UP Gazette

The Northern Michigan University (NMU) football team is set to face the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on Saturday. The Wildcats are aiming for a comeback after last year's 34-3 loss to the Eagles. The game will take place at Veterans Memorial Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

Fans can follow the action through NMU's social media accounts and other online platforms providing live stats and commentary.

Head coach Shane Richardson emphasized the importance of weekly improvement, stating, "We have to make sure we are improving week-to-week. Our team is going where we are leading them, they are willing to take on our messages, and there is a ton of buy in."

In their previous game against Kentucky Wesleyan, NMU fell short with a score of 33-13 despite freshman Jahi Wood's notable 96-yard rushing performance. Nico Lukkarinen scored his first career touchdown during the match.

Key players for NMU include junior linebacker Mitch Larkin, who led the conference in total tackles last season, and sophomore linebacker Jax Hertel. Quarterback Aidan Hoard returns after stepping up as a true freshman last year due to an injury in the starting lineup.

The Wildcats' schedule includes games across three states early in the season before returning to Michigan for their remaining matches. With nearly half of their roster being first-year players, NMU fields one of the youngest teams nationally.

UW-La Crosse enters this matchup following a strong start with a 35-0 victory over RPI. Their quarterback Zach Weir delivered an impressive performance with 279 passing yards and three touchdowns.

Shane Richardson leads NMU's coaching staff into their second season together, with new additions Joe Gatz and Kadalls Siner joining as position coaches.