2015 Homecoming Football Pits Tech vs. Northwood

THIS WEEKEND'S NOTES

NAILBITERS AT SHERMAN
Four of Tech's last five games (dating back to last season) have come at Sherman Field. Those four games have been decided by a combined eight points including three one-point games where the difference was a missed extra point. The Huskies lost 42-41 in the NCAA Division II Playoffs last November, but have won by one-point margins twice this season. Tech's last game, Sept. 26 vs. Northern Michigan, wasn't decided until Evan Mayer and Tanner Agen blocked a field goal attempt on the game's final play. Over the last three years, Michigan Tech has played in 11 games decided by seven points or less. The Huskies are 9-2 in those contests (3-0 this season).
• 9/26/15 vs. Northern Michigan, W, 24-23
• 9/12/15 vs. Malone, W, 28-27
• 9/3/15 vs. Wayne State, W, 20-15
• 11/22/14 vs. Angelo State, L, 42-41 (led by 21)
• 9/27/14 at Northern Michigan, W, 34-31
• 9/20/14 vs. Saginaw Valley State, W, 26-20
• 9/4/14 at Wayne State, W, 18-17
• 11/16/13 vs. Wayne State, W, 28-21
• 11/9/13 at Hillsdale, W, 30-27
• 10/26/13 vs. Ferris State, L, 30-27 (led by 17)
• 10/19/13 vs. Northwood, W, 33-31

COWIE LEADING D2 IN COMPLETION PERCENTAGE
Brandon Cowie is leading all of NCAA Division II in completion rate at 72.7 percent. The junior quarterback has connected on 72-of-99 passes over the first four weeks of the season with nine touchdowns and just one interception. His passing efficiency rating of 164.4 is the 13th best in NCAA Division II. Cowie was a two-time All-GLIAC wide receiver before converting to quarterback during spring practice.

GLIAC'S TOP FOUR IN TACKLES FOR LOSS
Michigan Tech's defense boasts four players who average 1.6 tackles for loss per game or better, and they currently rank No. 1-4 in the GLIAC in that category. Junior defensive end Evan Mayer leads the league with 8.5 tackles for loss (2.1 per game). Senior nose guard Tanner Agen has 7.5 TFL including 3.5 sacks. Senior defensive tackle Brandon Hutchison is at 7.0 TFL while senior linebacker Paul Kuoppala has 6.5. As a team, Michigan Tech leads the GLIAC and ranks 10th nationally in tackles for loss.

CONTINUING THE GLIAC STREAK
Michigan Tech has won 14 of its last 15 GLIAC games dating back to the final two games of the 2013 season. The Huskies went 9-1 in the league a year ago and are 4-0 to start 2015. The only loss in the stretch came to a top-10-ranked Ferris State team last October.

VanGOETHEM 14TH NATIONALLY IN PUNT AVERAGE
Senior punter Ryan VanGoethem has averaged 42.6 yards per attempt thus far in 2015. That's the second-best average in the GLIAC and 14th nationally. VanGoethem has punted 16 times on the season with four of those over 50 yards including a 67-yarder vs. Malone on Sept. 12.

THE TECH-NORTHWOOD SERIES
Saturday's (Oct. 10) meeting between Michigan Tech and Northwood will be their 42nd all-time. The Timberwolves own a 21-20 edge in the series, which started in 1965. The Huskies have dominated the recent history with five straight wins and seven of the last eight decisions. That includes a 21-6 triumph in Midland last year (Oct. 11, 2014).

1963 AND 1965 TEAM REUNIONS
Michigan Tech welcomes back for Homecoming its conference championship teams from 1963 and 1965. Both teams went 6-2 en route to winning the Northern Intercollegiate Conference. Bill Lucier coached both teams. Honorary captains will toss the coin at this Saturday's contest, and members of the team will be recognized at halftime.

HOME SWEET HOMECOMING
The Huskies played their first Homecoming football game on Oct. 19, 1929, a scoreless tie vs. Northern Michigan. Over the years there have been 77 Homecoming football games. Michigan Tech has posted a record of 45 wins, 30 losses and two ties in those contests including an 8-2 mark over the last 10 years.

BYE WEEK UPDATE
Michigan Tech was off last Saturday (Oct. 3), giving the team a short break. Many of the student-athletes participated in Michigan Tech's Career Fair, which saw 370 companies come to the Student Development Complex recruiting Tech students for employment.

PACK 'EM IN
The crowd of 3,918 for Michigan Tech's 24-23 win over Northern Michigan Sept. 26 was the fourth largest in school history. The top three were 2012 vs. Grand Valley State (4,684), 2004 vs. Northern Michigan (4,332) and 2009 vs. Northern Michigan (4,027).

CAPTAINS
Huskies' team captains for the 2015 season are junior quarterback Brandon Cowie, senior defensive back Brett Gervais, senior linebacker Paul Kuoppala and senior offensive lineman Frank Vruwink.

HUSKIES BITES
Saturday's game will be Tech's fourth home game of 2015 and seventh out of eight at home since the Huskies ended 2014 with three straight at Sherman Field. Tech will finish with four out of its last five on the road … The Huskies have won eight straight road games dating back to the 2013 campaign. That includes all five last year … As a team, Tech leads the nation in pass completion percentage (73.0) … The Huskies rank second nationally in penalties with only 10 in four games. Michigan Tech led the country in fewest penalties per game in 2014 at (2.55 per game).
 
IN THE RANKINGS
Michigan Tech has continued to move up both national polls despite not playing last week. The Huskies are No. 11 in this week's D2Football.com poll and No. 14 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

Ranking by week    AFCA Poll    D2Football.com Poll
Aug. 25     RV      —
Sept. 7      RV      22
Sept. 14    RV      20
Sept. 21    21      15
Sept. 28    T-18   14
Oct. 5       14       11


COACH KEARLY IN YEAR 10
Michigan Tech head coach Tom Kearly is in his 10th season as head coach and 16th overall with the Huskies program. The skipper owns a 63-35 record (.643 winning percentage) and has coached Tech to three of the nine eight-win seasons in school history. Kearly, a Hancock native and 1979 Winona State graduate, coached at Central Michigan for 19 seasons before returning to the Copper Country in 2000. He was the GLIAC Coach of the Year in 2010.

SUPERIOR PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Following each football game, a Superior Player of the Game is chosen. A list of the 2015 Superior Players of the Game is below.

Sept. 3 at Wayne    Brandon Hutchison, 9 tackles, 2 TFL, .5 Sack
Sept. 12 at Malone    Paul Kuoppala, 20 tackles, 1 TFL, .5 Sack
Sept. 19 vs SVSU    David Walter, 4 receptions, 2 TD
Sept. 26 at NMU    Tanner Agen, 7 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 Sack, Blocked FG
Oct. 10 at NU    —
Oct. 17 vs. GVSU    —
Oct. 24 vs. Ferris    —
Oct. 31 at Tiffin    —
Nov. 7 vs. Ashland    —
Nov. 14 vs. LE    —