2002 Grand Valley State Lakers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 2002
| team = Grand Valley State Lakers
| sport = football
| image = Grand Valley State Lakers logo.svg
| image_size = 150
| conference = Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
| short_conf= GLIAC
| record = 14–0
| conf_record = 9–0
| head_coach= Brian Kelly
| hc_year = 12th
| off_coach = Jeff Quinn
| oc_year = 14th
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = John Jancek
| dc_year = 4th
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = Lubbers Stadium
| champion = NCAA Division II champion
GLIAC champion
| bowl = NCAA Division II Championship Game
| bowl_result = W 31–24 vs. {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Valdosta State Blazers|title=Valdosta State}}
}}
{{2002 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings}}
The 2002 Grand Valley State Lakers football team was an American football team that won the 2002 NCAA Division II national championship.
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.{{cite web|title=Grand Valley State Yearly Results|publisher=College Football Data Warehouse|accessdate=October 9, 2021|url=http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/g/grand_valley_state/2000-2004_yearly_results.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401062815/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/g/grand_valley_state/2000-2004_yearly_results.php|archive-date=2015-04-01}} The team advanced to the playoffs and won the national championship by defeating {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Valdosta State Blazers|title=Valdosta State}} in the championship game.
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.{{cite web|title=2014 Grand Valley Football Media Guide|pages=127, 129|publisher=GVSU|url=https://gvsulakers.com/documents/2024/4/22/Records.pdf}} 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.
The team played its home games at Lubbers Stadium in Allendale Charter Township, Michigan.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2002
| rankdivision = NCAA Division II
| poll = American Football Coaches Association
| rank = y
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 7||No. 6 UC Davis
|September 21|at|{{cfb link|year=2002|team=Wayne State Warriors|title=Wayne State (MI)}}|1|Tom Adams Field|Detroit, MI|W 49-14|2,445|
|September 28||{{cfb link|year=2002|team=Hillsdale Chargers|title=Hillsdale}}|1|Lubbers Stadium|Allendale, MI|W 44-19|10,031|
|October 5|at|Michigan Tech|1|Sherman Field|Houghton, MI|W 56-14|2,056|
|October 12||{{cfb link|year=2002|team=Northern Michigan Wildcats|title=Northern Michigan}}|1|Lubbers Stadium|Allendale, MI|W 51-14|9,560|
|October 19|at|No. 3 {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Saginaw Valley State Cardinals|title=Saginaw Valley State}}|1|Harvey Randall Wickes Memorial Stadium|Saginaw, MI|W 23-18|11,234|
|October 26||{{cfb link|year=2002|team=Northwood Timberwolves|title=Northwood}}|1|Lubbers Stadium|Allendale, MI|W 33-14|6,544|
|November 2|at|{{cfb link|year=2002|team=Mercyhurst Lakers|title=Mercyhurst}}|1|Saxon Stadium|Erie, PA|W 62-24|300|
|November 9||{{cfb link|year=2002|team=Indianapolis Greyhounds|title=Indianapolis}}|1|Lubbers Stadium|Allendale, MI|W 50-13|6,064|
|November 16||No. 19 {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Findlay Oilers|title=Findlay}}|1|Lubbers Stadium|Allendale, MI|W 63-19|6,278|{{cite news|title=Grand Valley routs Findlay|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=November 17, 2002|page=5C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86762172/grand-valley-routs-findlay/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 23||No. 10 {{cfb link|year=2002|team=C.W. Post Pioneers|title=C.W. Post}}
|November 30||No. 6 {{cfb link|year=2002|team=IUP Crimson Hawks|title=IUP}}
|December 7||No. 7 {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Northern Colorado Bears|title=Northern Colorado}}
|December 14|vs|No. 2 {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Valdosta State Blazers|title=Valdosta State}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{2002 Grand Valley State Lakers football navbox}}
{{Grand Valley State Lakers football navbox}}
{{Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football champions}}
{{NCAA Division II football national champion navbox}}
Category:Grand Valley State Lakers football seasons
Category:Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football champion seasons
Category:NCAA Division II Football Champions