UP Gazette

The Northern Michigan University football team will play its first road game of the season on Saturday, September 6, against Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. The Wildcats are coming off a close 44-37 loss to Minnesota State Moorhead in their season opener.

Saturday's game marks the beginning of the season for Northwood. Fans can watch the matchup live on Flo College or listen to it on 100.3 The Point, with Casey Ford providing commentary.

Head coach Shane Richardson addressed his team's performance last week and their approach moving forward: "There is great belief in being so close and jumping out to a 21-0 start. We need to learn how to handle the success of being in the game and knowing you have to continue to put the hammer down. Our guys take great responsibility with it, and they are hungry to come back and do it even better this week."

In their previous game, Northern Michigan started strong with a 21-0 lead and maintained a 27-15 advantage at halftime before Minnesota State Moorhead came back with a dominant second half. The Wildcats focused on running the ball, recording 291 rushing yards from 59 attempts as part of their total offense of 384 yards. Quarterback Austin Ridl led with a career-high 106 rushing yards, while teammates Noah Dobert and Jahi Wood added significant contributions on the ground.

Ridl, Wood, and Nico Lukkarinen each scored rushing touchdowns for NMU. Duke Shovald threw one touchdown pass to Jake Heemstra for Northern’s only score through the air.

Minnesota State Moorhead relied heavily on passing, completing 35 passes compared to Northern’s seven. MSUM quarterback Jack Strand tied his program's record by throwing six touchdown passes for 336 yards; Gage Florence was his main target with three touchdowns among his 17 catches.

On defense for NMU, Mitch Larkin made twelve tackles while Jax Hertel recorded eleven tackles along with an interception returned for a touchdown—his second career pick-six.

This season differs from last year when NMU played its first three games in different states; this year they remain within Michigan borders for all but one contest—a midseason trip to Roosevelt (Chicago). Under third-year head coach Shane Richardson, NMU returns several key players including All-GLIAC Second Team selections Jahi Wood (RB), Daniel Babcock (OL), and Jax Hertel (LB). In total, thirty lettermen return—more than half were starters last year.

Wood leads a group that produced over seventy percent of NMU’s offensive output last season and ranked third in conference rushing at nearly 178 yards per game. Vince Martin and Nico Lukkarinen also contributed significantly last year alongside new additions such as redshirt freshman Noah Dobert who had three touchdowns during spring practice.

Defensively, Hertel finished among conference leaders in solo tackles last year while senior Mitch Larkin led all GLIAC tacklers two seasons ago. Both bring experience to anchor NMU’s defense.

The university is also marking fifty years since its national championship win in 1975 under quarterback Steve Mariucci; celebrations are planned from October 9–11.

Other notable players include defensive back Xavier Martinez who played every game as a freshman last year leading NMU in pass breakups; linebacker Jaylen Houston transferred from Eastern Kentucky after playing twenty games there; wide receiver Isaac Olson is expected to lead an updated receiving corps after contributing eight catches as a freshman.

Northwood enters after finishing last season at six wins and five losses; they were picked fifth in their conference preseason poll. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Ethan Hamby returns after passing for nearly nine hundred yards while running back Devin Brown rushed for almost seven hundred yards last year. Defensive back Cole Simpson leads Northwood’s defense following sixty-six tackles during the previous campaign.

Historically, Northern Michigan holds a twenty-seven-to-fourteen edge over Northwood but has lost its past three away games against them. Their most recent meeting was won by NMU in Marquette four years ago.