Unusual road test: Northern Michigan University football team faces GLIAC foe Davenport in non-conference game today | News, Sports, Jobs

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MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University football team plays an unusual non-conference game against a GLIAC member school on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats travel to Grand Rapids to face Davenport in the first of two games against the Panthers this season. The return commitment in the Superior Dome on October 8 will count towards league standings.

The two meetings between these teams also took place last season as the number of GLIAC members playing football has decreased in recent years.

Northern Michigan University wide receiver Wyatt Davis returns the ball to the umpire after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter during a football game played against Grand Valley State at the Superior Dome in Marquette on October 23, 2021. (Photo Travis Nelson’s Diary)

Davenport is 1-0 after beating Truman State (Missouri) 20-19 on Sept. 3.

Meanwhile, NMU is 1-1 after avenging a 2021 loss to Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a 13-10 win over the Titans last Saturday. The Wildcats lost their opener Sept. 1 31-24 to McKendree.

Today’s game is Northern’s first road contest, which begins at noon, against a team the Wildcats parted ways with in 2021, winning at home 20-14 and losing at Grand Rapids 18-13.

DU have won three of their five meetings since the Panthers became members of the GLIAC in 2017.

Against Oshkosh, NMU senior kicker Daniel Riser threw a 25-yard field goal in the first minute of the fourth quarter to break a 10-10 tie that provided the final margin after junior cornerback Isaiah Morrison managed an interception with 95 seconds remaining to preserve the victory.

Northeast junior quarterback Drake Davis completed 19 of 23 passes, an 83% completion rate, for 194 yards and no interceptions. Sophomore back-up QB Zach Keen came into the game for a play, threw a pass and completed it to junior Kenyon’TA Skinner for the Wildcats’ lone TD from 43 yards early in the second quarter.

Senior rush Tyquan Cox finished with 104 total yards on offense, 56 receiving and 48 rushing.

Junior fullback Tyshon King, who gained 89 yards on 17 carries, led a productive NMU rushing offense that rushed for 149 yards, while Skinner led the North receiving corps with eight catches for 94 yards and his TD.

Defensively, sophomore linebacker Justin Peake had nine team-leading tackles, while senior lineman John McMullen, senior running back Brian Schieweck and freshman lineman Jhermari Mabry each had a tackle. for the loss.

Riser’s field goal was his second of three attempts after earlier throwing a 42-yarder to open the scoring less than six minutes into the game and missing a 50-yarder with about 2 1/2 minutes left.

After today’s game, the Wildcats return home to face first-time opponent Post University of Waterbury, Connecticut for Homecoming at 2 p.m. next Saturday. The Eagles (0-2) are in their second season playing NCAA Division II football, although the school plays at that level in most of its other sports.

Information compiled by Journal Sports editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.