MARQUETTE – The Northern Michigan University football team stayed undefeated at home this season thanks to a 41-13 victory over Malone on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats (4-2 overall, 3-2 GLIAC) scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and never looked back en route to the blowout win, their fifth win in a row at the Superior Dome, which includes all four games there this season.

The 28-point margin of victory matched Northern’s highest during the past three seasons, when the Wildcats defeated Findlay 66-38 to end last season and dumped Grand Valley 38-10 in 2012.

The last time NMU had a bigger win than this was a 59-3 thumping of Tiffin on Oct. 29, 2011.

NMU quarterback Shaye Brown threw for 185 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Terrance Dye gained 106 yards on the ground with two touchdowns.

The Wildcats got on the board quickly thanks to a long kickoff return by Marcus Tucker, and on their first play from scrimmage, Dye scampered 43 yards for a TD. On NMU’s next possession, Brown found Paris Woods along the sideline for a 25-yard scoring pass.

NMU made it a 21-0 lead before the first quarter ended when Brown hooked up with Dye for a 12-yard TD pass.

The Wildcats continued to roll in the second quarter thanks to another sideline TD pass from Brown to Woods and a 29-yard field goal by kicker Tyler Blackburn, who also made a 34-yarder in the fourth quarter and was 5 of 5 on extra points.

Up 31-3 in the second half, NMU officially put the game to rest on a 25-yard interception return to the end zone by Levi Perry in the third quarter.

While the Wildcats yielded 297 yards rushing on 64 carries, they allowed Malone just 29 yards through the air as Pioneers quarterback John Iacucci was 7 of 22 with two interceptions.

On defense, NMU’s Julian Hornback had 10 tackles and an interception.

Malone’s only touchdown came in the third on a short run by Matt Blasiole.

NMU travels to Wayne State for a noon Saturday kickoff.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Writer Ryan Stieg. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.