Michigan Tech Football Hosts Hillsdale for Season Opener

• 09.05.23 Press Conference

HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech football is back for the 101st season on Saturday. The Huskies host Hillsdale at 1 p.m. at Kearly Stadium to open the 2023 campaign. 

Watch The Huskies

All home and GLIAC games will be streamed on FloSports. Michigan Tech fans can watch all home and conference games in volleyball, basketball, football, soccer, and hockey with one subscription. FloSports provides each subscriber with access to all content and events with the purchase of a monthly or yearly subscription. Subscriptions are offered in two different billing packages - monthly and annual. Discounts are available for students enrolled at GLIAC member and associate member institutions. You must subscribe with a .edu email address to be eligible. FloSports is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.

Teacher Appreciation Night

Saturday's game is Teacher Appreciation Day at Kearly Stadium. Local educators can buy a ticket and get one free by using the code 24Teachers at BuyHuskiesTickets.com.

All Time Series

The Chargers and Huskies have faced each other 31 times with the first matchup dating back to Oct. 18, 1980, where Hillsdale won 7-6. The Chargers are 19-12 overall against the Huskies, however, Michigan Tech has won four of the last five contests.

The two teams last met on Nov. 5, 2022, where the Huskies spoiled senior day with a 28-24 victory at Frank Waters Stadium thanks to a career-high three touchdown reception day for Ethan Champney. Darius Willis also had a hand in the victory, posting 150 yards receiving from Will Ark.

Defensively Sam Ahern stole the show, making a game-clinching interception with three seconds remaining in the contest.

About the Chargers

Hillsdale comes to Michigan Tech with an 0-1 start to the season, falling on the road to No. 20/21 nationally-ranked Indianapolis 39-20. 2022 All-G-MAC first teamer Michael Herzog finished with 154 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, just five shy of a career high, and averaged 8.1 yards per carry against Indianapolis. Garit Aissen earned the start at quarterback for the Chargers, going 20 of 32 through the air for 208 yards and a touchdown, connecting with Sam Lee six times for 103 yards and that 21 yard score.

Defensively, linebacker Zach Pardonnet led the Chargers with nine tackles, and Carson Ingram added six tackles, two for loss. Sophomore defensive tackle Hunter Sperling also chipped in two tackles for loss up front for Hillsdale, and junior safety Sam Zemis added five tackles and a pass breakup.

The Chargers are led by head coach Keith Otterbein in his 22nd season at the helm. Hillsdale was tabbed to finish fifth in the GMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, where they finished a season ago with a record of 5-6 overall and a 4-4 GMAC ledger.

About the Huskies

Michigan Tech football enters a new era in 2023-24 with head coach Dan Mettlach at the helm for his first year. The Huskies are without a few key players who played vital roles in the 2022-23 campaign in quarterback Will Ark, defensive back Braxton Blackwell and center Hayden Huttula. 

However, the Huskies return two All-GLIAC performers from the 2022 squad in wide receiver Darius Willis (First Team Offense) and linebacker Marc Sippel (First Team Defense). The Huskies also return GLIAC honorable mentions in defensive lineman Austin Schlicht, wide receiver Brandon Michalak, defensive lineman Josh Cribben, and defensive back Hunter Buechel.

Of those returners, Sippel and Willis have been tabbed to the D2football.com Elite 100 Watch List. The duo were both among the nation's-best in their respective positions. 

Sippel finished second in NCAA Division II tackles with 131 (58 solo) during the regular season, leading the conference in the category by a margin of 26.0 tackles over Antonio Howard (Northern Michigan).

Willis was the GLIAC's top receiver a season ago as a sophomore. He topped the charts in receptions (74), receiving yards (1,051), and touchdowns (10). His 1,825 all-purpose yards ranked fourth best in NCAA Division II this past fall.

On the defensive end, the Huskies return multiple veterans paired with the aforementioned Sippel, along with the long-awaited return of defensive lineman Sam Kinne, who was injured for the entirety of the 2022-23 season.

The Huskies were tabbed to finish fifth in the GLIAC Coaches' Poll.

One Last Thing

The last time Michigan Tech hosted Hillsdale for a season opener was in the 2021-22 season, with the Huskies prevailing 14-10.

#MIKIDSCAN
• Michigan Tech Athletics and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan have teamed up to promote the #MIKidsCan Campaign. A Copper Country youth has earned an opportunity to be a part of the pregame coin toss ceremony at Saturday's game.
• MI Kids Can is a part of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's ongoing efforts to help Michigan families make good choices leading to healthier lives. With a focus on improving children's health, over the last 10 years, BCBSM has given more than $6 million in support of kids' health and wellness initiatives across the state, reaching more than 100,000 children.