The NMU men’s football team lost to Wayne State at home this weekend 41-17. The team has yet to win a game as this season comes to an end within the next few weeks.
Coming off of the first half, the ‘Cats had the lead going into the third quarter 10-6.
“We’re able to make some good plays that we were blocking … we didn’t have to rely on trying to just throw the ball down the field I thought we had a really good plan of momentum going forward there,” Head Coach Shane Richardson said. “And I thought defense actually did a really good job.”
The Wildcats were unable to score for the entirety of the third quarter and Wayne State was able to outscore the ‘Cats 14-0. The football team was able to score one touchdown in the fourth quarter while Wayne State was able to score 22 points.
“I think the momentum shift and just the resiliency factor is the best way that I would describe it that we just did not answer, and we were not as resilient as what we needed to be in those adverse times … we just got to make sure that we’re continually growing through those learning lessons and situations,” Richardson said. “The worst thing that can happen is if we continue to let those beat us and we don’t learn and respond accordingly … the best way to describe it is we just we could not change the momentum to get it back in our favor.”
The ‘Cats hope to cling to the way they played in the first quarter of the game as the season comes to an end with only two games left and still seeking that first win of the season.
“It’s disappointing to see that because I think it was a game that was very realistic for us and very much in favor of us doing a lot of good things,” Richardson said. “We have got to be able to keep the good things going and we got to be able to learn and improve on the weaknesses and the things that we didn’t do so well.”
This weekend, the Wildcats will travel for the last time this season as they head down to play against Saginaw Valley State. This game will also mark the last GLIAC conference game of the season for the ‘Cats.
“I think Saginaw … [is] very athletic. I think [they’re] an extremely dangerous team. I think they play well against their competition,” Richardson said. “And you’ve seen them play some close games, you’ve seen them play some games where you think maybe you know the scores a little bit more than what it is, and I think they’re going to be a good team.”
NMU and Saginaw Valley will play on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. The ‘Cats will host their last game of the 2023 season against Northern State on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m.
“I would like to think that our team is growing and building and climbing here every week,” Richardson said. “And hopefully we can go and do something that we haven’t done yet in terms of putting a full four-quarter game together in someone else’s stadium on the road.”
