Football Loses In Overtime At Saginaw Valley 20-14

OVERVIEW – SAGINAW VALLEY STATE

SCORE: Saginaw Valley 20, Northwood 14 (OT)

RECORDS: Northwood (0-2, 0-2 GLIAC), Saginaw Valley (1-1, 1-1 GLIAC)

LOCATION: Wickes Stadium – University Center, Mich.

RECAP: Northwood dropped a tough 20-14 overtime contest in the annual axe bowl versus Saginaw Valley

INSIDE THE GAME

• Missed early opportunities proved to be a huge part in the game – Northwood got a 51-yard run from quarterback Jimmy Strom (Duluth, Ga./Pinecrest Academy) on the opening drive but an interception ended the drive. That INT was returned 94 yards for a touchdown, giving SVSU an early 7-0 lead.
• Northwood then got a 72-yard run from Shane Barron (Flint, Mich./Carman-Ainsworth) on their second drive that gave the Timberwolves first and goal from the SVSU one. But the Timberwolves were stuffed on four straight plays and the score remained 7-0.
• The Timberwolves then moved into the Cardinal red zone for the third time on the day late in the first quarter, but a missed field goal made the score 7-0 SV at the end of one quarter. Northwood trailed despite out-gaining Saginaw Valley 184-31 in the opening quarter.
• NU would maintain their advantage in the second quarter, but neither team would score, sending the game to the break at 7-0. Northwood held a 275-97 edge in yards at the break.
• Late in the third quarter, Northwood got on the board. Strom found redshirt freshman receiver John Hall (Macomb, Mich.) for a 38-yard touchdown to tie the game.
• The Cardinals responded with a TD drive of their own, finding the end zone on the final play of the third quarter to send the game to the fourth with SVSU leading 14-7.
• The Timberwolves came up with a clutch drive in the final moments to tie the game. NU went 67 yard in 10 plays, capped by a Damian Nicholson (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) nine-yard TD pass from Strom with 33 seconds remaining. The PAT tied the score at 14-14.
• Northwood nearly won the game at the end of regulation. NU's Jerry Taylor (Macomb, Mich./Chippewa Valley) forced and recovered a fumble with eight seconds remaining. Northwood had a look at a 38-yard field goal as time expired, but the kick was no good.
• In overtime, the Timberwolves went three-and-out on offense and missed a field goal attempts. The Cardinals then scored a TD on their possession to earn the win.

GAME STATS

• FIRST DOWNS: Northwood 22, Saginaw Valley 14
• RUSHES-YARDS: Northwood 53-332, Saginaw Valley 31-136
• PASSING YARDS: Northwood 165, Saginaw Valley 109
• PLAYS-TOTAL OFFENSE: Northwood 81-497, Saginaw Valley 61-245
• TIME OF POSSESSION: Northwood 33:19, Saginaw Valley 26:41
• TURNOVERS: Northwood 3, Saginaw Valley 3
• RED ZONE: Northwood 1-3, Saginaw Valley 2-2

STAT LEADERS

• Strom: 165 yards passing, two TDs, two INTs, 13 carries, 87 yards
• Hall: 6 receptions, 105 yards, one TD
• Michael Fisher (Rochester, Mich./Adams) Nine tackles, one INT, one QB hurry

 NORTHWOOD NOTES

• This was the eighth time in the last nine meetings between Northwood and Saginaw Valley that the game ended as a one-possession contest. Going back further, 10 of the last 14 meetings have been one-possession games.

UP NEXT

• Northwood returns home to host Ferris State next Saturday (September 17) at 1 p.m.