MARQUETTE, Mich. - In a modified spring game against the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs on Saturday at the Superior Dome, the Northern Michigan football team outscored the Bulldogs 20-9 in total, including a touchdown in an arranged overtime session, to come away with a noteworthy spring performance. 

The Wildcats found the endzone three times throughout the day, all coming on the ground from Noah Dobert. He totaled 153 yards on a dozen carries (12.8 YPC), with five carries over 15 yards, and the touchdown hat trick. The NMU ground attack totaled 206 yards on 35 attempts. 

Through the air, Duke Shovald was 4/8 for 63 yards while Isaac Olson had a pair of catches for 41 yards and Hayden May added 31 yards. 

NMU's defense played well, only giving up three field goals and no touchdowns. Jaylen Houston led the way with 10 tackles while adding 0.5 sacks. Tim Shannon Jr. had four tackles and a pass breakup, Rashad Harris had 1.0 sacks and Brady Redmer added 0.5 sacks, Murphy Monreal added an interception, and Mitch Larkin and Jax Hertel each recorded three tackles. 


1st Quarter - 10 plays for each team starting at their own 20
Dobert opened the game with a 35-yard run on the first play. After a 16-yard grab from Olson, Dobert finished off a snappy 4-play, 80-yard TD drive with a 28-yard scamper. 

The Bulldogs made it to midfield in their 10 plays, but were backed up by a holding call and NMU's defense was able to force a 4th down. 


2nd - 16 plays for each team starting at their own 40, alternating 8 plays at a time
After the Wildcats were unable to move the ball much on their first eight plays, the Bulldogs struck with a pair of passes to get inside NMU's 10-yard line. A nice pass breakup from Tyshaun Campbell was followed by a shared sack between Houston and Redmer to force 4th down. The Bulldogs got on the board with a 32-yard field goal. 

Dobert added 15 and 16 yard runs on NMU's second set of eight plays, but a 42-yard FG from Mike Karlen missed right. The Bulldogs entered Northern's territory again, but were once again stopped in the red zone as they settled for another 32-yard field goal. 


3rd - 16 plays for each team starting at opponent 40, alternating 8 plays at a time
The Bulldogs started out with the ball and the Wildcat defense was strong yet again as Rashad Harris recorded a sack and Murphy Monreal picked off a pass over the middle. On NMU's first possession of the third, Cooper LePage added a catch on 4th down. 

On UMD's second possession, the Bulldogs made it into the endzone, but the Wildcats managed another defensive stand on 4th and goal from the 7-yard line. NMU ended the quarter with a 35-yard TD run from Dobert and another 31-yard completion to Hayden May. To end the quarter, Karlen pinned a punt at Duluth's 1-yard line. 


4th - Overtime rules with each team getting a chance to score
The Bulldogs quickly found their way inside the 5-yard line, but the Green and Gold defense stood strong with six stops inside their own five to force a 19-yard field goal. 

On a 3rd and 6, Shovald found Olson for 23 yards to get the ball down to the 3-yard line. On the very next play, the spring game was capped off with Dobert's third score of the game, a 3-yard run up the middle.