'Cats Suffer Another Overtime Heartbreaker, 27-24
Story written by NMU Sports Information. Also click the AUDIO buttons to hear player spotlight interviews with sophomores Justin Peake and Wyatt Davis.
MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University Football team welcomed the Davenport Panthers to town for a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup, and the second meeting between the schools in the 2022 campaign.
The game went into overtime where both teams got a possession. The Panthers were able to convert a field goal and the Wildcats were intercepted on the game's final play. The Panthers were able to hang on 27-24.
It was NMU's second loss in overtime at the Superior Dome this season, after also losing to McKendree in extra time. NMU is now 3-3 on the season.
The Wildcats won the toss and elected to defer to the second half, so the Panthers got possession of the ball first.
On the Panthers' first possession they methodically moved the ball down the field. They completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.
The Panthers got the ball right back and started moving it down the field before they were faced with a fourth down. The Wildcat defense stood tall and forced the turnover on downs to get the ball back for their offense.
Looking to avoid another three and out, Zach Keen dropped back and found Wyatt Davis over the middle for 20-yards and a first down. Not able to move the ball much further the Wildcats punted it away.
After the punt, the Panthers took advantage of the good field position. They completed a ten-yard route, and the receiver took it the distance for a 54-yard touchdown.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was Panthers 14, Wildcats 0.
Drake Davis entered the game as Quarterback for the Wildcats after Zach Keen lost his helmet and had to come out for a play. Davis completed a 22-yard pass to Kenyon'TA Skinner. Not able to do much after the completion, the Wildcats punted.
Needing a big stop, the Wildcat defense forced a three-and-out.
The Wildcats needed to put a drive together to put some points on the board. The drive got started with a seven-yard completion from Zach Keen to Brenden Sersaw. Zach Keen took the direct snap and ran around the right side for a nine-yard gain and a first down.
After a few more completions by Keen, the Wildcats were in field goal range. Daniel Riser lined up the kick and drilled it from 47 yards out. Panthers 14, Wildcats 3.
The Panthers moved the ball down the field on their next possession, but DJ Hutcherson jumped a route and came away with an interception to halt the Panther drive.
Neither team could do much when they had the ball for the rest of the second quarter. The game went into halftime with a score of 14-3 in favor of the Panthers.
The third quarter started with a bang. The Panthers kickoff and Tyquan Cox returned the opening kickoff 98 yards down to the one-yard line. Tyshon King took the direct snap and punched it in from one yard away. The Wildcats now trailed 14-10.
After the touchdown, the Panthers were able to put another touchdown on the board making it a 21-10 game.
The Wildcats went three and out on their next possession, giving the ball right back to the Panthers.
The Panthers started moving the ball, but the Wildcat defense forced them to punt it away.
Back-to-back three and outs by both the Panthers and the Wildcats brought us to the end of the third quarter. Panthers 21, Wildcats 10.
Drake Davis entered the game at quarterback. Davis got right to work completing a 27-yard pass to Kyle Sahr.
A few plays later Davis found himself avoiding the rush and seeing nothing but green grass in front of him. Davis ran around the right end and dove for the pylon for a 13-yard touchdown.
The Wildcats were right back in the ball game. 21-17 in favor of the Panthers.
The Wildcats' defense rose to the occasion and forced a punt by the Panthers.
The Panthers came away with an interception to gain back possession.
On the second play of the Panthers' possession, a miscommunication from the Panthers led to a Tavion McCarthy interception to get the ball right back.
With just over five minutes left in the game, the Wildcats had the ball and needed a touchdown to win.
Drake Davis picked up a first down using his legs, then completed a deep pass down the left sideline to Wyatt Davis for a 25-yard pickup. Wyatt Davis worked across the field as Drake Davis moved that way and the two connected for a huge pickup.
The Wildcats were faced with a fourth and four. Drake Davis took the snap and rolled out left, after faking the handoff Tyshon King ran out on a route and Davis found King for a seven-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats a 24-21 lead.
There were still 37 seconds left in the game and the Panthers needed a field goal to force overtime. The Panthers were able to gain the necessary yardage to set up a field goal attempt.
The attempt was from 36 yards away and the kick was good.
The game headed to overtime all square at 24.
The Panthers got possession first in overtime. They didn't do much with it and were forced to kick a field goal. The field goal attempt was good and the Panthers led 27-24.
The Wildcats now got a chance to tie the game with a field goal or win the game with a touchdown.
Faced with a fourth down and the game on the line, the Wildcats had to get anything they could on the play. They were forced to throw it downfield and see if someone could make a play. The Panther defender was in the right place at the right time and came away with the game-sealing interception. Final/OT: Panthers 27, Wildcats 24.
Daniel Riser connected on a 47-yard field goal for the first points of the game for the Wildcats.
DJ Hutcherson came away with a drive-killing interception.
Tyquan Cox returned the opening kickoff of the second half 98 yards to set up a touchdown.
Tyshon King found the endzone just 27 seconds into the second half from one yard away.
Drake Davis used his legs to find the endzone on a 13-yard rushing touchdown.
Tavion McCarthy came away with an interception to give the Wildcats the ball back.
Tyshon King was able to squeeze it in the left pylon on a seven-yard pass from Drake Davis to take the lead late in the fourth quarter.
Drake Davis led the way through the air. Davis completed 10 of 17 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown.
Tyshon King led the way on the ground with 56 yards rushing and a touchdown. King found the endzone through the air as well.
Wyatt Davis caught three passes for 66 yards on nine targets. Breden Sersaw led the team in targets with ten, he caught five of those for 27 yards.
Tyquan Cox had 154 return yards on the day.
Antonio Howard had a game-high 15 tackles, while Justin Peake added 14, and Brian Schieweck added 10.
DJ Hutcherson and Tavion McCarthy both came away with interceptions at key moments in the game.
The Wildcats will travel up to Houghton to take on their rival the Michigan Tech University Huskies for the Miners cup. The Wildcats will look to snap an 11-game losing streak to the Huskies.
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