HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech football team saw its four-game unbeaten streak end in a back-and-forth battle ultimately seeing Davenport prevail 24-20 at Kearly Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 

"It was a tight GLIAC game and going into the game, we talked about the big momentum type plays—those were the ones that we wanted to be making. Although, I felt like the guys responded to every punch that Davenport threw," Tech football head coach Dan Mettlach said. "I think when we go back and watch the film, those game changing plays that you don't count on, Davenport made two or three and we didn't make any ourselves. I'm proud of the way our guys played and battled through the whole thing—we just needed to make one more play and we couldn't do it."

Michigan Tech (4-2, 1-1 GLIAC) got the ball to start the game and quickly romped down the field in five plays for 72 yards capped with a 12-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Jake Rueff. Rueff sparked the drive with an eight-yard gain on the ground with senior quarterback Alex Fries connecting to wide receiver Ethan Champney for a 46-yard bomb setting up the touchdown play.

The Huskies were amped after the quick score but were stunned on the kickoff as Davenport's (4-2, 1-1 GLIAC) Antjuan Collins went 96 yards to the house with the extra point tying the game at 7-7 with only 3:02 played in the opening quarter. 

The offensive explosions slowed as the defensive battle picked up, seeing both teams account for two three-and-outs. 

The second quarter showcased a touchdown by each team with Fries completing a pass to Darius Willis on third and five to keep the drive alive at Davenport's 47-yard line. Fries would Willis five plays later for a 35-yard touchdown pass that broke the program's career touchdown reception record of 24 by Bill Hauswirth (1982-1985). The touchdown was Willis' 25th of his career in 36 games played for the Black & Gold, giving MTU a 14-7 lead with 12:14 to play in the first half. The Warren, Michigan, native also broke the program career reception yards in the win at UW-Oshkosh earlier this season.
 

New number, same D-Will

Willis has broken ?? School Records this season with 25 career receiving touchdowns and over 2,500 receiving yards ??#CRTD | #FollowTheHuskies pic.twitter.com/dNPNcGOVON

— Michigan Tech Football (@MTUFB) October 12, 2024

The Panthers answered with another explosive play in their third drive of the quarter, this time a 51-yard touchdown pass from D'Wan Mathis to Antjuan Collins to make it a tied affair again at 14-all with 2:27 to go before halftime.

Michigan Tech returned for the break and the defense opened the third quarter with a 10-yard sack by defensive lineman Austin Schlicht on DU's second play of the half. Davenport successfully converted on fourth and one two plays later but would have nothing to show for it as three plays later linebacker Porter Zeeman picked off Davenport's quarterback Mike O'Horo returning it 26 yards. The Huskies also would come up empty after the turnover following a three-and-out. 

The ensuing Panthers drive would translate into the first lead for the visitors as DU went 87 yards in just over three minutes, capped by a 28-yard pass from Mathis to Preston Smith who made an incredible grab in the endzone to make it a 21-14 game and produce the lone points of the third quarter. 

With 14:04 to play, Michigan Tech's offense got back on the field and used two passes to Willis, first for 20 yards then a 37-yard grab to set up first and goal at the Panthers one yard line before Drew Collins found the endzone on a three-yard quarterback keeper. Despite the successful drive to find the endzone, Davenport's special teams delivered with Diamond Evans blocking the extra point and sustaining a one-point lead (21-20).

The Huskies defense held Davenport to three points on the following drive that saw the Panthers convert on three third downs that ate up 4:43 before settling for the 31-yard field goal to make it 24-20. 

Michigan Tech had one last attempt starting from their own 28 to find the endzone with 5:20 to play but succumbed to a holding penalty on the first play of the drive putting the Huskies back 10 yards before ultimately having to punt.

Davenport received the ball with 3:41 and used the run game to successfully drain the clock to remain undefeated on the road and earn their first conference win this year. 

Fries threw for 226 yards on 14-for-30 with one touchdown and an interception. Rueff paced the run game for MTU with 32 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown. Willis and Champney were the top targets through the air with Willis accounting for 103 yards and a touchdown while Champney had four grabs for 83 yards.

Defensive defensive back Dante Basanese continues to lead MTU defensively with ten tackles on the day (nine solo, one assisted). Austin Schlicht (eight total tackles) and Josh Cribben (seven total tackles) recorded sacks on the day. 

Tech's punter Brenden Lach posted nine punts averaging nearly 48 yards per (47.9), with a long of 60 yards and five inside the 20-yard line.  

Up Next

After playing in front of the home crowd at Kearly Stadium for back-to-back weeks, the Huskies take to the road traveling downstate for a Saturday matinee at No. 4 Ferris State slated for a 1 p.m. kickoff.