ALLENDALE, Mich. — #6 Grand Valley State cruised to a 51-28 win over Wayne State on Saturday in front of a crowd of 10,377 at Lubbers Stadium. The Lakers will hit the road for a GLIAC contest at Michigan Tech next Saturday (Nov. 9).

Grand Valley State got off to a fast start, scoring on the game’s first seven possessions to build a 44-0 lead with 12:49 left in the third quarter.

GVSU 51, Wayne State 28

The Laker defense forced the first of seven three-and-outs on Wayne State’s opening possession, and the GVSU offense went to work with a 12-play, 44-yard drive that ended with Mathew Bacik 34-meter field goal. Senior WR Kyle Nott caught a third down pass from QB Vinnie Meschi and ran 76 yards for a Laker touchdown. Bacik added the PAT for a 10-0 lead. Second RB student Syone Usma-Harper capped a 3-play, 47-yard drive with a 10-yard TD run. Meschi connected with WR Kellen Reed on a 37-yard pass and catch to set up the score.

The Laker special teams unit got on the board at LB juniors Riley Simpson blocked a goal that senior LB Damonte McCurdy punted and returned 12 yards for a TD to extend the Laker lead to 24-0. Junior TE Harrison Unger hauled in his first career TD reception from Meschi, which covered three yards. Bacik added field goals of 34 and 26 yards to give the Lakers a 37-0 halftime lead.

Reed returned the second-half kickoff 57 yards to the Wayne State 43-yard line and WR Darrell Johnson runs of 21 and 4 yards, followed by a 19-yard touchdown pass from Alex Thole at senior WR Cody Tierney to extend GVSU’s lead to 44-0 with 12:49 left in the third quarter. Second RB student Derrick Woods finished the scoring for GVSU when he capped a 12-play, 54-yard drive with a 7-yard run.

GVSU’s starting defense limited Wayne State to 68 total yards on 25 plays in the first half. Junior safety Luke McLean led the defense with 10 tackles, 1.5 TFL (-6) and a forced fumble. Senior Safety Kobe Hayward added four stops and sophomore defensive tackle Josh Schell set a GVSU record for a defensive lineman when he recorded four pass deflections in addition to his three tackles. GVSU posted nine tackles for loss and two QB sacks.

The Laker offense racked up 453 total yards, 234 through the ground game and 219 through the air. Meschi, starting his first game for the Lakers, completed 8 of 14 passes for 200 yards and two TDs. Woods led the ground game with 56 yards and a TD on nine carries as a junior David Holloman added 42 yards on seven carries. Khalil Eichelberger chipped in 37 yards on seven carries. Nine different receivers caught a pass for the Lakers, led by Nott’s 76 yards for a TD on one reception. Reed caught a pass for 37 yards, Donovan Johnson hauled in one pass for 33 yards and Tierney hauled in one pass for 19 yards and a touchdown.

Watch FOX 17: Facebook – X (formerly Twitter) – Instagram – YouTube