Though the history of the Anchor-Bone Classic between Ferris State and Grand Valley State spans more than five decades, the continued success of the two programs over the last 25 years has transformed the contest into one of the most anticipated NCAA Division II games of the year.

The clash also seems to have evolved into an unofficial championship game for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but things are a little different in 2025 for a couple of reasons.

First, there’s a new qualification process in place for the Division II Playoffs. Second, Grand Valley State isn’t only fighting for the GLIAC championship this week, the Lakers also might be in serious danger of missing the playoffs completely.

• Subscribe To FloCollege To Watch GLIAC Football In 2025
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• Division II Football Rankings 2025 Week 8: Top 3 Steady, Frostburg Enters The Chat
• GVSU vs. Ferris State: Everything To Know About Anchor-Bone Classic 2025

For the first time since 2019, the last time GVSU did not make the postseason, the Lakers have lost to a GLIAC team other than Ferris State, which makes the 2025 Anchor-Bone Classic must-win for Grand Valley State, especially with an automatic bid to the playoffs on the line.

If that sounds odd, it’s because the 2025 season marks the first time all conference champions in Division II football will be automatically represented in the playoff bracket. The change was announced in January at the 2025 NCAA Convention.

Three months later, the NCAA added that the bracket for the Division II Playoffs would be expanding from 28 to 32 teams – 16 automatic qualifiers and 16 at-large selections – and that there no longer would be first-round byes for the top-ranked teams, something that benefitted Ferris State in two of its three national championships.  

For many recent seasons, making the playoffs wasn’t really in question for Ferris State and GVSU, as they were strong enough, successful enough and ranked high enough to secure postseason berths, regardless of which team won the Anchor-Bone Classic, and as long as there were no additional slipups in conference games.

Unfortunately, this isn’t looking like one of those seasons for Grand Valley State.

Last week, something that has been on the horizon for a while finally happened – GVSU lost to a GLIAC team that wasn’t Ferris State. 

Saginaw Valley State got the best of the Lakers in the Battle of the Valleys for the first time since 2012. It was a 20-19 nailbiter that probably should’ve come a year earlier when the Cardinals led 9-3 at halftime and ended up losing 16-9.

An earlier nonconference loss to Pittsburg State, plus the SVSU defeat, have seen the Lakers tumble from a preseason top-3 team to No. 18 in the latest American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the Week 8 FloCollege D2 Football Rankings.

It’s still early in the GLIAC slate, but here’s something else for the Lakers to worry about: The last time a team with more than one conference loss won the GLIAC title was 2011 (Hillsdale was 8-2).

Conversely, Ferris State, the reigning GLIAC and Division II national champion, has remained atop of the polls, is riding a 21-game winning streak and shares the top spot in the GLIAC standings with Saginaw Valley State. Both teams are 3-0, just ahead of Michigan Tech and GVSU, which are 2-1, and 2-2 Davenport. 

There certainly still is time for the Lakers to right the ship, but that has to begin with a win against Ferris State this weekend, on the Bulldogs’ home turf for the first time since 2022. However, GVSU won that edition of the Anchor-Bone Classic, 22-21, to end a six-game losing streak to FSU.

The next four times the teams met was at GVSU’s Lubber Stadium. 

Ferris State got redemption in the quarterfinals of the 2022 playoffs (on the way to a second consecutive national title), Grand Valley State won twice in 2023 (denying the Bulldogs a three-peat) and FSU took the 2024 showdown 34-7. 

Across all of their meetings, including the playoffs, Grand Valley State holds a 32-24-1 advantage over the Bulldogs. 

While these two teams are throwing down Saturday at Top Taggart Field, the biggest collection of GVSU fans outside of Allendale, Michigan, might be the inside the SVSU locker room getting ready for their game against winless Wayne State. 

If the Lakers can get the best of Ferris State, and Saginaw Valley State can do what all but eight teams have done since 2021 (beat the Warriors), the Cardinals will rule the roost with their own contest against the Bulldogs on the horizon (Nov. 8).

Coming Into The 2025 Anchor-Bone Classic

Grand Valley State is 4-2 overall and 2-1 in GLIAC play. The Lakers are coming off a 20-19 loss to Saginaw Valley State. Their other loss was to Pittsburg State on Sept. 13 (17-14).

The last time GVSU lost more than two games during the regular season was 2019. The team was 8-3 that year, with losses to Ashland, Ferris State and Wayne State, and missed the playoffs.

Ferris State is 7-0 overall and 3-0 in conference play, which is tied for first place with SVSU.

The Bulldogs have won 21 consecutive games, including a 49-14 victory over Valdosta State in the 2024 Division II championship game. They're coming off a 38-10 victory over Michigan Tech.

The last time FSU lost was its 2024 season-opener on the road against Pittsburg State – a 19-3 shocker – after which, the Bulldogs scored 56, 43, 84 and 55 points across their next four games.

More About The GVSU And Ferris State Dynasties

Since 2001, either Grand Valley State (11) or Ferris State (six) has earned at least a share of the GLIAC title 17 times – never together – and the annual FSU-Grand Valley State Anchor-Bone Classic has played an important role in determining which team would get to add to its dynasty.

Though the rivalry is much older, the Anchor Bone Trophy itself debuted in 2002 during a very dominant time in GVSU football history. 

The Lakers won the iconic trophy the first nine years it was up for grabs, along with seven GLIAC championships from 2002-2010, and four national titles during the same span.

However, in the cyclical world of college sports, things have turned in Ferris State’s favor, with the Bulldogs winning 12 of the last 17 meetings between the two teams (including playoffs), six conference crowns and three NCAA Division II nationals titles in the last four seasons.

GVSU (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006) and Ferris State (2021, 2022, 2024) account for seven of the GLIAC’s eight football national championships, with Northern Michigan winning the first in 1975.

While it’s just one game in a long season, there’s no doubt the Anchor-Bone Classic has played a huge role in the history of the GLIAC and Division II football as a whole.

Additional Anchor-Bone Classic Coverage

Want to read more about the Anchor-Bone Classic between GVSU and Ferris State?

• Anchor-Bone Classic Results, History: Here's Who Won Every Game Since 2003
• Anchor-Bone Classic 2025: Top Taggart Field vs. Lubbers Stadium
• GVSU vs. Ferris State: Everything To Know About The Anchor-Bone Classic 2025
• Here’s The Last Three Anchor-Bone Classic Games For Free
• Five Players You Have To Watch In The Anchor-Bone Classic

How To Watch The 2025 Anchor-Bone Classic

The 2025 Anchor-Bone Classic between GVSU and Ferris State will stream live on FloCollege and the FloSports app.

Game replays, highlights and breaking news will also be available on both platforms.

Complete GLIAC Schedule For Week 8 Of The 2025 Season

All Times Eastern

• Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan, noon
• Roosevelt at Davenport, noon
• Grand Valley State at Ferris State, 1 p.m.
• Wayne State at Saginaw Valley State

How Did The GLIAC Football Teams Perform In Week 7?

• Ferris State def. Michigan Tech, 38-10
• Davenport def. Wayne State, 49-14
• Saginaw Valley State def. Grand Valley State, 20-19
• Northern Michigan def. Roosevelt, 42-21

Watch More GLIAC Football On FloCollege

Here’s a look at the Division II rankings, the schedule for Week 8 of the 2025 college football season and more.

Latest Division II Rankings 

FloCollege D2 Football Rankings: Week 8

1. Ferris State (Prev. 1)
2. Harding (Prev. 2)
3. Kutztown (Prev. 3)
4. West Florida (Prev. 4)
5. Western Colorado (Prev. 5)
6. CSU Pueblo (Prev. 10)
7. Central Washington (Prev. 7)
8. Minnesota State (Prev. 6)
9. Indianapolis (Prev. 13)
10. Virginia Union (Prev. 14)
11. Pittsburg State (Prev. 12)
12. Augustana (SD) (Prev. 11)
13. Delta State (Prev. 18)
14. Northwest Missouri State (Prev. 21)
15. Minnesota Duluth (Prev. 19)
16. West Alabama (Prev. 9)
17. Slippery Rock (Prev. 17)
18. Findlay (Prev. 23)
19. Angelo State (Prev. 24)
20. Grand Valley State (Prev. 8)
21. UT Permian Basin (Prev. 15)
22. Frostburg State (Prev. NR)
23. Ashland (Prev. RV)
24. Benedict (Prev. RV)
25. Michigan Tech (Prev. 16)

Also Received Votes: Emory & Henry, Albany State, Johnson C. Smith, MSU Moorhead, Wingate, Northwood, California (Pa.), Charleston (W.Va.), Southern Arkansas, UNC Pembroke, East Stroudsburg, Newberry.

AFCA Division II Coaches Poll For Week 8 Of 2025 Season

1. Ferris St. (30) (Prev. 1)
2. Harding (Prev. 2)
3. West Florida (Prev. 3)
4. Kutztown (Prev. 4)
5. Augustana (S.D.) (Prev. 6)
6. Western Colorado (Prev. 5)
7. Colorado St.-Pueblo (Prev. 9)
8. Central Washington (Prev. 10)
9. Minnesota St. (Prev. 11)
10. Pittsburg St. (Prev. 12)
11. West Alabama (Prev. 8)
12. Virginia Union (Prev. 14)
13. UIndy (Prev. 15)
14. Findlay (Prev. 16t)
15. Minnesota-Duluth (Prev. 16t)
16. Northwest Missouri St. (Prev. 19)
17. Delta St. (Prev. 18)
18. Grand Valley St. (Prev. 7)
19. Angelo St. (Prev. 21)
20. Ashland (Prev. 22)
21. Benedict (Prev. 24)
22. Johnson C. Smith (Prev. 23)
23. UT Permian Basin (Prev. 13)
24. Slippery Rock (Prev. 25)
25. Southern Arkansas (Prev. NR)

Dropped Out: UNC Pembroke (20)

Others Receiving Votes: Frostburg St., 36; Albany St., 17; Chadron St., 9; UNC Pembroke, 8; California (Pa.), 6; Assumption, 3; Henderson St., 2; Northern St., 2; Carson-Newman, 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.

Anchor-Bone Classic 2024 Highlights | Ferris State vs. GVSU Football

Check out the highlights from the 2024 Anchor-Bone Classic between Ferris State and Grand Valley State.

Ferris State won 34-7.

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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