OT HEARTBREAK: 'Cats Fall To McKendree, 31-24
Click the AUDIO buttons to hear interviews with NMU"s DeAndre Caldwell and John McMullen.
The Northern Michigan University football team opened up the 2022 campaign Thursday by hosting the McKendree University Bearcats in the first night game in the Superior Dome in over ten years. The Bearcats came out on top 31-24 in Overtime.
STORY WRITTEN BY MCKENDREE SPORTS INFORMATION
The McKendree University football kicked off its 2022 season here Thursday evening by posting a hard-fought 31-24 overtime win following a 1-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-and-one play from redshirt junior quarterback Turner Pullen (Shelbyville, Ill./Shelbyville) to redshirt junior receiver Jacob Bachman (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) against Northern Michigan in non-conference action at the Superior Dome.
With the win, the Bearcats improved to 16-11 in season openers dating to the 1996 season and is now 6-4 in season openers under 10th-year Bearcat head coach Mike Babcock. Along with being just the fourth Thursday night opener in school history, the game was also the first overtime game for the Bearcats since posting a 26-23 win at Southwest Baptist on Oct. 13, 2018.
"Overall, it was a fight. We came out strong to start the game as we led 14-0 and then obviously they (NMU) battled back. I thought late in the first quarter and early in the second quarter, it was really hard for our defense to get off the field, they kept driving and our offense kind of sputtered, but we were able to kick a field goal before halftime which I thought was good," Babcock said following his 49th win as McKendree's coach. "NMU kept fighting, but I'm really proud of the guys in the fourth quarter and even in overtime to be able to finish strong and at the end of the day, finish with a win."
Following Pullen's touchdown pass, which came after he was stopped on three consecutive plays from the 1-yard line, the Bearcats defense stepped up and prevented the Wildcats from scoring as they forced NMU quarterback Drake Davis to throw an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-16 play.
Pullen had an efficient night passing the ball as he was 23-for-29 for 307 yards and had three touchdown passes and added 28 yards rushing on 15 carries for a total of 335 yards of total offense.
Bachman led the way with eight catches for 82 yards, while sophomore receiver Yogi Flager, Jr. (Belleville, Ill./Butler University) had five catches for 86 yards, including a 40-yard catch on McKendree's fourth quarter drive that gave them a 24-21 lead.
For the game, McKendree was outgained, 456-414 by the Wildcats.
"It was a bend, don't break night for the defense. You give up over 400 yards of offense, it's not good, but we only gave up 24 points. I think we showed tremendous grit and finish for what they were able to do and more importantly, going into overtime, we end up scoring and sure enough, our defense was able to hold them as we got them into a third-and-long and then fourth-and-long and ended up finishing with a win," added Babcock when asked about his team's defensive play.
STORY WRITTEN BY NMU SPORTS INFORMATION
The Northern Michigan University football team opened up the 2022 campaign by hosting the McKendree University Bearcats in the first night game in the Superior Dome in over ten years.
The Bearcats came out on top 31-24 in Overtime.
McKendree opened up the game by winning the coin toss and chose to receive the ball.
Daniel Riser opened up the game by kicking to McKendree, and the Bearcats ran the ball 29 yards and was taken down by Tavion McCarthy. A few short drives later, McKendree found themselves in the endzone adding six. The extra point was good, which brought the score to 0-7.
NMU gained possession after the kickoff, but couldn't complete the drive. Daniel Riser punted the ball back to McKendree. The Bearcats quickly answered back with a 53-yard touchdown pass to go 0-14.
Holding possession for many drives, special teams were called in for the Wildcats, and Daniel Riser attempted to make a field goal but was unsuccessful.
McKendree gained possession, but DJ Hutcherson came up with a momentum-killing interception and brought it back into Bearcat Territory. Drake Davis faked the handoff, rolled out left, and found Cam White wide open in the back of the endzone. The extra point was good, and the second quarter ended at a score of 7-14.
Early in the second, McKendree found themselves in position for a field goal, a successful attempt brought the score to 7-17.
Deandre Caldwell opened the drive with a 63-yard rush. Drake Davis followed that up with a touchdown pass across the middle to Wyatt Davis to put another six on the board. Daniel Riser converted the extra point and it brought the score to 14-17, still in favor of the Bearcats.
That would be the score that both sides took into the locker room.
On the Wildcats' first drive of the second half, Drake Davis found Keyon'TA Skinner for a 14-yard pitch and catch to extend the Wildcat drive.
Tyshon King caught a screen in the middle of the field and followed his blocks down to the 10-yard line for a 52-yard gain on the play.
Two plays later, King finished off the drive with a TD run to give the Wildcats their first game lead.
The Bearcats put a few plays together at the end of the third to find themselves in the red zone just before the quarter ended.
Mequon Hudson started the fourth quarter with a huge tackle for loss to put the Bearcats in a 3rd and long. In the next play, Jhermari Mabry came up with the sack. The Bearcats came up short on their field goal attempt, and the Wildcats gained possession.
Facing a 3rd and long early on the possession, Drake Davis showed up his pocket awareness to elude a sack and use his legs to pick up the necessary yardage for a first down.
Deandre Caldwell burst through the middle for a 20-yard gain to put the Wildcats in a prime position in Bearcat territory.
Davis was hit from behind on the next play and the ball squirted loose, but Tyshon King was in the right place at the right time to scoop up the fumble and preserve the field goal attempt. The attempt was unsuccessful and the Bearcats took over.
On third and short the Bearcats completed a 40-yard pass down the right sideline. Two plays later the Bearcats ran one in from 20 yards out to take a 24-21 lead late in the fourth quarter.
Tyshon King ran around the outside for a 20-yard gain the get the drive started. A Bearcat penalty put the Wildcats inside the 30-yard line.
After back-to-back penalties on the Wildcats, they were forced into a 2nd and long. The Davis to Davis connection gave the Wildcats a first down inside the 20-yard line. Wyatt ran a beautiful route and Drake put the ball right where it needed to be.
Penalties pushed the Wildcats out of field goal range, but two dump-off passes to Tyshon King put them right back in range for a field goal attempt. A successful attempt by Daniel Riser evened the score 24-24.
On the final play, Edward Pierson put pressure on the QB and got him off rhythm, so he couldn't get enough on the hail-mary attempt. The pass fell incomplete and we headed to overtime.
McKendree possessed the ball first in overtime.
The Bearcats got the ball down to the 1-yard line, and the Wildcat defense stuffed them three straight times to set up fourth down.
On fourth down the Bearcats were able to punch it in from 1 yard out to go up 24-31.
The Wildcats then got possession of their own.
After a few nice plays that gained some yards, the Wildcat offense wasn't able to convert on fourth down, and they turned it over on downs.
DJ Hutcherson had an interception, which led to a Wildcat Touchdown.
Drake Davis found Cam White in the back of the endzone for a 5-yard Touchdown.
Deandre Caldwell ripped off a 63-yard run in the second quarter.
Drake Davis found Wyatt Davis across the middle for a Touchdown.
Tyshon King found the endzone on a 2-yard run.
Daniel Riser made a 42-yard field goal to tie the game late in the fourth.
STAT LEADERS
Drake Davis: 20-31, 211 yards, 2 TD; 12 carries, 90 yards
Tyshon King: 11 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD; 9 catches, 94 yards
Deandre Caldwell: 9 carries, 103 yards
