Football Falls At Wayne State 45-27

DETROIT, MICH. – The Northwood University football team dropped a 45-27 contest at Wayne State Saturday afternoon (September 27).

Northwood is now 2-2 overall, 1-2 in the GLIAC. Wayne State improves to 3-1 overall, 2-1 in the GLIAC.

Wayne State got on the board quickly in the first quarter, finding the end zone just over two minutes in to go up 7-0. Northwood bounced back, thanks to their defense forcing a turnover.  Ryan Spicuzzi (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) intercepted a Warrior pass, giving the Timberwolves the ball at the WSU 21. On the next play, Mark Morris (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) found Theron Wilson (Ann Arbor, Mich./Skyline) for a 31-yard touchdown pass to level the score 7-7.

Unfortunately for Northwood, it was all Wayne State in the second quarter. The Warriors scored 24 unanswered points in the quarter to open up a 31-7 lead at halftime. WSU had a balanced offensive attack against the Timberwolves in the opening half, as Wayne State finished with 146 yards passing and 143 yards rushing. Northwood had 65 yards passing and 56 yards rushing in the opening half.

The Timberwolves got off to a good start in the second half, making a couple of big plays on special teams. NU was forced to punt on their first possession after the break, but WSU fumbled the punt to give the ball to the Timberwolves on the Wayne State 19. On the first play after the turnover, Morris found freshman Damian Nicholson (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 31-14.

On the next Wayne State possession, the Warriors fumbled a punt attempt to give Northwood great field position once again, this time at the WSU 13. Two plays later, Morris connected with Nicholson for another touchdown, this time from 16 yards out to make the score 31-21 less than five minutes into the second half.

Wayne State bounced back following the consecutive Northwood touchdowns, scoring TD's on their next two possessions to put the lead back to 45-21 heading into the fourth quarter.

Northwood scored the lone touchdown of the fourth, as Morris connected with Nicholson for a third time. The 11-yard touchdown pass cut the lead to 45-27. The Timberwolves recovered an onside kick following the score, but turned it over on a fumble on the first play from scrimmage afterward to clinch the win for Wayne State.

For the game, WSU finished with a 478-300 advantage in total yards. The Warriors had 280 yards rushing and 198 yards passing. Northwood ended the game with 217 yards passing and 83 yards rushing.

Nicholson finished with 82 yards receiving and three touchdowns. Morris went 217 yards passing and four touchdowns, while Jared Briguglio (Saginaw, Mich./Swan Valley) ended up with 91 yards rushing on 15 carries. Michael Fisher (Rochester, Mich./Adams) had 14 tackles to lead the Northwood defense.

The Timberwolves will travel to Walsh next Saturday (October 4). Game time is set for Noon.