Victory ends 28-game losing streak
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Northern Michigan football team got back in the win column in historic fashion on Saturday afternoon, rushing for a program-record 538 yards in a dominant 42-21 victory over the Roosevelt Lakers.
The Wildcats’ offense was firing on all cylinders from the opening kick, showcasing its will for physicality, execution, and complete control on the ground. The 538-yard total crushed the previous program mark of 477, set 66 years ago in 1959 against UW-Milwaukee, not only cementing this performance as one of the most prolific rushing efforts in NMU football history, but also one of the most impressive all-around efforts.
At the backbone of the victory was one of the most dominant displays by a running back duo in the history of college football. For just the seventh time in Division II, two running backs from the same team went over 200 yards, with Noah Dobert totaling 243 yards and three touchdowns and Jahi Wood adding 233 yards and two scores. The pair combined for five of Northern’s six touchdowns, running the ball an incredible 68 times between them. Their production now ranks eighth and ninth among all single-game rushing totals in Division II this season.
Austin Ridl also added 62 yards rushing and was responsible for NMU’s other score, an impressive 67-yard scamper on the option, the longest play for the ‘Cats this season.
The Wildcats’ performance also set a new Division II season benchmark for rushing yards in a single game, surpassing the 537-yard total that New Mexico Highlands recorded earlier this fall.
Of NMU’s 72 plays, the Wildcats opted to run on all but one, a testament to their confidence and complete dominance up front. The 538-yard output was Northern’s most total offense in a game since 2022, when the team had 566 yards against Post.
“I’m so happy & proud of our program today,” said coach Shane Richardson following the win. “We have a group of guys that continue to believe and show up every day to keep striving towards improvement and being their best. The great thing is, we have a lot that we can still coach and learn from after today. This is the start of believing in what it takes to win games and for what we can continue to be in the future. We are building the program the right way, and this serves as a great step in our process.”
NMU possessed the ball for a whopping 38:13 in the game. With the ground game clicking along with a 9-13 (69.2%) conversion on third downs, NMU
Defensively, Northern limited the Lakers to 425 yards and just 115 on the ground.
The Wildcats also won the turnover battle 2-1. Jax Hertel created a momentum-swinging forced fumble at the 1-yard line with the game tied 7-7 in the first half. Murphy Monreal was the one who recovered, and he also went on to lead the ‘Cats in tackles for the first time in his career with nine. Sam Corey also forced a fumble in the second half, with Jhermari Mabry recovering. In his kicking debut, Nicholas Gruesen converted all six extra point attempts.
How It Happened
The Lakers won the coin toss and elected to receive, but that early decision quickly worked in Northern’s favor. The Wildcat defense opened with a statement, forcing a quick three-and-out to hand the offense the ball at its own 30-yard line.
The Wildcats wasted no time setting the tone for what would become a record-breaking afternoon. On the first drive of the game, Northern marched 69 yards in seven plays, relying on the offensive line’s push and explosive carries from Wood. On third down near midfield, Wood found daylight up the middle and broke free untouched for a 37-yard touchdown, igniting the sideline and giving NMU a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into the contest. Wood carried the ball three times for 57 yards on the opening series alone.
TD FOR #2 ??????
.@jahiwood5 puts the ‘Cats up early in the first quarter with a 37-yd rushing TD. #SpiritOfTheWild | #UPGritty pic.twitter.com/ojh75lei3r– NMU Football (@NMU_Football) October 18, 2025
Roosevelt responded quickly with a 60-yard drive of its own, capped by an 18-yard touchdown pass from Tony Chahino to Jack Young Jr. to tie the game at 7-7 with 8:34 left in the first quarter. But the Wildcats’ defense soon found its rhythm, tightening up and forcing a series of incompletions and negative plays that began to swing field position back in Northern’s favor.
After NMU’s next drive stalled due to a false start, Roosevelt once again tried to mount a scoring threat. However, back-to-back pass breakups from Murphy Monreal and Mitch Larkin disrupted the Lakers’ momentum, and a 44-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left. The teams went into the second quarter tied at 7-7, with Northern already piling up 108 rushing yards through the first 15 minutes.
Early in the second quarter, Roosevelt appeared poised to capitalize on a Northern fumble recovery near midfield. But with the Lakers threatening at the goal line, Jax Hertel made a momentum-swinging play, stripping the ball at the 1-yard line, where Monreal scooped it up in the end zone to keep Roosevelt off the board.
That defensive stand completely shifted the game’s tone. On the ensuing possession, quarterback Austin Ridl kept the ball on an option read and broke free down the right sideline, outrunning defenders for a 67-yard touchdown that electrified the Wildcats’ bench and reclaimed a 14-7 lead with 8:08 left in the half. The drive spanned just four plays and 80 yards in under two minutes.
.@AustinRidl TAKES IT ALL THE WAY.
A 67-yd rushing TD for the ‘Cats quarterback puts Northern back in the lead 14-7 with 8:13 remaining in the second quarter. #SpiritOfTheWild | #UPGritty pic.twitter.com/6D4huZluse– NMU Football (@NMU_Football) October 18, 2025
The Wildcats continued to roll, feeding off the momentum from both sides of the ball. The defense forced another Roosevelt punt, and the offense answered with another long, punishing drive. A 32-yard rush from Wood pushed Northern across midfield and put him over 100 yards on the day. Just a few plays later, Dobert capped a 10-play, 91-yard march with a 10-yard touchdown up the middle, extending the lead to 21-7 with 1:29 remaining in the half.
.@noah_dobert20 for TD #3. ??
Noah Dobert rushed 10 yards through the middle to the end zone , and Nicholas Gruesen kicked the extra point to make the score 21-7 with 1:29 left in Q2. #SpiritOfTheWild | #UPGritty pic.twitter.com/4mHCmc0a5W– NMU Football (@NMU_Football) October 18, 2025
By halftime, Northern’s dominance in the trenches was undeniable. The Wildcats had run the ball on 37 of 38 plays, totaling 286 rushing yards, including 178 in the second quarter alone. NMU also converted five of six third downs, controlled possession, and dictated the game’s tempo in every facet.
The second half picked up right where the first left off. On NMU’s opening drive, Dobert broke loose for a 50-yard carry that flipped the field, and just one play later, Wood dashed 44 yards to the end zone for his second touchdown of the game, pushing the lead to 28-7 with 8:15 left in the third.
#2 for #2 ?????
.@jahiwood5 rushed through the middle to find the end zone, putting the ‘Cats at a 20-point lead! #SpiritOfTheWild | #UPGritty pic.twitter.com/kx1bWRR7gZ– NMU Football (@NMU_Football) October 18, 2025
The offense was clicking, and the defense kept the pressure on, forcing another three-and-out before Sam Corey came up with a key fourth-down fumble recovery to stall another Roosevelt drive.The Lakers tried to mount a comeback to open the fourth quarter, converting a fake punt deep in their own territory and finding the end zone two plays later on a 39-yard pass to CJ Hood, trimming the deficit to 28-14.
Northern quickly silenced any momentum from that score. On the following drive, both Dobert and Wood reached 200 yards rushing, a milestone rarely seen in the college game, let alone by teammates in the same outing. Wood’s long run on that drive officially broke the 66-year-old program rushing record, and Dobert finished it off with a six-yard touchdown to make it 35-14 with 8:35 to play. The Wildcats’ total stood at an even 500 rushing yards at that point.
2nd trip to the end zone for @noah_dobert20 ??
Noah Dobert for his second rushing TD of the night widens the score gap by 21 with 8:39 remaining. #SpiritOfTheWild | #UPGritty pic.twitter.com/CCx20mzneE– NMU Football (@NMU_Football) October 18, 2025
Roosevelt managed one final score late, but Dobert answered yet again, powering into the end zone for his third touchdown of the day with 2:25 left, putting the finishing touches on a 42-21 statement win.
.@noah_dobert20 IS. HIM. ????
Noah Dobert rushed 2-yds on 4th down to find the end zone, making the score 42-21 with 2:25 left in Q4. #SpiritOfTheWild | #UPGritty pic.twitter.com/0FBsaJcq22– NMU Football (@NMU_Football) October 18, 2025
Up Next
The Wildcats will look to carry that momentum back home for one of the most anticipated games of the season, the Miner’s Cup rivalry against Michigan Tech. The annual battle for the cup will kick off at 12 p.m. on Saturday, October 25, inside the Superior Dome.
