Dec. 7, 2002

Final Stats

ALLENDALE, Mich. - The University of Northern Colorado football team saw their outstanding season come to an end on Saturday, as the No. 1 ranked Grand Valley State Lakers rolled to a 44-7 victory behind the arm of Harlon Hill finalist Curt Anes at Lubbers Stadium.

Grand Valley State (13-0), the national runners-up in 2001, ended UNC's (12-2) 11-game winning streak and became the first Division II team to beat the Bears since South Dakota won 31-19 on October 13, 2001, a streak of 16 victories for the Bears against Division II competition. The loss for the Bears was their first ever in the NCAA semifinals, as they had previously held a 2-0 all-time record.

The 44 points scored against the Bears was the most UNC had allowed since Minnesota State, Mankato scored 47 points in a UNC victory on Oct. 17, 1998 in a game that went four overtimes. It was the most in a regulation game since North Dakota State blew out UNC 55-28 on Oct. 22, 1988, a streak of 159 games. The seven points scored by the Bears was the fewest since UNC scored seven against North Dakota in September of 2001.

Anes, the runner-up for the National Player of the Year award last season and the favorite to win this year's award which will be given out next weekend, threw for 243 yards and four touchdowns on 20-28 passing.

Grand Valley's tough defense was able to hold UNC to only 248 yards of net offense (only five yards of net rushing after nine sacks by the Lakers defense) while the Lakers offense rolled up 434 yards.

"They are a very good team," UNC head coach Kay Dalton said afterwards. "They beat us in all facets of the game. They did a very fine job against us. We had a hard time on defense in the first half stopping their runs. They should be ranked number one. They should go down to Alabama (to the National Championship game) and represent themselves very well."

"I give my kids all the credit in the world," Dalton continued. "Certainly I'm disappointed, but this is a very fine football team we played and I don't think our players ever gave up. They played hard the whole time today. They were just a better team than we were today."

Grand Valley scored early an often in opening up the big lead which it would never surrender. Senior RB Reggie Spearmon ran for a touchdown less than five minutes into the game to give the Lakers a 7-0 lead.

In the second quarter Anes hooked up with senior wide receiver David Kircus for the first of four touchdowns on the day, this time a 16-yard strike to make the score 14-0. Five minutes later that dynamic duo once again hit paydirt as Kircus hauled in a 24-yard touchdown from Anes. GVSU junior kicker David Hendrix added a 24-yard field goal with 2:26 remaining in the second quarter to make the halftime deficit 24-0.

UNC looked like it would battle back into the game on its first possession of the second half as senior quarterback Mark Passard connected with senior wide receiver Jared Jackson for a 22-yard touchdown 1:23 into the third quarter to trim the Laker lead to 24-7.

But Spearmon ran for his second touchdown of the day, a 13-yarder, less than two minutes later to shut the door on the Bears. Spearmon totalled 143-yards on 32 carries on the day.

Kircus would close the game with two more touchdown catches, a 20-yarder in the third quarter and a five-yarder in the fourth, to close the score. Kircus finished the day with seven catches for 90 yards and the four scores.

For UNC, Passard finished 20-23 for 243 yards and a touchdown. Junior running back Adam Matthews was held in check by a tough Laker defense, managing only 50 yards on 13 carries.

Reed Doughty led UNC with 15 total tackles on the afternoon.

UNC, making its ninth and final NCAA Division II playoff appearance as the Bears move to Division I-AA next season, finished its Division II run with a 12-7 record in the NCAA Playoffs and a pair of National Championships (1996 and 1997).

The meeting was the first ever between the two schools.

Grand Valley State will advance to the National Championship game held next weekend in Florence, Ala. The Lakers will battle Valdosta State who was a 21-12 winner over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday.