Wildcats let lead slip away against SVSU
UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University football team led for most of the game before Saginaw Valley State was able to score two fourth-quarter touchdowns to win 14-7 in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action Saturday.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 1-4 overall with a 1-3 GLIAC record. SVSU improved to 1-4 overall with a 1-3 league mark.
Sophomore quarterback Shaye Brown connected with junior wide receiver Marcus Tucker for a 10-yard touchdown score with eight-seconds remaining in the first quarter. NMU took a 7-0 lead after a point after attempt from freshman kicker Ryan LaBerge, capping a seven-play 80-yard drive.
NMU maintained its lead until Saginaw Valley State found the end zone with 7:25 left in the game when Keith Moore connected with Brian Fobbs on a 17-yard score.
With a minute left on the clock, Murtada Jabbie picked off a pass attempt from Brown and returned it 48-yards to give the Cardinals a 14-7 advantage.
The Wildcats were able to drive the ball 55- yards during the last minute reaching the SVSU 15, but Matt McCoy was able to pick off a pass from Brown at the Cardinals one yard line as time was expiring.
Brown went 16-34 for 184 yards through the air with a touchdown. Junior wide receiver Trey Hipke led the Wildcats with 59 receiving yards on three catches including a long of 34 yards. Tucker was second on the squad with 38 yards on three catches.
Junior running back Wyatt Jurasin led the Wildcats rushing attack with 86 yards on 20 attempts.
Junior linebacker Levi Perry and sophomore linebacker Dalton Stenberg led the Wildcats defense with 13 tackles each and anchored the defense to hold the Cardinals to 299 yards of total offense and a third down efficiency of just 29-percent (5 of 17).
Senior linebacker Nick Krause had 12 tackles while senior defensive lineman Trever Kruzel and Jordan Adediran each recorded a sack in the contest.
The Wildcats continue action on the road with a GLIAC matchup at Malone on Oct. 11. Kickoff against the Pioneers is set for 2 p.m.
(Information Courtesy of NMU Athletics)