MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University Football team will host Davenport University this weekend in the Superior Dome, as they host the Panthers for NMU's 126th Homecoming.
Northern nearly pulled off a historic upset against a Division I opponent last weekend, leading St. Thomas 7-6 midway through the fourth quarter, but ultimately falling short 20-7. Despite the loss, the 'Cats continued to show improvement and set the tone on both sides of the ball.
The Wildcat defense was stout, limiting the Tommies to just 54 rushing yards compared to the Wildcat's 129.
Saturday's game can be watched on FLO College or listened to live on 100.3 The Point, with Casey Ford on the call.
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Follow @NMU_Football and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly known as Twitter) for updates leading up to and during the game.
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From the Coach
"I have a theory that pretty much every game is affected by 3 to 5 plays no matter what the score is." said Head Coach
Shane Richardson on Tuesday. "You go back to Saturday, and that's really what it was, until about six minutes and 10 seconds left. I thought things were really in our favor in a lot of ways, and then we kind of made some poor decisions."
What Happened Last Week
Northern dropped a close physical game 20-7, against the St. Thomas Tommies last weekend. The Wildcats held onto a 7-6 lead over the Tommies, when St. Thomas completed two back-to-back 70+ yard touchdown drives deep into the fourth quarter.
The defensive unit for the 'Cats was flying around, stacking up seven tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and three sacks while limiting the pass game to 221 yards.
Jax Hertel continued to show why he was named a captain of the team in late August. He was seemingly everywhere, accumulating a career-best 14 tackles while also having a pass breakup and a part in three tackles for loss.
Offensively, the Wildcats were led by Quarterback
Duke Shovald, who completed 11 passes for 133 yards. Shovald spread the rock around, having three receivers with 40+ yards:
Sebastian Boyea (49),
Trevor Theuerkauf (43), and
Isaac Olson (41).
Jahi Wood (49) led the team in rushing while posting the Wildcats' only touchdown in the third quarter.
What to Expect
The Wildcats field a 25th-ranked defense, which will be leaned on heavily to control the tempo, and create extra opportunities for the playmakers on the Wildcats' offense. Establishing the run early will be important for the 'Cats, who are averaging 54 rushing attempts per game. Running backs
Jahi Wood and
Noah Dobert continue to split the carries for NMU, with Dobert averaging 76 yards per game and Wood being the team's leading scorer with three touchdowns.
NMU has been sound defensively, holding their last two opponents to under 20 points. A lot of focus will be on Northern's rush defense, allowing just 2.5 yards per attempt, leaving open opportunities to capitalize in the pass game. Northern ranks 108th in passing yards allowed, despite having 11 pass breakups and one interception through three weeks.
About the Panthers
Across the sideline is Davenport, looking to build off a 1-1 start under head coach Sparky McEwen. The Panthers are fresh off an overtime defeat last weekend vs. Truman State, a game in which they lost 28-27. Like the Wildcats, Davenport is another rush-heavy team with a two-to-one rush-pass ratio. DU also fields a 38th-ranked offense and an 88th-ranked scoring offense. The Panthers are led by dual-threat duo quarterback D'Wan Mathis and running back Cephus Harris. Mathis, a graduate student, is a key component to the offense, averaging 171 passing yards per game while also tallying 90 yards on his feet this season. Harris is the backbone of the Panthers' offense, averaging 150 all-purpose yards per game, while also being Davenport's leading scorer with five touchdowns.
Defensively, Davenport embodies the bend-don't-break mentality. Ranking 76th in rushing defense, 118th in passing yards allowed, and tied for 36th in scoring defense.
Keys to Victory for NMU
The Wildcats have shown flashes of both an explosive rushing attack and a steady passing game, but putting together a full four quarters remains the next step. Here are some keys to victory for NMU.
Convert 3rd downs and Red Zone opportunities. NMU is 89% on Redzone opportunities this season, with seven of nine tries ending in a touchdown.
Protect the football and limit interceptions. NMU has lost the ball four times while throwing three interceptions.
Ride the energy. A high-flying physical defense can provide a spark that some teams don't have. With the added energy of a homecoming game, having that X factor is crucial for the home team.
2025 GLIAC Football Preseason Poll
1. Ferris State, 47 (6)
2. Grand Valley State, 41 (1)
3. Saginaw Valley State, 38 (1)
4. Davenport, 31
5. Michigan Tech, 28
6. Wayne State, 16
7. Roosevelt, 12
8. Northern Michigan, 11
