Northern Michigan University’s Sebastion Toland runs with the ball during the Wildcats’ game against Saginaw Valley State on Saturday at the Superior Dome. (Journal photo by Amy Grigas)

MARQUETTE — It’s been a long and tough season for the Northern Michigan University football team, but this weekend, it will all come to an end.

The Wildcats’ year may have hit its lowest point on Saturday when NMU was pummeled at home by Saginaw Valley State 56-10.

Things won’t get easier as NMU faces Ashland (6-4, 5-2 GLIAC), which has two of the best offensive players in the GLIAC in running back Gei’vonni Washington and quarterback Austin Brenner. Washington leads the conference with 106.6 rushing yards per game and is second in rushing touchdowns with nine, while Brenner is third in passing yards per game (197.7) and third in touchdowns (12).

There’s a plus, though. Just like the Wildcats (1-8, 0-7), the Eagles are coming off a blowout loss, 53-18 to Findlay. That score shows that Ashland struggles defensively as it is seventh in the league in points given up, eighth in passing yards and sixth in rushing yards.

Any competent offense could have a field day against the Eagles defense, but Northern is struggling in that category, something evident last weekend.

“On defense, they’re active in the box and they’re very multiple in what they do with all that pressure,” Wildcats head coach Kyle Nystrom said. “Veteran linebackers. They lost a few players up front on the D-line, but they got a couple older players behind them and they’re functioning well.

“Their secondary has probably been the most change as far as who used to play and who is gone and who is there now. But they do what they do and they do the same kind of things they’ve always done.

“They’re going to be in your face on defense and they’re going to make you throw the ball. We’re going to have to be able to do that to move the ball to be successful. So it’s a great challenge.”

It was a big challenge to move the ball against Saginaw Valley last week as the Cardinals held the Wildcats to just 71 yards passing in addition to 10 points on the scoreboard. Things went even worse on defense as Saginaw racked up 657 yards of offense.

“First of all, on defense, it was funny because we had a (NMU) coaches meeting last week and (Wildcats head hockey coach) Grant (Potulny) went first and said we’re winning, we’re scoring, but we’re not defending well.

“Then I talked next and I said we’re not winning, we’re not scoring, but we’re defending well. Then Saturday came … and we didn’t defend well. We played awful on defense. We just didn’t match up with them where we had to match up with them.

“We tried to do as much offensively as we could. We had some new things in there and new wrinkles and a new quarterback … and at times, we could move the ball on the ground.

“They were playing the ‘Bearcat’ defense and Ferris (State) and Grand Valley (State) and Saginaw are all playing that defense. It’s really a squeeze front and a loaded box and they play man all day. There’s the difference between what those teams do compared to what we can do. They’re rushing four and they’re playing man all day and don’t give anything up.

“When you can do that, it makes your call sheets really light and less effective. In Saturday’s game, I had plenty of calls and personnel groups, but it got small real fast. It’s not fun when you get into that.”

Things may not have been fun this year as the Wildcats have lost eight in a row and are winless in the GLIAC, but Nystrom said that his team will give everything it has to close out the season with a victory.

“We’ll find out what we’re made of, and so far we’ve been good,” Nystrom said. “We had our meeting (Monday) night and we were on the field (Monday) night and we were ready to go (Tuesday). Our players (are) disappointed, but they’ll keep fighting and they’ll keep pushing through.”

Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.