BIG RAPIDS — The odds were stacked against the Northern Michigan University football team Saturday against No. 2 Ferris State, so the Wildcats traveled downstate knowing they had nothing to lose.

And lose they did, falling 38-10 and giving up 350 rushing yards to arguably the best team in NCAA Division II.

However, it wasn’t a complete disaster as NMU held the Bulldogs to just three points in the first quarter and stayed within striking distance of Ferris until midway through the third quarter.

The Wildcats also forced five fumbles, two on special teams.

Ferris led 3-0 after the first quarter thanks to a 52-yard field goal by Jackson Dieterle before starting to use its powerful running game to its advantage, getting a 14-yard touchdown run from Tyler Minor and a 1-yard score from Marvin Campbell to take a 17-0 advantage into the half.

Campbell led the rushing attack with 15 carries for 85 yards, while Minor had four carries for 82 yards.

NMU got on the scoreboard early in the third on a 20-yard field goal by Daniel Riser, but less than two minutes later, Campbell notched his second touchdown of the game on a 3-yard run.

With the Bulldogs up 24-3, Davontae Harrington then squashed any hopes of a Wildcats comeback with a 3-yard touchdown with 6:28 left in the third.

Minor scored his second touchdown of the day with a 57-yard run just a few seconds into the fourth and Northern got its lone TD with 5:16 left when Johnson found Isaiah Popp for a 12-yard score.

Johnson finished with just 150 passing yards, while the Wildcats had only 252 yards in total offense.

NMU will try to end its three-game skid Saturday when it hosts Wayne State at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Superior Dome.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Writer Ryan Stieg. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.