MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University football team fell 27-17 to the Hillsdale Chargers in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference North Division matchup from the Superior Dome on Saturday (Oct. 5). The visitors scored the first 17 points of the game and never let NMU get closer than seven.

With the loss, NMU falls to 1-3 overall and 1-3 in the GLIAC. Hillsdale improves to 2-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

Down 17-0, NMU drew within a touchdown early in the second half. Freshman John Oberheide made a 29-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. NMU used an 86-yard drive that started at the Wildcat two to get on the board.

Northern then received the second half kickoff and marched down the field for a touchdown to make it a 17-10 game. Junior quarterback Dustin Thomas had an 8-yard run to the endzone after two big runs by redshirt freshman Keon Collier and sophomore Wyatt Jurasin.

Andrew Mott extended the game back to 14 with a 25-yard reception from Sam Landry less than two minutes (13:09) into the fourth.

Senior Christian Jessie then returned the kickoff 97 yards to again cut the lead to seven. It was the second kickoff return for a touchdown in his career.

The Chargers added a 42-yard field goal by Steven Mette to put the game out of reach with 2:09 left in the game.

In the first half, Hillsdale scored on three straight possessions. A rushing touchdown by Isaac Spence gave the Chargers a 7-0 lead late (1:09) in the first quarter.

Steven Embry then picked off Thomas to setup another Charger touchdown. This time Sam Landry found Joe Srebernak for a 31-yard touchdown catch with 14:20 left in the second quarter.

Steven Mette buried a 46-yard field goal for a 17-0 lead with 8:40 left in the half.

NMU had 376 yards of total offense on 216 passing and 160 rushing. The 'Cats were 9-for-17 on third down and 0-for-3 on fourth down. Each team had a turnover.

Thomas made his first start for NMU and finished 20-for-39 with 216 yards passing. He also led the team in rushing with 131 yards on 22 carries and scored a touchdown. Jessie (64 yards), junior Marcus Tucker (43) and sophomore Austin Young (33) all had four receptions. Collier finished with 29 yards rushing on nine attempts

Junior Kyle Polk had a team-high nine total tackles. He had two tackles-for-loss that included a sack. Sophomore Levi Perry, senior Brock Reynolds, junior Nick Krause and junior Jordan Adediran all had seven total tackles. Redshirt freshman Adam Williams had 2.5 sacks.

Landry finished 19-for-23 passing with 245 yards and two touchdowns. Andrew Mott had four catches and 60 yards. Wade Wood led the ground attack with 64 yards on 11 carries.

Devin Moynihan had 17 total tackles for Hillsdale, including 10 solo tackles. Brett Pasche had 11 total tackles.

NMU hits the road the next two weekends for a pair of GLIAC North Division games. The annual Miner's Cup game is at Michigan Tech next Saturday (Oct. 12) with a trip to Grand Valley State the following weekend (Oct. 19).

Game Notes:  Jessie had a 99-yard kickoff return in the season-finale last year against Ferris State…NMU last defeated Hillsdale in 2006 and last defeated the Chargers in the Dome in 2002.

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