UP Gazette

The Northern Michigan University (NMU) Wildcats football team is set to face Grand Valley State University (GVSU) this Saturday in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) matchup. The game will take place in Allendale at 7 p.m. The Wildcats, currently holding a 0-5 record, aim to secure their first win of the season against the Lakers, who are ranked No. 2 with a perfect 5-0 record according to the latest AFCA D2 Coaches Poll.

Fans can follow updates on X, formerly known as Twitter, through @NMU_Football and @NMU_Wildcats.

Head Coach Shane Richardson emphasized the importance of execution and persistence for his team: "... you've got to execute, and you've got to continue to find ways to battle back and forth and [continue] finding a way to be more productive and just be more persistent."

In their previous game, NMU suffered a heavy defeat against Saginaw Valley State with a score of 63-14. Despite the loss, there were notable performances from players like Jahi Wood who scored his first career touchdown and Vince Martin who also secured his first rushing touchdown. Michael Love led with 103 receiving yards on six catches while Mitch Larkin made eight tackles.

The Wildcats feature one of the youngest teams nationally with nearly half of their roster being first-year players. Freshman Jahi Wood ranks fourth in conference rushing yards. Mitch Larkin stands second in GLIAC for tackles this season.

Grand Valley State's strong performance has been highlighted by its third-place national ranking in rushing yards per game and fourth in scoring defense. Key contributors include Khalil Eichelberger with 487 rushing yards and Kenneth Moore along with QB Avery Moore adding significant yardage on the ground.