Northern Michigan University quarterback Drake Davis points while carrying the ball during the Wildcats’ game against Davenport at the Superior Dome on Saturday in Marquette. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MARQUETTE — Offensive stalwarts Drake Davis, Tyshon King and Benjamin Loutsis keyed Northern Michigan University to its second football victory of the season, a 20-14 victory over GLIAC foe Davenport on Saturday afternoon.

While the game is considered nonconference as the teams will play their regular GLIAC game in three weeks, the victory allowed the Wildcats to climb back over the .500 mark at 2-1 and rebound from the previous weekend’s disappointing loss to NCAA Division III power Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

This is the latest in a season NMU has been over .500 since 2016, when that Wildcat team started 3-2 before losing its last six games.

Saturday also marked Northern’s first win over a conference opponent since beating Wayne State on Nov. 3, 2018.

“Well, we played so bad against Oshkosh, and (our team) came back and made some things right again,” NMU head coach Kyle Nystrom said after the game. “That’s what we said we needed to do, and we played hard, we played pretty physical.

“We missed a few tackles here and there, we covered pretty well. Bottom line as a group, though, they took the wrong from last week and made it a right today, so I’m very happy for the players and I’m proud of them. I congratulated them, that was their win today.”

At quarterback, Davis completed 17 of 28 passes for 176 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, adding 14 rushes for 132 yards and another TD as Northern’s leading rusher.

“He’s ad-libbing, that’s him dropping back and taking off,” Nystrom said. “He’s been doing that since he was in high school and that’s why we liked him so much. But that’s what he did in high school, if things would break down he’d take off and hurt the defense. So he does that and he’ll still throw on the run.

“He’s playing better, he’s been off for a long time. I’ve been supportive of his time to adjust because it’s been a long time since he’s stepped out on that field and he gets better every game.”

Like most NCAA Division II teams, the Wildcats did not play football last fall.

King, a running back, had a nice day on the ground, averaging 6.5 yards per carry with 15 carries for 97 yards.

And Loutsis, a wide receiver, caught seven passes for 97 yards, including a 25-yard TD from Davis in the first quarter.

“Benny Loutsis played like I’ve wanted to see Benny Loutsis play for five years,” Nystrom said. “What he did (Saturday), that’s what he can do. He just needs to keep doing it because he’s that guy, he can do that.”

The game started out like a shootout with each team scored a pair of TDs in the first quarter.

Davenport took the opening kickoff and scored about 3 1/2 minutes later on a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Deondre Ford.

NMU answered back immediately, taking its first time with the ball down the field and culminating in a 25-yard strike from Davis to Loutsis with 8:08 left.

After each team did little with the ball on their next possessions, Davenport drove 79 yards late in the quarter and retook a 14-7 lead on a 9-yard TD run by Kyshawn Richards.

NMU responded with an explosive 55-yard scoring run from Davis, who ad-libbed once again and dashed into the end zone with 20 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.

Kicker Daniel Riser’s extra point was blocked by Davenport, so the Panthers held onto a slim 14-13 lead.

After that, though, there was just one more score, the Wildcats’ winning TD on a brother-to-brother connection after the second-half kickoff.

Drake Davis found his brother Wyatt Davis for a 27-yard TD with 12:17 left in the third.

After that, the NMU defense stiffened with the Panthers hardly making any yardage on their next four possessions, only getting out of their end of the field once.

Davenport had one last gasp during the middle of the fourth quarter, putting together a 12-play, 60-yard drive that ended on downs at the NMU 18-yard line when Northern’s Andre Whitley broke up a 4th-and-5 pass by Ford.

Earlier in the second quarter, Wildcats cornerback Antonio Howard intercepted Ford. The Davenport QB was also sacked twice, one shared by Whitley and Jacob Dudeck and the other by Michael Nehf and Colt Doherty.

Injuries in the secondary resulted in NMU cornerback Kobie Jamison making his first start, while safety Josh Shodipo also shifted over to corner.

“We had some hiccups to burp out and get some guys playing, but they got more confidence as they went through the game,” Nystrom said.

After having 17 penalties assessed against them last week in the loss, NMU cut them down to only eight vs. Davenport.

The ‘Cats also surpassed 400 yards of offense with 402, and held Davenport under 300 yards — 299 — despite its banged-up defense.

Whitley had 11 tackles and fellow linebacker Will Borchert did him one better with a dozen.

Conference play opens on Saturday on the road against Northwood, where the Wildcats’ focus will quickly shift.

“Well, we’ll be happy for 24 hours and then we’ll put it away and get ready for Northwood,” Nystrom said immediately after the game. “I’ll be chomping at the bit like nothing good has happened to me by probably 5 o’clock Sunday. Because I’ll meet with the team in the afternoon and get them on their way, and then it’ll be time to break down Northwood and get ready to go down there next week.”

Travis Nelson can be reached by email at tnelson@miningjournal.net.