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Wayne State University Athletics

Kulka vs. Northern Michigan
Josh Kulka scored two touchdowns against Northern Michigan.
37
Winner Northern Mich. WILDCATS 3-2 , 1-0
30
Wayne State WS 1-4 , 0-1
Winner
Northern Mich. WILDCATS
3-2 , 1-0
37
Final
30
Wayne State WS
1-4 , 0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WILDCATS Northern Mich. 7 10 10 10 37
WS Wayne State 14 7 3 6 30

Game Recap: Football | | Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football Suffers 37-30 Setback in Homecoming Contest

Warriors to play three of the next four games on the road.

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University football team (1-4 overall, 0-1 GLIAC) led 21-17 at halftime of its annual Homecoming contest, but the visiting Wildcats of Northern Michigan University (3-2 overall, 1-0 GLIAC) outscored the Warriors 20-9 over the final 30 minutes to post a 37-30 win at Tom Adams Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
After the WSU defense began the game with a three-and-out, the Warriors offense went 55 yards in seven plays with sophomore quarterback Josh Kulka (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Chippewa Valley) scoring on a 12-yard keeper.  The big play of the drive was a 23-yard reception by junior Kendall Williams (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Farmington) on third-and-five, which put Wayne State in the red zone.

Freshman place-kicker Hadi Jawad (Dearborn, Mich. / Dearborn) had his first of four touchbacks, but NMU covered 75 yards in just four plays (1:26 on the clock) and running back Tyshon King scampered 62 yards to knot the game at 7-7.

The Warriors responded with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that took 4:24.  Graduate student Karmi Mackey (Tampa, Fla. / Seffner Christian Academy) rumbled in on third-and-goal.  Mackey had a 12-yard reception on the second play of the drive, and Kulka scrambled for 17 yards on second-and-15 giving WSU a first-and-goal.

Second Quarter
Northern Michigan tied the game at 14-14 with a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on the ensuing possession.  Quarterback Zach Keen concluded the drive with a one-yard plunge almost three minutes into the second period.

Wayne State put together its third consecutive touchdown drive going 75 yards in eight plays.  Freshman wideout A.J. Nichols (Wauwatosa, Wis. / Wauwatose East) had a 49-yard reception on third-and-14 getting the Warriors across midfield.  Sophomore running back Myren Harris (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Chippewa Valley) fumbled at the one-yard line but Kulka recovered in the end zone.  Sophomore Griffin Milovanski's (Saugatuck, Mich.) third PAT of the game put WSU ahead 21-14 with 8:36 remaining in the first half.

Each team's next possession ended in the punt, before NMU went 81 yards in 13 plays taking the final 2:02 off the clock.  Daniel Riser connected on a 20-yard field goal attempt cutting the Wayne State advantage to 21-17 at intermission.

Third Quarter
The Warriors extended their lead to 24-17 going 55 yards in 11 plays following the second half kickoff.  Milovanski converted a 37-yard field goal attempt.  Nichols and sophomore Te'Avion Warren (Flint, Mich. / Davison) had back-to-back receptions of 12 and 15 to move the WSU offense from midfield almost to the red zone.

After Wayne State's drive of over five minutes, Northern Michigan used 5:26 on the clock which consisted of an 11-play, 68-yard field goal drive with Riser making a 27-yard attempt cutting the WSU margin to four at 24-20 with 4:24 left in the third stanza.

Kulka was intercepted on WSU's next drive and it only took the Wildcats 1:55 to take their first lead of the game at 27-24.  Keen had consecutive completions to Wyatt Davis (15 yards) and Kenyon'ta Skinner (14 yards), prior to a seven-yard sack by Warrior freshman Gus Taylor (South Lyon, Mich.).  Davis then hauled in a 12-yard touchdown pass from Keen.

Fourth Quarter
Wayne State was unable to convert on fourth down early in the final period, and NMU extended its lead to 34-24 with 63-yard touchdown drive.  King caught a 19-yard outlet pass from Keen for the score.

Following a WSU punt, Riser made a 37-yard field goal attempt, his third made three-pointer of the contest.

The Warriors crossed midfield on the ensuing drive as sophomore Nathaniel Eberly-Rodriguez (Petoskey, Mich.) had a 25-yard reception on second-and-35.  Kulka slid ont he very next play after getting the first down, but was hit by Brian Schieweck, who was assessed a 15-yard penalty.  After back-to-back incomplete passes by freshman Elijah Taylor (Warren, Ohio / Warren G. Harding), freshman Dion Brown, Jr. (Davison, Mich.) caught a 12-yard pass for a first down.  On third-and-goal, Taylor was sacked with Wildcat Justin Peake recovering the fumble.

Wayne State's defense forced a three-and-out, and Taylor directed a 55-yard touchdown drive in the final 70 seconds.  Brown (18 yards) and Mackey (17 yards) had catches on the first two plays.  Warren added an 11-yard reception, with Taylor scoring on a two-yard plunge on the final play of the game.

TEAM STATS
Northern Michigan held a 443-437 edge in total offense, along with a 30:08 to 29:52 advantage in time of possession.  Wayne State passed for 299 yards compared to 297 for NMU.  The biggest difference was two turnovers by the Warriors to zero for the Wildcats.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Williams rushed for a team-best 39 yards and added 73 yards on receptions for 112 all-purpose yards.  Kulka completed 13-of-23 passes for 241 yards with one interception, while Taylor was 4-of-11 for 58 yards.  Nichols caught four passes for a team-high 85 receiving yards.

LEADING THE WILDCATS
King gained a game-best 94 yards on the ground and scored two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving).  Keen passed for 297 yards on 23-of-29.  Brenden Sersaw had game-best totals of nine receptions and 146 receiving yards.

UP NEXT
Wayne State begins a stretch of three road games in a four-game span with a contest next Saturday at Michigan Tech.



 
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