Kannon Katzer scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 69-yard run in the fourth quarter as No. 2 Ferris State didn’t give up a point in the second half and defeated Slippery Rock, 48-38, in the NCAA Division II semifinals Saturday.
Ferris State (13-1) will meet top-seeded Valdosta State in the championship game at 2 p.m. next Saturday.
Slippery Rock (12-2) led at the end of the first three quarters.
The Rock took a 21-7 lead after one quarter on a 60-yard touchdown catch by Logan Ramper, a 5-yard scoring run by Idris Lawrence and a 1-yard TD run by Chris d’Or.
After adding two more touchdown catches by Ramper, a 29-yarder and a 19-yarder, and a 24-yard field goal by Mason Yohn as time expired, Slippery Rock led 38-27 at halftime.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss ran for a 22-yard touchdown in the third quarter and a 9-yard TD in the fourth quarter to key Ferris State’s comeback. He went 19 for 26 passing for 221 yards, a touchdown and an interception and ran for 124 yards and three scores.
Slippery Rock quarterback Brayden Long went 27 for 48 for 398 yards and three touchdowns, but was intercepted four times, including a 27-yard pick-six by Justin Payoute in the first quarter.
Ramper finished with eight catches for 171 yards and three scores.
