Huskies were five for five in the red zone
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The No. 14-ranked Michigan Tech football team won its 16th straight Miner’s Cup after defeating rival Northern Michigan 56-33 Saturday afternoon at Kearly Stadium. The Huskies were 5 for 5 in the red zone and scored eight touchdowns on the day, going a perfect 8 for 8 on the point after.
Tech improved to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the GLIAC and handed NMU its seventh loss.
“Winning the Miner’s Cup is always one of our team goals, and it was important to get the win today,” Tech coach Dan Mettlach said. “We didn’t play particularly well on defense, giving up too many third downs and missing some tackles, but we’ll continue to work on that side of the ball and get it cleaned up. The offense played well from the start and controlled the line of scrimmage.”
Touchdowns were scored on the first three drives of the game. Tech struck first with an 8-play, 61-yard drive that was capped off by a six-yard run to the end zone by Jake Rueff.
NMU quickly answered. The Wildcats had a 45-yard passing play that set up a four-yard rush by Noah Dobert. The extra point was missed.
Alex Bueno and Abram Larner connected on a 64-yard scoring play on the second play of Tech’s second drive of the game.
After a turnover on downs, Tech went 71 yards in four plays, and Elliott Larner scampered for 58 yards to the endzone as the first quarter clock expired to make it a two-score game.
Elliott Larner scored again in with 4:28 left in the second after Alex Bueno and Abram Larner set up the score with a 24-yard pitch-and-catch.
NMU scored for the second time with 14 seconds left in the first half, marching 90 yards in 14 plays and taking 4:07 off the clock. They still left too much time for Tech.
Alex Bueno connected with Abram Larner for 13 yards and set up a first-and-ten on their own 47 with two seconds left. After a timeout, Bueno tossed to Abram Larner again, but this time he lateraled it to Bryce Kurncz on the hook and ladder, and he scored on the final play of the half.
The Alex Bueno to Abram Larner connection continued in the second half with a 72-yard play to set up another short rushing score by Elliott Larner—this time from four yards out and Tech led 42-12.
NMU scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Wilson Ptacek scored on a six-yard pass from Matt Stevens at 14:08.
Chase Koch forced a Wildcats fumble deep in their own territory, and Pierce Miller recovered. Alex Bueno Found Abram Larner on a seven-yard score two plays later.
NMU’s Matt Steven scored at 5:57 on a one-yard dive to cap off a five-play, 69-yard drive.
Noah Hofmann made it a 16-point game with a three-yard touchdown run with 1:38 left.
The Huskies tacked one final touchdown on when Robert Lalain tossed to Jaxon Lippert from 15 yards out with 26 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
NMU had more yards and first downs, but the Huskies averaged 9.8 yards per play on the day and committed only two penalties to six for the Wildcats.
Alex Bueno finished 10 for 13 for 268 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Robert Lalain was 3 for 5 for 25 yards and a score. Elliott Larner led the ground attack with 93 yards and three touchdowns. Abram Larner had 236 yards receiving on eight catches with two scores.
Chase Koch and Mahdi Sabbagh each finished with nine tackles to lead the Black and Gold. Connor Briones had three tackles, including a sack.
The Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was introduced at halftime. The class included former hockey student-athletes Colin Murphy, Darcy Way, and Wayne Weller, former football players Andy Bonk and Mike Horan, former basketball players Lucy (Dernovsek) Slowik and Jason Marcotte, volleyball player Sarah (Nash) Hurley, endurance athlete Deedra Irwin, and Scott Kieser, who played football and basketball for the Huskies.
Tech hits the road for the next two weekends, starting at No. 1 Ferris State on Oct. 24.
