HOUGHTON, Mich. – After a perfectly timed bye week to conclude the non-conference portion of the season, the Michigan Tech football team returns to action on Saturday welcoming Wayne State for homecoming to open league play at Kearly Stadium slated for a noon kickoff. 

Welcome Back 1974 Team

Along with all the homecoming festivities, one of the most successful teams in program history returns for its 50th reunion. The 1974 team went undefeated with a 9-0 record and over 30 of its members will be recognized at halftime of Saturday's game. 

Watch The Huskies 

All home and GLIAC games will be streamed on FloSports. Michigan Tech fans can watch all home and conference games in volleyball, basketball, football and soccer with one subscription. FloSports provides each subscriber with access to all content and events with the purchase of a monthly or yearly subscription. Subscriptions are offered in two different billing packages - monthly and annual. Discounts are available for students enrolled at GLIAC member and associate member institutions. You must subscribe with a .edu email address to be eligible. FloSports is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.

The Series

In the 33-game series dating back to the 1967 season, Michigan Tech holds a 13-20 ledger all-time with a 7-3 record at home. The Huskies have also won seven of the last ten meetings and will look to avenge their road defeat in Detroit a season ago.

About the Warriors

Wayne State travels to the U.P. without a win yet this season, most recently wrapping up the non-conference slate falling at Truman State 31-17. It's been tough sledding for the Warriors with the first four games showcasing three top-30 teams in the opening three games of the season, certainly playing a factor in the slow start to the year. 

Wayne State has seen multiple quarterbacks running the offense this season with Edwards Champion throwing for 390 yards and three touchdowns on 41-for-69 and three interceptions. He's also used his legs for good with 57.8 rushing yards per game and a touchdown. Myles McKatherine has been the Warriors top receiver averaging 25.8 receiving yards a game and has scored two touchdowns. 

Defensively, Brayden Vredveld has a team-high 30 total tackles with Carl Ware and Kaleb Coleman each adding 28 total tackles. Ware and Coleman have also combined for three quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles.  

Kicker Griffin Milovanski has been productive for Wayne State going five-for-five on field goal attempts for 22 points this season, with his longest being 46 yards.

About the Huskies

Michigan Tech returns following the bye week, riding a three-game win-streak, wrapping the non-conference slate 3-1 with a pummeling to then-undefeated and No. 13 nationally-ranked UW-Oshkosh, 44-7 on Sept. 21. 

MTU put together its most complete game of the season in the win getting back to playing 'Michigan Tech Football', controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball while recording a season-low four penalties for 44 yards. 

Quarterback Alex Fries continues to lead the league in passing touchdowns (11), passing yards (1,019) and passing yards per game (254.8). The Saginaw, Michigan, native also ranks top-20 nationally in all three categories. High school teammate Ethan Champney has caught four touchdown passes from Fries, ranking first in the GLIAC and 19th in the country.  

Fries has also connected with Brandon Michalak and MTU's all-time reception leader, Darius Willis, for three touchdowns, respectively. Willis is garnering seven receptions per game while Champney averages nearly 100 receiving yards per game, ranking first in the league and 12th nationally.

Sophomore running back Jake Rueff ran all over UW-Oshkosh's defense, producing 137 yards on the ground, averaging 6.9 yards per carry and a touchdown. Redshirt freshman quarterback Alex Bueno impressed in his first appearance for the Black & Gold, running for 46 yards on six attempts and completing a 71-yard touchdown bomb to Ethan Hull. 

Junior defensive back Dante Basanese has stepped up big for the Huskies this season, now averaging 10.3 total tackles per game and a league-leading 6.3 solo tackles per game, which ranks sixth in the nation. Hunter Buechel posts 7.3 total tackles per game and 1.9 tackles for loss a game, which ranks third in the league and 19th in the country. 

Senior punter Brenden Lach continues to be one of the best punters in the nation with a punting average of 46.4 yards ranking him second nationally. 

One Last Thing

The Huskies lead the league with a 1.25 turnover margin which ranks 16th nationally. Through four games MTU has recorded eight turnovers (four fumbles recovered and four passes intercepted) while only losing the turnover battle three times.