DETROIT - The Northern Michigan football team fell short on Saturday afternoon in the Motor City, dropping the season finale 30-14 to the Wayne State Warriors. The Wildcats finished 0-11 for the second consecutive season.
Northern racked up 293 yards on the ground to Wayne's 247, but were outgained in the air 195-10. The Wildcats threw two interceptions on 10 pass attempts while the Warriors did not turn the ball over. NMU's scores came from the 1-yard line, with
Austin Ridl scoring in the first half and LB
Mitch Larkin getting a handoff for his first career score in the second half. Freshman
Luc Damiani led the way defensively with eight tackles.
The 'Cats started off moving the ball into WSU territory on the game's opening drive, with six runs of six yards or greater, but missed a 37-yard FG. The Warriors capitalized, executing a fake handoff in which QB Champion Edwards kept the ball for an 80-yard TD run at 7:56 of the first quarter.
The Warriors extended the lead to 14-0 with a 24-yard rushing TD with 4:56 left in the first.
Late in the first and into the second, Northern went on a 15-play, 65-yard drive that lasted 6:57, capped off by Ridl's QB sneak into the endzone to get back into the game, 14-7, with 12:55 left in the opening half.
WSU would get 10 unanswered before halftime, adding a 20-yard passing score and 32-yard FG to lead 24-7 at the break.
No scoring came in the third and Larkin's 1-yard TD run in the fourth was sandwiched between Wayne State field goals. The Wildcats were intercepted in the final two minutes to seal the game, 30-14.
