Wildcats football looks for 2 wins in a row
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Northern Michigan University's Carter Schmitt, center, puts a leg tackle on Tiffin's Ronald Blackman during their game played at the Superior Dome in Marquette on Sept. 5. (Photo courtesy Cara Camps)
The Wildcats are coming off their first win of first-year head coach Matt Janus' tenure after they defeated Roosevelt 27-10 in the Superior Dome on Saturday.
Now NMU can repeat something it accomplished at the end of last year's 3-8 turnaround campaign -- win two in a row.
In 2025, Northern won its second straight by defeating Wayne State at home to end the season, 45-11, on a day that the NCAA Division II record books were nearly rewritten.
At the time a redshirt freshman, Wildcats running back Noah Dobert ran wild for an almost-all-time record 406 yards on the ground, including TD scampers of 56, 52, 64 and 72 yards as he carried the ball 32 times.
The D-II record book lists the record at 425 yards.
Now Northern is facing the same Wayne State outfit at noon Saturday, this time, though, in Detroit.
Just like last year, Wayne State enters this game against NMU winless, this season at 0-8 overall and 0-4 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
NMU is a modest 1-7 and 1-3, but is on a win "streak" of one just the same.
The game is available to watch on FloCollege or can be heard on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point. Fans can also follow @NMU_Football on Instagram and X for updates, or visit the Northern athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the football schedule for links to live video, live audio, live statistics and a preview.
"With our group, where we've started to make the biggest change over the last two to three weeks is we're finally practicing to the standard I want to practice at," Janus said in an NMU Sports Information news release previewing the game. "Obviously, getting to that point took time because of the turnover in staff and players over the last six or so months. For example, there are certain tempos we need to take in practice, and we're starting to learn how to hit those and practice the way we want.
"For us, it's all about putting in good weeks, and that's what we're going to continue to do this week before we even begin worrying about beating Wayne State."
In last weekend's win, while Dobert starred with 131 yards, he didn't have to be superhuman as the Wildcats had more than a supportive passing game. In his second start, freshman quarterback Matt Stevens threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns while completing 21 of 31 passes.
Even after a slow start that included a lost fumble and turnover on downs, NMU scored 21 second-half points to erase a 10-6 halftime deficit, Stevens tossing his two TD lobs in the fourth quarter of 4 yards to Jake Heemstra and 24 yards to Isaac Olson.
Wilson Ptacek was the top target, though, as he caught eight passes for 109 yards receiving.
Additionally, the Northern defense intercepted the ball there times so the team won the turnover battle, 3-2.
This year's Wayne State team has struggled on offense, taking three shutouts, with four QBs employed due to injuries.
The Warriors lead the all-time series 9-7 vs. NMU despite Northern's big victory last year.
Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release previewing the game. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.