The Northern Michigan University defense, right, lines up for a play against Ferris State at the Superior Dome in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University football team had a huge hill to climb, but couldn’t pull out a win in its final home game of the season at the Superior Dome on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats lost 55-9 to national No. 2 Ferris State to fall to 0-9 overall and 0-5 in the GLIAC. The Bulldogs improved to 8-1 and 5-0.

NMU had one of its best plays all season long to allow its offense to score some points in the fourth quarter. With 6:35 remaining, senior quarterback Jake Bilitz connected with wide receiver Michael Love, also a senior, for a 78-yard touchdown catch, the longest score either has been involved in during their collegiate careers.

With the play starting at Northern’s 22-yard line, the play was described as a pass to the deep right to Love at the Ferris 45 as Love ran the rest of the way to the end zone, according to the play-by-play synopsis in the statistics at the NMU athletics website, nmuwildcats.com.

It was the third play of a quick drive that was almost the Wildcats’ final offensive play at home this season, as Ferris State kept the ensuing possession until turning the ball over on downs at the NMU 1-yard line with 41 seconds remaining.

Earlier in the latter stages of the second quarter, Northern’s Vince Martin blocked a Mitchell Middleton punt out of the end zone for a safety. Their only punt attempt of the day, Middleton was punting from his own 22 with the play occurring with 4:48 left in the second.

Ferris scored the only TD of the first quarter when Sefa Saipaia returned an NMU fumble 56 yards to paydirt, and with Middleton’s kick, led 7-0.

Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, not only one of the top passers in the GLIAC but also one of its top rushers, scored the first of his two running TDs near the midpoint of the second quarter, about three minutes before the Wildcats’ safety.

Along with a Brady Rose 11-yard TD run and Chambliss 4-yard TD run in the final four minutes of the second quarter, the Bulldogs led 27-2 at halftime.

Ferris tacked on three more lengthy TD runs in the third — a 66-yarder by Kannon Katzer, a 28-yarder by Chase Carter, who was another FSU QB, and a 34-yarder by James Coby — that made it 48-2 entering the fourth.

Tae Boyd caught a 35-yard pass from Carter near the midpoint of the fourth before Northern’s Bilitz and Love hooked up for the game’s final points.

The Bulldogs rolled up a more than 2-to-1 advantage in yards, 507-246. After de-emphasizing its passing game recently, NMU actually had a few more yards passing than rushing, 124-122, while Ferris had 325 yards rushing — 7.7 yards per rush — and 182 yards passing.

But Northern lost the turnover battle, 2-1, all on fumbles, even while winning the time of possession, 30:40 to 29:20.

Bilitz completed just 2 of 8 passes, but they were for 105 yards, while regular starting QB Aidan Hoard was 2 of 2 for 19 yards.

Love had two catches for 92 yards and fellow receiver Sam Peiffer two for 32.

On the ground, freshman Jahi Wood led NMU with 48 yards in 15 attempts, while Bilitz had seven for 39 yards, Martin six for 13 yards and Negaunee High School product Nico Lukkarinen eight for 9 yards. Kai Lacar, another Negaunee grad, also got a carry.

On defense, NMU’s Jhermari Mabry had a fumble recovery, while Jax Hertel was one of three Wildcats with six tackles as three of his were for losses.

Teammates Andrew Stewart and Luc Damiani each had a pass breakup, Jason Coulter a QB sack and Kennarius Chandler a QB hurry.

With two games remaining, next on the Wildcats’ docket is a game in Grand Rapids against Davenport at noon Saturday. The Panthers are 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the GLIAC.

NMU’s best chance to win is its final game in Detroit against Wayne State at 1 p.m. on Nov. 16. The Warriors are also 0-9 overall, but with an 0-5 record in the league.

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