaun Bentley averages a team-best 3.6 yards per carry. He has scored once and has a total of 134 yards on the ground for the Warriors.
Justyz Tuggle leads the team in receptions with 25 for 248 yards. Drew Hickmott has totaled 260 yards receiving and a team-high three touchdowns. Angel Carrillo and Tyus have 15 catches on the season.
Martell Williams anchors the defensive side of the ball with 71 tackles. He has two quarterback hurries as well as a forced fumble and recovery. Logan McGraw has 55 tackles and a sack and has forced three fumbles. Will Fennema is the Warriors' leading pass rusher with 2.5 sacks and also leads with four quarterback hurries. Three Wayne State defenders—Elijah Fowlkes, Kelly Matthews, and Luke Johnson —have interceptions.
THE SERIES
This is the 45th meeting between the Cardinals and the Warriors. SVSU leads the all-time series 32-11-1. Saginaw Valley State has won six of the last seven, including a current five-game winning streak.
The Cardinals are 14-6-1 at home against the Warriors. SVSU has not lost to Wayne State in its last four home meetings (previous loss was in 2010).
Last 7 Meetings Overall
Oct. 26, 2024 - SVSU 37, Wayne State 10
Oct. 21, 2023 - SVSU 17, Wayne State 10 (OT)
Oct. 22, 2022 - SVSU 21, Wayne State 14
Oct. 23, 2021 - SVSU 41, Wayne State 25
Sept. 25, 2021 - SVSU 41, Wayne State 21
Sept. 28, 2019 - Wayne State 24, SVSU 20
Sept. 22, 2018 - SVSU 35, Wayne State 29
Overall: 6-1 | H: 3-0 | A: 3-1 | Avg. Margin: 12.4
Last 5 Meetings at Wickes Memorial Stadium
Oct. 21, 2023 - SVSU 17, Wayne State 10 (OT)
Oct. 23, 2021 - SVSU 41, Wayne State 25
Sept. 22, 2018 - SVSU 35, Wayne State 29
Oct. 11, 2012 - SVSU 24, Wayne State 7
Oct. 30, 2010 - Wayne State 41, SVSU 27
Overall: 4-1 | Avg. Margin: 12.0