Grand Valley State and Northern Michigan are going in different directions this season, but their paths will cross Saturday at 1 p.m. ET for a showdown at the Superior Dome in Marquette, Michigan.

GVSU (5-1, 2-0) is aiming for a second consecutive Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title and is coming off a thrilling 49-28 win over top-ranked Ferris State that nearly got out of hand after a 35-0 advantage in the second quarter. 

Northern Michigan (0-7, 0-3) was stunned last week by Michigan Tech, 62-0. It was the most lopsided final score in their century-long rivalry and the 13th consecutive time the Huskies came out on top.

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Grand Valley State and Northern Michigan met for the first time in 1975, with Northern Michigan winning 12 of the first 13 meetings. 

GVSU has a seven-game winning streak in the series, has won 18 of the last 20, is coming off a 56-3 rout in 2022 and owns a 26-17-1 advantage all-time. 

When Is The Grand Valley State Vs. Northern Michigan Football Game?

Grand Valley State will take on Northern Michigan at the Superior Dome in Marquette, Michigan, on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. ET

How To Watch The Grand Valley State Vs. Northern Michigan Football Game

Football action is streaming live on FloFootball and the FloSports app, including the Grand Valley State and Northern Michigan football game during Week 8.

Replays and postgame highlights also will be available on both platforms. 

What To Know About Grand Valley State University Football

Grand Valley State won the coin toss last week against Ferris State, then it was like someone forgot to tell the top-ranked Bulldogs the game was starting.

Two minutes into the second quarter, the Lakers were leading 35-0, and it seemed as if they’d already locked up their second consecutive win in the famed Anchor-Bone Classic.

Ferris State rallied for the next 28 points, despite a nearly non-existent running game, and got within a touchdown and an extra point of the reigning GLIAC champions, but that’s where it ended for the Bulldogs. They were held scoreless in the final quarter, allowing GVSU to claim the Anchor Bone Trophy for another year.

The win thrust Grand Valley State into the spotlight. 

The Lakers jumped to No. 4 in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches Poll (from No. 7) and to No. 2 in the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll (from No. 4). They also picked up a few awards.

Junior quarterback Avery Moore was named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing nine times for 126 and two touchdowns, while completing 1-of-2 passes for another 30 yards and a touchdown. 

Sophomore linebacker Anthony Cardamone was everywhere against the Bulldogs. He collected a career-high 11 tackles, including three sacks, and returned an interception for a touchdown. The performance earned him the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honor, as well as recognition as the D2Football.com National Defensive Player of the Week. 

Senior quarterback Cade Peterson, who has also earned GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors this season, was 15-for-25 in the win for 151 yards and three touchdowns. He leads the GLIAC this season with 11 touchdown passes, while Grand Valley is averaging a conference-best 49.5 points per game.

A regular-season win over Ferris State last season helped the Lakers to the GLIAC title, but so far this year, Davenport is the team to beat. The Panthers top the standings at 3-0, but with them playing a nonconference game this week, GVSU will have a chance to get to 3-0 and share control. 

What To Know About Northern Michigan University Football

In last week’s 62-0 loss to Michigan Tech, the Northern Michigan Wildcats were tamed to the tune of 85 yards of total offense, which included a rushing performance of -46 yards.

Northern Michigan turned the ball over four times and had two punts blocked in the game.

For the season, the Wildcats are being outscored 45.43-10.86 and outperformed in total offense per game, 490.9-240.1. On Sept. 3, Ferris State beat the Wildcats 78-3.

Fifth-year running back Tyquan Cox is far and away the top rusher for Northern Michigan this year. He has 361 yards on 97 attempts, and while he’s 271 yards ahead of the second player on the list, he has yet to find the end zone. 

Graduate quarterback Mariano Valenti is the team’s top passer. He has completed 86-of-151 passes for 782 yards and three touchdowns. He also has thrown five interceptions. 

A bright spot for Northern Michigan is sophomore linebacker Mitch Larkin, whose 71 total tackles are leading the GLIAC. 

The Wildcats will wrap up the season with conference games against Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State, followed by a nonconference matchup with Northern State.

What’s The Weather Forecast?

Temperatures will dip into the mid-40s during the day Saturday, and there will be a 53 percent chance of rain. Winds will range from 10-20 mph.

As the day goes on, temps and wind speeds will remain steady, but the chance of precipitation will go down. 

Archived Footage On FloFootball

Video footage from the event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloFootball subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription.

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