There are some heated rivalries and pivotal matchups with tournament implications going down in Week 8 of the DII football season. The Anchor-Bone Classic, the Coal Bowl and what may turn out to be the SIAC championship game are all on the menu of must-watch football.
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Obviously, there are more than five games to watch on any given DII football Saturday, especially as we creep closer to selection Sunday. Each week, we try to focus on games that have historic relevance — such as rivalries — or are meaningful games for selection to the tournament. This week's slate is full of important matchups.
Wayne’s 5 can’t-miss games: Week 8
(all times ET)
Grand Valley State at Ferris State, 1 p.m.
The Anchor-Bone Classic is one of the best rivalries in all DII. Caleb Murphy, Trinidad Chambliss, Matthew Judon and Zach Sieler are just a few big players that got their start facing off in this matchup. These are two DII football powerhouses, and this year, it is extra important for the Lakers. If Grand Valley State loses, it could spell the end of their playoff aspirations for 2025.
This may be the best Ferris State team we've seen — and that says a lot. There doesn't seem to be a team that can slow them down, and Wyatt Bower is one of the best quarterbacks in the land. The Bulldogs have the highest-scoring offense in DII, dropping an astounding 53.9 points per game, which is also the most at all levels of college football. They also have the third-best scoring defense in DII, allowing just 8.71 points per game. The statistics are against Grand Valley State, but history is not.
Matchup to watch: Wyatt Bower vs. the Lakers' front. Grand Valley State definitely has some players up front. Anthony Cardamone can get in the backfield, and Jibriel Conde has also been explosive at times. It just doesn't seem anyone can get the redshirt-freshman Bower out of his rhythm, so it will be interesting to watch what their rivals can whip up on Saturday.
Number to know: 3. Here is a crazy stat. The Bulldogs have lost just four games to DII football teams since their historic run began in the 2021 season. Three of those four loses have come to these Grand Valley State Lakers. It's happened twice in the annual Anchor-Bone Classic and once in the playoffs; the Lakers are the only team to defeat Ferris State in the Super Region Three portion of the bracket since Harding took the Bulldogs out in 2017.
Ashland at Tiffin, 1 p.m.
This one is pretty simple for the Dragons. A win keeps them in the hunt for the G-MAC and more importantly, keeps them alive in the Super Region Three mix. A loss, and Ashland is another step closer to a home seed, while Tiffin may very well be eliminated from the conversation.
Those are some hefty implications, but the G-MAC has four teams in the Super Region Three conversation, and it is very likely only two will make the tournament. Ashland holds a 9-3 all-time edge in the series. It is also a big game for Ashland, as it is the Eagles' final road game of the year. They are 4-1 away from home, and if they escape Tiffin unscathed, they get to play their final three games at Jack Miller Stadium, including the massive G-MAC showdown against Findlay in two weeks.
Matchup to watch: Alex Johnson and Ronald Blackman against DII's best total defense. Tiffin's quarterback Alex Johnson has had a very good season, averaging more than 270 yards passing per game and already throwing 20 touchdowns. Blackman, who had a monster 2024, had a slow start in 2025, but has touchdowns in consecutive weeks and may be finding his groove. The problem is, Ashland allows just 210.6 yards per game, the best mark in DII. They also allow only 13.1 points per game, the ninth fewest in DII. Tiffin will have to execute flawlessly to have a chance.
Number to know: 10. Michael Shimek leads DII with 10 sacks through seven games. Tiffin needs to find a way to keep him out of the backfield, or Johnson will be miserable all day.
Cal (PA) at Indiana (PA), 2 p.m.
This is a must win for both teams. There is not much wiggle room in Super Region One, and both of these teams have two losses. IUP is coming off a loss to Slippery Rock, so a loss in the 16th rendition of the Coal Bowl will leave the Crimson Hawks with a mountain to climb to stay in the mix. However, IUP is 2-1 in the conference, whereas Cal is 2-2. A win by IUP will give them a huge edge in the PSAC West, and all one needs is a spot in the PSAC championship game to be playing for the automatic bid to the tournament come November.
Matchup to watch: Cal offense vs. IUP defense. The Crimson Hawks have the second-best scoring offense in the PSAC, but more importantly, back it up with the second-best scoring defense. It feels like the Vulcans' offense has been inconsistent at best since they lost their star running back Bobbie Boyd Jr. three weeks ago, so an aggressive IUP front could cause havoc for quarterback Roman Purcell and company.
Number to know: 0. That was the total number of touchdowns IUP's breakout quarterback Matthew Rueve threw last week against Slippery Rock. It snapped a four-game streak where he threw for multiple touchdowns; he totaled 17 over that four-game span. Maurice Massey is one of the best wide receivers in DII, so Rueve will have to get back on the multi-touchdown train and find his favorite target often for IUP to come out on top.
Albany State (GA) at Benedict, 2 p.m.
This is a huge matchup, and the winner is in the driver's seat for the SIAC's automatic bid. Both teams enter the matchup undefeated in DII play (the Golden Rams do have one loss to DI Florida A&M in a close game) and have favorable schedules to close out the season after this weekend. If you look at this week's field of 32 projections, there is only one SIAC team projected to make the bracket. You want playoff implications? There you go.
Matchup to watch: Both quarterbacks against these defenses. On paper, this should be a low-scoring affair. Albany State has the eight-best scoring defense in DII and Benedict has the 14th best. Benedict's Darius Ocean is as talented a quarterback as there is in the SIAC, but he struggles with passing accuracy, which a defense like Albany State could feast on. Albany State has question marks at quarterback, with star quarterback Isaiah Knowles on the shelf since September. They barely snuck by against Tuskegee last week, so the uncertainty under center against this defense could spell doom for the Golden Rams.
Number to know: No. 1. Benedict has been cruising and picked up a massive victory against Edward Waters last weekend, essentially eliminating Edward Waters from tournament contention. Benedict is one year removed from consecutive No. 1 seeds in Super Region Two, and to get back to the tournament, the Tigers need to find a way around the SIAC's No. 1 scoring offense and defense. Albany State scores 38.3 points per game — a touchdown more than the next closest team — and allows just 13.0 points per game, No. 8 overall in DII and two points fewer than Benedict.
Delta State at West Alabama, 3 p.m.
There are only four Gulf South teams this year, and three of them are in the Super Region Two projections. Essentially, for Delta State, West Alabama and West Florida, the postseason has already begun, because every win matters from here on out.
West Alabama dropped a big game to West Florida last weekend, so this is a must-win if the Tigers want to try and stay alive in the quest for the GSC automatic bid. It's going to be a tall order as Delta State has utterly dominated since its four-point loss to UNC Pembroke earlier this season.
Matchup to watch: Spencer Arceneaux vs. the Statesmen front. Arceneaux is the Tigers' leading rusher and passer. He has thrown for 1,287 yards and 13 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He's also averaging 68.5 yards rushing per game with seven more touchdowns on the ground. Only two teams have scored more than 10 points on the Statesmen defense this year, and no team has breached 25. West Alabama has scored more than 25 points in each of its five wins. For the Tigers to come out victorious, Arceneaux is going to have to find a way to tame one of the toughest Ds in the land.
Number to know: 10. The Statesmen have allowed 10 points in the last three weeks — and all 10 came last weekend when they were already up by 28 points. Delta State has played the easiest stretch of their schedule, but the Statesmen certainly didn't play down to the competition, posting consecutive shutouts and outscoring those three opponents 142-10. They have the fifth-best scoring defense in DII at 11.0 points per game and will need to bring it against West Alabama.
Two more to watch: Colorado School of Mines, which is finally getting healthy, can shake up Super Region Four by taking down undefeated Western Colorado. Emory & Henry has to rebound quickly after its loss to Wingate if it wants to stay near the top of Super Region Two. That is a tall order against Newberry on the road.
