MARQUETTE, Mich.— Despite a packed Superior Dome, the culmination of homecoming weekend festivities ended in disappointment for NMU. In the first of two matchups Northern and No. 21 Davenport will play this season, the Wildcats couldn’t recreate the magic of their 47-45 4 OT thriller with the Panthers last year.
Heading into their first ranked opponent of the season, the Green and Gold had an additional task of containing Division II’s leading rusher Cephus Harris. As a team, the Panthers averaged 334 yards per game on the ground before heading into the Superior Dome. Harris finished the afternoon with 202 total yards from scrimmage, and three touchdowns. Davenport compiled 247 total rushing yards, helped in part to their size in the trenches. Davenport’s offensive line outweighed NMU’s defensive line by an average of 60 pounds per player, while their defensive line tipped the scales by an average of 10 pounds heavier than Northern’s offensive line.
The Panthers came out of the gate swinging, managing a two touchdown lead in the first quarter before Northern responded with a score of their own. On a drive that included a fake punt, the Wildcats again fooled the Panthers in a short ...