2002 Grand Valley State Lakers football team

The 2002 Grand Valley State Lakers football team was an American football team that won the 2002 NCAA Division II national championship.

2002 Grand Valley State Lakers football
NCAA Division II champion GLIAC champion
NCAA Division II Championship Game, W 31–24 vs. Valdosta State
Conference	Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record	14–0 (9–0 GLIAC)
Head coach	Brian Kelly (12th season)
Offensive coordinator	Jeff Quinn (14th season)
Defensive coordinator	John Jancek (4th season)
Home stadium	Lubbers Stadium
Seasons ← 2001 2003 →

2002 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 1 Grand Valley State $^		9	–	0					14	–	0
No. 15 Saginaw Valley State ^		8	–	2					9	–	3
No. 19 Findlay		8	–	2					9	–	2
Northwood		7	–	3					7	–	4
Northern Michigan		6	–	4					6	–	5
Ferris State		4	–	5					5	–	5
Indianapolis		4	–	6					5	–	6
Hillsdale		4	–	6					4	–	7
Michigan Tech		3	–	7					3	–	7
Wayne State (MI)		3	–	7					3	–	8
Ashland		2	–	8					2	–	9
Mercyhurst		1	–	9					2	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA poll

The team represented the Grand Valley State University in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 2002 NCAA Division II football season. In their 12th season under head coach Brian Kelly, the Lakers compiled a 14–0 record (9–0 against conference opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 654 to 231, and won the GLIAC championship.^[1] The team advanced to the playoffs and won the national championship by defeating Valdosta State in the championship game.^[2]

David Kirkus broke the school's single-season scoring records with 35 touchdowns and 212 points in 2002. The prior records had been set by Kirkus one year earlier. Reggie Spearman led the team with 1,500 rushing yards and 144 points (24 touchdowns) for Grand Valley in 2002.^[3] Terrance Banks also set a school single-season record with 98 receptions (good for 1,178 yards and six touchdowns). Curt Anes set a team record with 278 pass completions; he completed 278 of 414 passes (.671) for 3,692 yards and 47 touchdowns.^[3]

The team played its home games at Lubbers Stadium in Allendale Charter Township, Michigan.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 7	7:00 p.m.	No. 6 UC Davis*	No. 1	Lubbers Stadium Allendale, MI	W 24–17	12,361	[4]
September 14		at Ferris State	No. 1	Top Taggart Field Big Rapids, MI	Canceled		[5]
September 21	12:00 p.m.	at Wayne State (MI)	No. 1	Tom Adams Field Detroit, MI	W 49–14	2,445
September 28	7:00 p.m.	Hillsdale	No. 1	Lubbers Stadium Allendale, MI	W 44–19	10,031
October 5	12:00 p.m.	at Michigan Tech	No. 1	Sherman Field Houghton, MI	W 56–14	2,056
October 12	7:00 p.m.	Northern Michigan	No. 1	Lubbers Stadium Allendale, MI	W 51–14	9,560
October 19	12:00 p.m.	at No. 3 Saginaw Valley State	No. 1	Harvey Randall Wickes Memorial Stadium Saginaw, MI (Battle of the Valleys)	W 23–18	11,234
October 26	7:00 p.m.	Northwood	No. 1	Lubbers Stadium Allendale, MI	W 33–14	6,544
November 2	1:30 p.m.	at Mercyhurst	No. 1	Saxon Stadium Erie, PA	W 62–24	300
November 9	7:00 p.m.	Indianapolis	No. 1	Lubbers Stadium Allendale, MI	W 50–13	6,064
November 16	1:00 p.m.	No. 19 Findlay	No. 1	Lubbers Stadium Allendale, MI	W 63–19	6,278	[6]
November 23	1:00 p.m.	No. 10 C.W. Post*	No. 1	Lubbers Stadium Allendale, MI (NCAA Division II first round)	W 62–13	4,233	[7]
November 30	1:00 p.m.	No. 6 IUP*	No. 1	Lubbers Stadium Allendale, MI (NCAA Division II quarterfinal)	W 62–21	3,705	[8]
December 7	1:00 p.m.	No. 7 Northern Colorado*	No. 1	Lubbers Stadium Allendale, MI (NCAA Division II semifinal)	W 44–7	5,215	[9]
December 14	3:00 p.m.	vs. No. 2 Valdosta State*	No. 1	Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL (NCAA Division II Championship Game)	W 31–24	9,783	[2]
*Non-conference game Rankings from American Football Coaches Association Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time