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MARQUETTE — Northern Michigan University announced Thursday its fall football schedule of 10 games that starts at the end of August and runs through the second weekend of November.

It comes just in time as NMU’s spring practice ends with today’s spring game-controlled scrimmage at 1 p.m. in the Superior Dome.

The 10 games this fall include six at home in the Superior Dome and six that will be played in the GLIAC. For the first time in several years, the slate doesn’t include a second nonconference game against a league opponent.

Northern Michigan University quarterback Zach Keen, left, is hit by Michigan Tech defender Josh Cribben during their Miners Cup football game played at Kearly Field in Houghton on Oct. 15. (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette photo by Dave Archambeau)

Instead, the nonconference schedule is four games against teams from four states representing four other conferences.

But within the GLIAC, the featured game has to be the home contest against Upper Peninsula rival Michigan Tech for the Miners Cup at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14.

The Wildcats and their new head coach Shane Richardson have a big score to settle with MTU, which has won the last 12 in a row in this series, including last fall’s 21-7 triumph in Houghton.

Richardson, who played football himself for the Wildcats in the late 1990s, has an entirely new coaching staff and what is touted as a healthy balance of returning and incoming talent.

The MTU game is the third of six GLIAC games in a row for Northern, which opens conference play at two-time defending national champion Ferris State on Sept. 30.

Northern Michigan University quarterback Zach Keen runs around the end looking for daylight in a game against Davenport played at the Superior Dome in Marquette on Oct. 8. (Photo courtesy NMU)

Then they go to Davenport on Oct. 7 before the Huskies come to town.

Following the Miners Cup game, NMU remains home to face Grand Valley State on Oct. 21 and Wayne State on Oct. 28. Both those home games are set to start at 1 p.m.

The league season ends with a game at Saginaw Valley State on Nov. 4.

Around the league schedule are the nonconference encounters, including the season opener at Minnesota-Duluth at 7 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Aug. 31. That’s the only non-Saturday game for the Wildcats all season.

They follow with a home game against Lake Erie College of Painesville, Ohio, at 1 p.m. on Sept. 9, then one more home game against Wisconsin-La Crosse for homecoming at 2 p.m. on Sept. 16.

The following weekend is an open date before the Wildcats jump into their GLIAC schedule.

Finally, NMU’s last game of the season is also nonconference, a home game against Northern State of Aberdeen, South Dakota, at 1 p.m. on Nov. 11.

Each of Northern’s half-dozen home games will have a theme, including Community Day and Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day on Sept. 9, Band Day on Oct. 21, Youth Sports Day on Oct. 28 and Military Appreciation Day and Senior Day on Nov. 11.

Fans can see the entire schedule and other information on the team by visiting the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com under football, or going directly to the schedule at https://nmuwildcats.com/sports/football/schedule.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.