Several Northern Michigan University defensive players wait between plays on the Superior Dome field during a home game played in Marquette earlier this season. From left are freshman linebacker Jax Hertel, graduate student and lineman Caleb Wright and junior linebacker Justin Peake. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MARQUETTE — Things really can only get better for the Northern Michigan University football team after the Wildcats suffered a 78-3 thrashing at the hands of the No. 1 team in NCAA Division II, Ferris State, last Saturday in Big Rapids.

That is true, isn’t it?

The Bulldogs were and are not only No. 1, but were coming off a close 17-10 loss to a team in a division about them, Division I FCS Montana, in their previous game. And Ferris is the two-time defending Division II national champion.

This week offers another GLIAC opponent, Davenport, and again on the road, this time at 2 p.m. today in the Grand Rapids suburb of Caledonia.

Technically, the Panthers could even be better than Ferris as each has won their only conference game, but Davenport is a perfect 4-0 while ranked No. 16 in Division II.

DU has beaten nonconference opponents Thomas More 31-17, Bowie State 24-19 and William Jewell 55-27, all at home, and taken out Michigan Tech 28-0 last Saturday in Houghton. Those opponents have a somewhat modest 11-7 combined record.

Davenport rolled up 356 yards offense on MTU as quarterback Jason Whittaker threw one touchdown pass and for 150 yards, Myren Harris rushed for 114 yards and Caleef Jenkins ran for 61 yards and two TDs.

Today’s game will be broadcast on WUPT 100.3 FM The Point, while Northern fans can follow the team @NMU_Football and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates leading up to and during the game. Or they can go to the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the football’s team schedule for links to live statistics, live video and live audio of the game.

NMU stands 0-5 under new head coach Shane Richardson, but he’s happy to look for a silver lining in his team’s rough start.

“We have a clear lens knowing that we have a lot to work on and we are in a place where we have to shift our mentality to the competitive spirit and confidence it takes to go in there and give ourselves a chance,” he said in an NMU Sports Information press release previewing today’s game.

This game marks the Wildcats’ third consecutive road game. After today, they return home for three straight weeks, starting with their annual Miner’s Cup game against Upper Peninsula rival Michigan Tech at 7 p.m. next Saturday. The game will not only be broadcast on the radio, but will be televised on either WLUC-TV6 or Fox-U.P.

NMU has some encouraging statistical information to offer. Quarterback Mariano Valenti, a transfer this season from Division I Temple, is fourth in the GLIAC in passing yards per game at 183.0.

Teammate Tyquan Cox is sixth in rushing yards per game at 60.2, Sam Peiffer is tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns with two, Mitch Larkin leads the GLIAC in total tackles with 51, of which 31 are solo, and freshman Jax Hertel is tied for third in interceptions with two.

In addition, Northern is the least penalized team in the league with 3.6 penalties and 26.8 yards per game, which rank NMU in the top three nationally in both categories.

But none of those numbers mattered a week ago, when Ferris tied the all-time NMU record for points allowed in a game while the Bulldogs rolled up the most yards rushing ever against the Wildcats, 497.

Northern averted the shutout and a tie for worst margin of defeat ever in team history when Michael Karlen booted a 42-yard field with just over a minute left in the first half. Nevertheless, NMU still trailed 55-3 at halftime.

Karlen has made five of nine field goals this season for a team averaging a bit under 13 points per game. His longest is 44 yards as he hit on two of four from 40 to 49 yards. He’s also two of three in the 30-39 range and one of two from 20-29.

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