MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Northern Michigan University football team is set for the team's first on-field action since 2019 this week.

The Wildcats open the 2021-22 season with a contest at McKendree University on Saturday at 2 p.m.

WEEKLY NOTES

FOLLOW ALONG

Fans can follow the action using video, live stats and audio.

Follow @NMU_Wildcats on Twitter for continued coverage throughout the week.

Saturday VS. McKendree

Live Stats: https://nmuwildcats.com/links/ma06wq

Video: https://nmuwildcats.com/links/i8jxek

Audio: rrnsports.com

RETURN TO THE FIELD

The McKendree game marks the long-awaited return of NMU football to the playing field.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wildcat football team was not able to take the field in 2020. NMU last faced competition on November 16, 2019 on the road at Ashland University. The last game in the Superior Dome for the Wildcats was November 9, 2019 against Saginaw Valley State University.

PRESEASON POLLS

The NMU football team was slotted seventh in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Preseason Poll with 15 points, finishing five points ahead of Northwood.

ALL-GLIAC RETURNERS

The Wildcats return five players who have made the All-GLIAC team in 2019.

Junior Tyquan Cox earned Second Team All-GLIAC honors the last full season for NMU. Cox led the Wildcats in returns and all-purpose yards in 2019. That year he returned a kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown.

Seniors Brady Hanson and Jay Young as well as sophomores Antonio Howard Jr. and Tyshon King were named All-GLIAC Honorable Mention in 2019.

Hanson returns to the team after leading NMU with eight pass breakups, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles. The defensive back started all 10 games.

Young, the team's starting center in 2019, is back for the Wildcats. He started every game for NMU.

Howard Jr's seven tackles for loss were No. 2 on the team in 2019. The sophomore had 78 tackles in his debut season and a sack.

King was the Wildcats' leading rusher in 2019 and returns to the NMU backfield. In the last full season, he had 647 yards on 143 rushes

NMU VS MCKENDREE

NMU holds a 1-1 record over the Bearcats. McKendree claimed the first win in the series in 2018 while the Wildcats took home the victory in the 2019 contest.