MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University football team will end its 2024 season looking to get in the win column, as the 'Cats will travel to Wayne State to clash with the Warriors in the Motor City on Saturday, November 16 at 1 p.m.

The Wildcats (0-10, 0-6) and Warriors (1-9, 1-5) are the bottom two teams in the conference and will both be looking to end the season on a positive note. 


Follow the Action
Follow @NMU_Football and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly known as Twitter) for updates leading up to and during the game.

Saturday, November 16 - at Wayne State at 1 p.m.
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A Word from Shane Richardson
"I really liked the way we approached last week's game and the guys believed we could continue to improve and get better. Wayne State is going to be athletic and hungry and have some confidence coming off of a win. We have to be ready to play in someone else's environment and try to do well at."



Last Time Out
In the final home game of the season, Northern Michigan fell to the No. 2 Ferris State Bulldogs, 55-9. 

For the Green and Gold, the day was highlighted by one of the final plays of the day, a 78-yard touchdown connection between seniors Jake Bilitz and Michael Love, the longest score in each of their careers. 

NMU's other scoring came via a safety, the first in six years for Northern. Vince Martin broke through the middle and got his hand on a punt that ricocheted through the back of the endzone for the two-point score late in the first half. 


Cat Nips

• The Green and Gold field one of the youngest teams in the nation, with 42 of 96 (43.8%) of the roster consisting of first-year players. Underclassmen makeup 68 of the 96 (70.8%) roster spots.
• Freshman Jahi Wood (559) is 4th in the conference in rushing while Vince Martin (303), Nico Lukkarinen (258), and Elizin Rouse (236) rank 14th, 17th, and 20th respectively. Lukkarinen's and Martin's 3 TD runs rank tied for 11th in the conference. The Wildcats have the 4th best rushing attack in the league at 166.4 yards/game.
• Michael Love is 3rd in the conference with 5 TD catches this season and 7th with 443 receiving yards. His 78-yard TD reception two weeks ago vs. Ferris State is the 4th longest offensive touchdown in the GLIAC. Love's two touchdown catches against UW-La Crosse earlier this season marked the first time a Wildcat receiver found the endzone twice in a game since September 24, 2022 when Wyatt Davis went for two scores on Homecoming in a 42-14 win over Post. 
• The 78-yard reception between Jake Bilitz and Michael Love two weeks ago vs. Ferris State was the longest since Tyshon King's 90-yard catch on October 29, 2022, also vs. Ferris State. 
• Northern's 324 rushing-yard total last week broke the previous season-best of 269 against UW-La Crosse. It was the 4th most rushing yards in the GLIAC this season while the 65 rushing attempts set a new conference benchmark. 
• NMU is tied for 2nd in the conference with eight forced fumbles.

A Look at Wayne State
The Warriors are coming off of their lone win on the season, defeating Roosevelt 38-14. Jeremiah Sterling Jr. ran for 79 yards and 3 TD's while Champion Edwards threw for 122 yards and one score. 

Wayne State has 12 rushing touchdowns this season, led by six from Sterling Jr. Myles McKatherine and John Rayba each have caught four touchdowns through the air. 


About the Series
Wayne State defeated NMU 41-17 last season in Marquette. The Wildcats won the prior two meetings, a 37-30 victory in 2022 in Detroit and a 26-19 win in Marquette in 2021. The teams have split the last 10 meetings dating back to 2012.