Brown, Gray Set Records In Loss To Findlay
Host University of Findlay snapped a nine-game losing streak Saturday, Sept. 29 in defeating Wayne State 44-43. The game featured 83 pass attempts by both squads, and took 3:26 to complete.

Senior receiver Pierre Brown (West Bloomfield, MI), the Warriors’ Harlon Hill candidate, caught 11 passes for 205 net yards and four touchdowns. This marks the fourth game in his WSU career he has caught at least 200 net yards in a game, and he also set the Warriors’ career mark for net yards receiving with 2,740, surpassing Ray Ponder’s (1989-92) total of 2,655 yards.

All four TD passes came from sophomore Dan Gray (Belle River, ONT/District), who threw a total of five touchdowns against the Oilers, setting a Wayne State single-game record.

Junior runningback Thabiti Williamson (Ann Arbor, MI/Ann Arbor Huron) saw his first extensive action of the 2001 campaign, as he has been slowed by injuries since August. He rushed for 94 net yards on 18 carries, and Williamson scored the Warriors’ other touchdown.

Brown scored the Warriors’ first touchdown on a 40-yard catch in the first quarter, and he added touchdowns of six- and 24-yards in the second quarter. His last TD was scored in the third quarter of 23-yards. Williamson’s touchdown rush came with 3:18 remaining in the game to put Wayne up 43-38. But Findlay’s Kevin Crooks scored on an 11-yard carry with 1:43 remaining to put the Oilers in the lead for good.

The game featured three lead changes, with the Warriors taking the early 6-0 lead, and its final lead on Williamson’s TD carry in the fourth quarter. Both teams combined for 913 yards in total net offense, with Findlay outgaining WSU 473 net yards to 440. Both teams also combined for 55 total first downs (Findlay 29, WSU 26).

Brown Catches Top Career Spot
Harlon Hill candidate and senior wide receiver Pierre Brown (West Bloomfield, MI) became the Warriors’ career receiving leader at Findlay. He caught 11 passes for 205 net yards and four touchdowns, giving him 30 receptions for 555 net yards and eight TDs on the season.

Brown’s 555 net yards caught gives him 2,740 yards in his career, bettering the Warriors’ career mark of 2,655 set by Ray Ponder from 1989-92. Heading into the season Brown already owned the WSU career record for touchdowns caught. That record currently stands at 34. The last remaining career record for Brown to shatter might be difficult. Ponder caught 177 passes in his career; Brown has 136 career pass receptions, and would need to average seven receptions per game to break Ponder’s mark.

Brown came within one reception of tying Ponder’s single-game mark for pass receptions in the Findlay contest. Ponder caught 12 against Grand Valley State in 1991; Brown finished with 11 versus the Oilers.

Gray’s TDs Enter The Warrior Record Book
Sophomore quarterback Dan Gray (Belle River, ONT/District) passed into the Warrior Record Book with his five touchdown passes at Findlay. In the process he broke his own WSU single-game record, one that he shared with five other Warriors, including current senior Jason Charron (Clinton Township, MI/Clintondale). Two players accomplished the feat twice in their careers.

The old mark was four touchdowns thrown, last tied by Charron against Findlay last season. Gray also threw four touchdowns last season in the Ashland contest.

WSU Hall of Famer A.J. 'Apple Juice' Vaughn set the record in the Tartars’ second game in 1967, a 39-31 victory over Wisconsin-Milwaukee. That is the game that Vaughn set a national record for total offense yards with 555. Though the NCAA record was broken later that same season, it is still the Warriors’ single-game mark. Vaughn would again throw four touchdown passes latter that same season against Case Tech.

Paul Kroll threw four TDs against the same opponent, Ferris State, in the 1989 and 1990 seasons. Also tying the record were Mark Friday vs. Indianapolis in 1993, and Michael Gluski vs. Grand Valley State in 1997.

Upcoming Games
Next Saturday, Oct. 6, the Warriors travel to the Upper Peninsula to face Northern Michigan University in the Superior Dome at 1 p.m. EDT.

Wayne State returns to Wayne State Stadium Saturday, Oct. 13 for its Homecoming against Hillsdale. Game time is 1 p.m. EDT.

The College Football Hall of Fame will have its Hall of Fame RV at Wayne State Stadium. College fans can view the touring exhibit, learning more about the college game.

The University will also hold a pre-game Homecoming parade, and there will be other pre-game and halftime events.