This story was written by NMU Sports Information. Click the AUDIO bitto to hear RRN”s Casey Ford interview NMU Coach Shane Richardson.
MIDLAND, Mich. - The Northern Michigan football team dropped another tight game on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Northwood Timberwolves 23-18 at Hantz Stadium in Midand.
NMU (0-2) has now lost 24 strraight football games, after 0-11 seasons in both 2023 and 2024.
It was another hard-fought contest for the Green and Gold, but for the second consecutive week, the 'Cats fell just short of getting back in the win column.
It was the passing game that was working for NMU, as Duke Shovald threw for 232 yards (14-24) while the ground game accounted for 164. Shovald connected with Hayden May for a touchdown, and Jahi Wood added another rushing. Michael Karlen also kicked a 40-yard field goal, and Damarcus Chappell stopped a run for a safety to complete the scoring.
Noah Dobert ran the ball 14 times for 89 yards to lead the team in rushing, while Isaac Olson hauled in a 60-yard reception to pace the aerial attack.
The Wildcats outgained the Timberwolves 396 to 255 and had 10 more first downs, but NMU was plagued by turnovers, suffering three (2 INT, 1 FUM) while Northwood did not turn the ball over.
Jax Hertel led the defense with seven tackles, two of those coming for a loss. Jake Price and Brady Redmer shared a sack, and Xavier Martinez broke up a pass.
Northwood opened the scoring with a 15-yard TD run from Devin Brown at 11:12 of the first quarter, capitalizing on an early Wildcat fumble. They'd add a field goal just a few minutes later to push the score to 10-0 with 7:03 left in the first.. NMU got on the board early in the second quarter when Chappell read an outside handoff and buried the rusher in the endzone for a safety. NMU trailed 10-2 with 12:10 left in the opening half.
The Wildcats then found the endzone on a Jahi Wood 3-yard run, capping off an impressive 8-play, 80-yard drive. An unsuccessful 2-point conversion kept the score at 10-8 with 7:47 before halftime. The Timberwolves added another FG with 3:08 left to maintain a 13-8 lead at halftime.
The second half opened just how the Wildcats didn't want it to. The Timberwolves took the kickoff back 97 yards to quickly jump back ahead by two scores, 20-8. NMU added the only other score in the third quarter, a 40-yard FG from Karlen at 8:38. Northwood led 20-11 going to the final frame.
A 25-yard Northwood FG made it 23-11 with 7:50 to play. The Wildcats got the ball back late with just over 90 seconds left, and Shovald led a methodical 11-play, 97-yard drive in just 1:31 to close the gap to 23-18. Shovald connected with May for his first career score from 13 yards out. An onside kick attempt in the final seconds was unsuccessful, giving Northwood the victory.
After Jack Murray forced and recovered a fumble on the opening drive of the game for Northwood, the Timberwolves marched right down the field. NU went 47 yards in four plays, finding the end zone on a Devin Brown 15-yard touchdown run to go up 7-0.
The Timberwolves got a stop on the next NMU drive and took over at the Wildcat 48-yard line after a Carter Minix 33-yard punt return. Seven plays later, Drew Cady connected on his first career field goal, a 33-yarder that made the score 10-0.
NU had a chance to extend their lead on their next possession, getting all the way down to the NMU five before failing to convert on fourth down, keeping the score at 10-0 after one.
Northern Michigan made a big play early in the second quarter to get on the board. A tackle for loss in the endzone resulted in a safety to make the score 10-2
The Wildcats then drove 80 yards in eight plays after the free kick, scoring a touchdown to get within two at 10-8.
Northwood responded on the following drive, getting all the way to the NMU one before settling for a Cady 19-yard field goal to make the score 13-8 at halftime.
The Timberwolves opened the second half with a big play, as Minix took the second half kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. That return extended the lead to 20-8
NMU came right back with a 64-yard drive that resulted in a field goal to make the score 20-11.
Neither team was able to put up any points the remainder of the third, sending the game to the final quarter with NU leading 20-11.
Minix once again came up with a big play on special teams early in the fourth quarter, returning a punt 39 yards to the NMU 37. That set up Cady for his third field goal of the day, a 25-yarder that put NU on top 23-11.
Northern Michigan continued to fight but needed until the final moments of the game to make it a one-possession contest. NMU's TD made the score 23-18 with seven seconds remaining.
The Wildcats were unable to recover the onside kick, giving Northwood the victory.
The Wildcats will return to the Superior Dome next Saturday, hosting Division I St. Thomas with a 1 p.m. kickoff.
