Northwest Wayne News

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University football team (0-3 overall) faced a 30-6 defeat against the 16th-ranked Indianapolis (3-0 overall) at Tom Adams Field on Saturday night.

In the first quarter, Wayne State's initial drive ended with graduate student Jeremy Taras pinning Indianapolis at their own six-yard line. The key play was a 27-yard reception by senior JoShawn Lewis from sophomore quarterback Champion Edwards. Indianapolis responded with a 13-play, 94-yard scoring drive, culminating in a 34-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Gavin Sukup to Kaleb Carver.

Wayne State's subsequent drive included a 25-yard run by Edwards but ended in a punt. In the second quarter, Indianapolis extended their lead with an 80-yard drive finished by Sukup’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Luke Chambers. Graduate student defensive tackle Jordan Lewis blocked the PAT kick.

Sophomore punter Avery Burch pinned Indianapolis at their three-yard line with a 54-yard punt in his debut. However, the Greyhounds executed a six-play, 97-yard drive ending in a 45-yard touchdown pass from Sukup to Alonzo Derrick. Wayne State answered with Griffin Milovanski’s 46-yard field goal after a five-play, 42-yard drive.

Indianapolis further increased their lead with Colin Seymour’s 26-yard field goal following a 66-yard drive. In the third quarter, Indianapolis’ Anthony Crowell returned a punt for 32 yards leading to Jon Lewis’ five-yard touchdown run.

The fourth quarter saw Wayne State complete an eight-and-a-half-minute drive covering 68 yards that concluded with Milovanski’s second field goal of the game. After an interception thrown by Edwards and another defensive stop inside their ten-yard line, Wayne State conceded safety when Edwards was tackled in the end zone.

Statistically, Indianapolis outperformed Wayne State with a total offense of 506 yards compared to WSU's 226 yards. The Greyhounds converted seven of eleven third downs while Wayne State managed five out of twelve attempts.

Edwards led Wayne State with rushing for fifty-seven yards and completing eleven of nineteen passes for one hundred twenty-seven yards. JoShawn Lewis recorded seventy-six receiving yards on three receptions while both Justin Hart and Clifton Buchanan Jr. tallied eight tackles each.

For Indianapolis, Jon Lewis rushed for ninety yards and one touchdown; Sukup threw for three hundred twenty-five yards and three touchdowns on twenty-one completions out of thirty-three attempts; Crowell had nine receptions totaling one hundred seven receiving yards; Clay Schulte achieved thirteen tackles along with an interception.

Wayne State will travel next to Kirksville, Mo., to face Truman State Bulldogs on Sept.28 followed by Michigan Tech on Oct.5 for their GLIAC opener.