NMU Football Team Drops Season Finale In Ohio
This story was produced by NMU Sports Information
FINDLAY, Ohio---Findlay used a last-second field goal to down the Northern Michigan football team, 45-42, Saturday afternoon at Donnell Stadium in the final game of the 2015 campaign for both teams.
The Oilers regained possession with 4:52 remaining in regulation and marched 56 yards down the field to set up Tyler Bugeja's game-winning 30-yard field goal.
After Findlay leapt out to a 7-0 lead with a 64-yard touchdown at 10:48 in the first quarter, the Wildcats responded by scoring the game's next two touchdowns.
First, Shaye Brown connected with Keyondre Craig for a 28-yard score at 8:35. Then, he found Trey Hipke for a five-yard touchdown at 3:29.
Findlay knotted the game at 14 apiece when Rhys Gervais found Tim Szabo for an 85-yard score with 3:17 on the clock. Northern Michigan regrouped, scoring a touchdown of its own on its next drive. Just seven seconds had ticked off the clock in the second quarter when Brown found Craig for his second touchdown of the game and a 21-14 lead.
The Wildcats opened up a 14-point lead, their largest of the game, after a Jake Mayon seven-yard touchdown rush capped a 61-yard drive at 11:01 in the second quarter. But the teams would ultimately go to the half tied, 28-28, after the Oilers found the end zone on their next two drives.
In the second half, Northern Michigan and Findlay traded scores, and neither was able to draw ahead by more than a touchdown. The Wildcats' touchdowns were scored by Terrance Dye at 4:10 in the third quarter and Mayon at 13:25 in the fourth; each was a one-yard rush that capped a lengthy drive.
With 264 yards in the game, Brown became the Northern Michigan single-season passing yards record holder. The junior quarterback, who set the Wildcat single-season touchdown record at Walsh Oct. 31, finished with 3,123 yards.
He is the only Northern Michigan quarterback to surpass 3,000 yards in a season and broke Kyle Swenor's record by 173.
Mayon finished with a game-high 134 rushing yards while Craig (94), Marcus Tucker (72) and Escanaba's Austin Young(61) breached 50 receiving yards. Defensively, the Wildcats were paced by Julian Hornback, who posted 11 tackles, and Dante Holmes, who recorded seven tackles and two sacks.
Northern Michigan finishes the season 5-6 (4-6 GLIAC).
|