Marquette, Mich. — The Northern Michigan University football team heads to Houghton, Mich. to take on their rival Michigan Technological University for the Miner's Cup, seeking to make up for losing the last three games by a combined 10 points.
Saturday's contest is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and can be followed with live stats, and video. Fans can also listen to the game live. Local audience will have the ability for a live broadcast of the game on FOX UP.
Follow @NMU_Wildcats for continued updates throughout the game.
GAME NOTES
Last Time Out:
NMU captured their first win of the season with a 24-14 victory over GLIAC foe Davenport University. The Wildcats scored on their first two possessions, as junior Jake Mayon (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield East) scored from 49 yards out on the fifth play of the game, and freshman quarterback Ryan Johnson (De Pere, Wisc. / Ashwaubenon) hit Ryan Knight (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Forest Hills Eastern) for a 33-yard TD catch on the second drive.
Mayon Career High:
After posting a career-high for receiving yards last week at Ferris State, Mayon responded by rushing for 247 yards, establishing another career-high. He also scored two touchdowns, scoring a 49-yard rushing touchdown on the game's fifth play, and later helped seal the win with a 58-yard scamper into the end zone.
GLIAC Player of the Week:
Due to his efforts, Mayon earned GLIAC Player of the Week honors. In addition to his 247 yards and two touchdowns, he also added a 75-yard rush to his total in the second quarter to set up a Dalton Ray (Clemont, Fla./Lake Menneola) field goal. On the season, Mayon is averaging 171 yards a game to lead the GLIAC
New Quarterback Debut:
Johnson made his Wildcat debut at quarterback Saturday. In the game, he went 12-19 for 131 yards and a touchdown.
Knight scores another touchdown:
Knight caught his third touchdown of the season against Davenport. He caught Johnson's first career touchdown pass, completing the 33-yard catch as he crossed the end zone in Saturday's second quarter.
GLIAC tackler leaders:
Senior Darryl Williams (Cooper City, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) currently leads the GLIAC with 10.7 tackles a game. Senior Marlon Harris (Oak Park, Mich./Clawson/Tiffin) is second in the league with 10.3 tackles a game. Another Wildcat, senior Pat Ryan (Linden, Mich.) finds himself ranked fourth among the conference with 8.3 tackles a game.
Walter Jackson Goes for 100:
Junior Walter Jackson (Pembroke Pines, Fla. / Flanagan / Lindenwood) gained over 100 total yards Saturday. He had three catches for 35 yards and also tallied 69 return yards on three kickoff returns. His longest return was for 25 yards.
Huskies at a Glance:
Michigan Tech comes into the game off a 28-24 victory over Saginaw Valley State University Saturday. The Huskies scored first, but were later forced to overcome a 24-14 deficit entering the fourth quarter. Using two touchdowns, their second with 1:08 remaining in the fourth, the Huskies won their first GLIAC contest of the season.
As a team, Michigan Tech is averaging over 190 yards rushing per game.
NMU versus Michigan Tech:
Saturday marks the 92nd matchup between the two schools, with Michigan Tech holding a four game advantage over the Wildcats. The Huskies have captured the past seven games, but the last three were decided by a total of just 10 points. In a 44-year span from 1956-2000, NMU won 17 straight games to give the Wildcats the longest winning streak between the two schools.
