ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University football team fell 48-17 to Grand Valley State on Saturday (Oct. 19) at Lubbers Stadium. Officials paused the game with 12:55 remaining in the fourth quarter due to lightning in the area and then cancelled it shortly after. The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference granted the Lakers the victory due to the score and time remaining.

The Wildcats fall to 1-5 overall and in the conference. NMU scored on a field goal, a 14-yard reception and a blocked punt recovered in the endzone for a touchdown. It was Grand Valley's homecoming game with 13,391 fans in attendance.

Freshman John Oberheide made a 28-yard field goal with 6:25 left in the first quarter after the Lakers scored a touchdown on their first drive. Senior Christian Jessie had a 47-yard kickoff return to setup the quick 7-play, 37-yard drive.

Freshman quarterback Shaye Brown started his first game and finished 14-for-22 for 168 yards and a touchdown. He hooked up with junior receiver Marcus Tucker with 56 seconds in the second quarter for a 14-yard score.

GVSU (5-2, 3-2 GLIAC) piled up 549 yards of offense, including 309 rushing yards and scored on its first five possessions. The Lakers had a 27-10 halftime lead after two field goals by Joel Schipper, an Isiah Grimes 1-yard touchdown pass to Joe Warner and a Michael Ratay touchdown run.

Ratay added another touchdown run early (12:20) in the third quarter.

Sophomore Aamad Bush blocked a Grand Valley punt at the home team's 24 and freshman Connor Schrader recovered the block in the endzone for the second NMU touchdown.

The home team scored two more touchdowns before the game was called. Ben Hutchinson had a 23-yard run with 3:11 left in the third and Grimes found Joe Wirth for a 15-yard touchdown pass 10 seconds into the fourth.

NMU had 235 yards of offense on 168 passing and 67 rushing. Sophomore running back Wyatt Jurasin had 42 rushing yards on 11 attempts while redshirt freshman Keon Collier had 39 yards on eight rushes. Tucker finished with 11 yards receiving on six catches.

Sophomore Levi Perry, senior Brock Reynolds, sophomore Thomas McNamara and junior Nick Krause all had six total tackles. Krause had a sack and senior Morgan Stenz and junior Trever Kruzel each added a tackle-for-loss.

Grimes finished with 240 yards passing on 13-of-22. Ratay had 143 rushing yards on 18 attempts. Brandan Green had 109 receiving yards on four catches. Matt Mosley led the Lakers with six total tackles and a sack.

NMU hosts Wayne State next weekend (Oct. 26) for Family Weekend and Band Day. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at the Superior Dome.

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