After a 65-7 drubbing
of National Association of
Intercollegiate Athletics opponent
Lawrence Tech University (LTU)
last weekend, the Northern
Michigan University Football
team looks to ride that momentum
into its final home game of the
season this Saturday against their
rival, Michigan Tech.

It was Northern’s largest
margin of victory since 2009
when the Wildcats topped Tiffin
University 62-0 in the Superior
Dome. The common theme? The
year 2009 was also the last time
the Wildcats topped the Huskies,
winning 48-16 on the road.
Since then, NMU has failed
to reclaim the Miner’s Cup,
dropping eight straight decisions
to the Huskies, with the previous
four meetings decided by a
touchdown or less.

The victory over LTU moved
the Wildcats to 2-6 on the season,
while the Huskies are sitting
at 3-5.

NMU offensive coordinator
Marty Higgins said although the
players are hungrier and want
to win because of the rivalry,
preparation is no different than
any other week.

“We prepare the same way
every week,” Higgins said. “Every

game you have to prepare the
same way. You want your players
to be the best they can be and to
be ready for all the different looks
and things we think Tech can
come up with.”

One weapon Higgins has to
work with is senior running back
Jake Mayon, who will be chasing
history this weekend.

Mayon now sits 90 rushing
yards shy of the all-time school
rushing record. The record is
currently held by NMU Sports
Hall of Famer Steve Avery
(1984-88) who had 3,842 career
rushing yards.

Mayon worked closer toward
that milestone against LTU,
rushing for 121 yards on 12
carries and three touchdowns, all
in the first quarter before being
pulled in the blowout victory.

Higgins said they’re trying to
keep the pressure off of Mayon
and hope to let him play his game.
“He gets 90 yards, he gets 90,”
he said. “He gets 200, he gets 200.
He’s going to be ready to play. He
always prepares for each week and
the 90 yards, I don’t think that’s a
big thing to him. If it happens, it
happens. You can’t pressure him
or force it to happen. You’ve got
to take what’s there and he does
that. He does a good job like he
did last week and all season and
that’s why he’s in the position
he’s in.”

Mayon brushed off any
conversation of the record being
an individual milestone.
“It would be awesome to
do it against Tech,” Mayon
said with a smile. “That would
be a great feeling, but it’s a
great accomplishment with
my teammates. That’s not an
individual accomplishment at all.
My offensive line has been great
all four years I’ve been here, and

that’s a great accomplishment
for them too. I can’t do anything
without them.

“I’m definitely not thinking
about that for myself,” he
continued. “I want to enjoy it
with my teammates.”

Mayon added that a big win
last week came at the right time
going into rivalry week.
“I’m very glad we had a great
game last week to boost our

momentum,” Mayon said. “I’m
very confident right now. Of
course, it’s a rivalry week so we’re
going to be preparing very hard,
just like every week. We’re ready
to go.”

Senior Day kickoff in the
annual Miner’s Cup Game is
set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct.
27, at the Superior Dome. The
game will also be broadcast live
on TV6.