MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University football team (3-5, 1-3 GLIAC) played close with the No. 8 team in the nation for the full 60 minutes in a 28-24 loss to Grand Valley State University in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action.

THE KICK IS GOOD

NMU forced the Lakers to punt on their first drive and took over with 13:43 in the first half.

Three complete passes from Drake Davis and positive runs from Davis, Tyquan Cox, and Zach Keen found the Wildcats at the GVSU six facing fourth and two.

Daniel Riser came out to take the field goal attempt and sent the ball between the uprights for a 3-0 NMU lead. The opening drive for the home team took a little over five minutes of game time.

RISER AGAIN

The Lakers put the first touchdown of the game up with a little under a minute left in the first quarter.

With 48 seconds left in the first, the Wildcats got the ball again looking to answer the GVSU score. 

The drive lasted a little over four minutes and featured the longest passing play the 'Cats had on the day. The 30-yard bomb from Drake Davis to Isaiah Popp placed NMU at their opponents' 20.

Scoring on the drive again fell to Riser. He put in a 22-yard field goal to pull the Wildcats within one at 7-6.

IT'S TRICKY

With NMU down 14-6 late in the second quarter after a GVSU touchdown the 'Cats needed a score.

It was the defense who set the home team up with good field position as Brady Hanson intercepted a Laker pass and returned it to the GVSU 47. John McMullen hurried the quarterback on the play.

The momentum stayed with the Wildcats as the first play of the drive was a Tyquan Cox run that went for 27 yards and put NMU in the red zone.

Four Cox rushes and a Grand Valley Illegal Formation penalty later, the 'Cats faced third and one.

A Stewart run went for a loss of one yard and the Wildcats were faced with fourth and two just two yards out from the end zone.

A little bit of trickery came next. 

NMU lined up as if Riser was going to attempt a field goal from the 10-yard line. Before the snap the team switched formations which had the GVSU defense caught off guard.

Wide receiver Isaiah Popp threw the ball to Kyle Sahr in the left corner of the end zone for the successful touchdown on the trick play.

Riser nailed the extra point and the teams went into the locker room with NMU trailing 14-13.

LAST CHANCE

Two Laker touchdowns and a Riser field goal set the score at 28-16 in favor of the visitors with seven minutes left in regulation.

The home team used over six minutes of game time on the drive and ran 16 plays in search of a late score.

Starting at the NMU 25, the team chipped away using a balanced passing and rushing attack to find themselves at first and goal with five yards to go.

The Wildcats again benefitted from the Davis-to-Davis connection as Drake threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Wyatt to move the score to 28-22.

NMU went for two and converted it with Davis finding Popp in the right side of the end zone.

GVSU was able to run the clock down and escape the Superior Dome with the 28-24 win.

STAT LEADERS

Drake Davis had 225 yards through the air on a 24-37 day. His passing yardage was five yards short of his season-high. Davis also threw for a touchdown that went to his brother Wyatt Davis.

Wyatt Davis led the Wildcats in receiving again with a 97 yard and one touchdown performance on Saturday. His yardage is the second-most for the freshman this season.

Kyle Sahr reeled in the other NMU touchdown grab. The score came on the 'Cats' fake field goal play.

Will Borchert had a team-high 11 total tackles. Four came solo and seven were assisted.

Andre Whitley led NMU with seven solo tackles in the game.

Both of the Wildcats' tackles for loss and the team's sack came courtesy of John McMullen. He had two tackles for loss which resulted in a loss of 14 yards. McMullen also added a sack for a loss of 12 yards and four quarterback hurries.

Tavion McCarthy, Antonio Howard Jr., and Kobie Jamison each had a pass breakup.

A momentum-shifting interception was hauled in by Brady Hanson. It went for 13 yards.

As a team, the Wildcats completed all three of their fourth-down conversions. NMU also led in time of possession with 34:41 to the Lakers' 26:19.

UP NEXT

Next weekend the Wildcats travel downstate to face the No. 1 team in the nation in Ferris State University. Kick-off in Big Rapids is set for 1 p.m.