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Wayne State University Athletics

Luke Johnson 2026 vs. Northwood
(C) Douglas Johnson, all rights reserved.
Luke Johnson totaled a game-best 12 tackles at MTU, including one for loss.
0
Wayne St. (MI) WSU 0-11 , 0-7
38
Winner Michigan Tech MTU 9-2 , 6-1
Wayne St. (MI) WSU
0-11 , 0-7
0
Final
38
Michigan Tech MTU
9-2 , 6-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WSU Wayne St. (MI) 0 0 0 0 0
MTU Michigan Tech 14 17 0 7 38

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

Football Falls In Season Finale At #12-Michigan Tech

HOUGHTON, Mich. -- The 2026 Wayne State University football team (0-11 overall, 0-7 GLIAC) played its final game of the season Saturday afternoon at 12th-ranked Michigan Tech (9-2 overall, 6-1 GLIAC) with the Huskies prevailing 38-0.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Warriors had to punt following the opening kickoff and it took the Huskies just 44 seconds to take a 7-0 lead on 49-yard pass play from Elliott Larner to Abram Larner.

Following a WSU punt, Kymani Fenika (Herald, Calif. / Liberty Ranch [Sacramento City College]) recovered an MTU fumble on the first play.  However, after another WSU punt, Michigan Tech went 71 yards in four plays scoring on a 27-yard flea flicker pass from Alex Bueno to Gabe Popko with 3:47 remaining in the first period to take a 14-0 lead.

The next punt by Griffin Nowak (Livonia, Mich. / Franklin) was mishandled by Nic Nora and WSU's Drew Hickmott (Ortonville, Mich. / Ortonville Brandon [Michigan]) recovered near midfield.

Wayne State quarterback Torrence Searcy (Romulus, Mich.), making his first collegiate start, was sacked on fourth down.  His start marked the seventh different signal caller to start a game for WSU this season.

Second Quarter
On the fourth play of the second period, MTU's Avery Kucharski connected on a 50-yard field goal attempt.

A 26-yard punt return by Nora, set up a 48-yard touchdown drive in five plays.  Bueno completed a pass to Bryce Kurncz, who lateraled the ball to offensive lineman Brandon DeVries for the touchdown.

After the Warriors failed to convert a fourth-and-two at their own 30-yard line, Michigan Tech went 30 yards in six plays scoring on an eight-yard pass from Robert Lalain to Jaxon Lippert.

Following a partially blocked punt, the WSU defense kept the Huskies out of the end zone in the final seconds before intermission.

Third Quarter
The third period featured five punts (three by Michigan Tech and two by WSU).

Fourth Quarter
After a WSU punt, MTU drove to the Warrior one-yard line, but the defense forced an incompletion on fourth down.  Wayne State went for it on fourth-and-six and its own 20-yard line, but Eric Franklin (Zion, Ill. / Zion-Benton [North Central College]) was sacked.

The Huskies scored three plays later on a 15-yard pass from Lalain to Luke Gorzinski with 3:10 remaining. 

TEAM STATS
Michigan Tech totaled 360 yards of total offense, while Wayne State had 62 yards of total offense (34 passing and 28 rushing).  

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Searcy rushed for a team-high 15 yards, and completed 2-of-8 passes for 18 yards.  Franklin was 2-of-5 for 16 yards.  Mar'Tavion Robinson (Lansing, Mich. / Waverly [Davenport]) caught two passes for 18 yards, while Hickmott had an 11-yard reception, and freshman fullback Dante' Toliver (Romulus, Mich.) had one reception for five yards.  Luke Johnson (Oxford, Mich.) had a game-best 12 tackles (6-6), including one for loss.  Max Edwards (Los Angeles, Calif. / American Fork, Utah) totaled 11 stops (7-4), with two coming behind the line of scrimmage.  Nowak punted nine times for 331 yards (36.8 average).

LEADING THE HUSKIES
Three different MTU quarterbacks combined for 172 passing yards and five touchdowns on 13-of-21.  Jake Rueff rushed for a game-best 49 yards.  Desmond Mullen led the Huskie defense with six tackles.

 
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