HOUGHTON, Mich. – The No. 24 nationally-ranked Michigan Tech football team welcomes GLVC affiliate Upper Iowa to conclude the non-conference slate at Kearly Stadium for homecoming, slated for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff on Saturday.
Fans can follow the action at https://michigantechhuskies.com/live for live stats, live stream ($) and radio play-by-play.
Watch The Huskies
All home and GLIAC games will be streamed on FloCollege. Michigan Tech fans can watch all home and conference games in volleyball, basketball, football and soccer with one subscription. FloCollege 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. FloCollege is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.
Spirit T-Shirt Giveaway
Fans are encouraged to get to the game early, as the first 400 fans will get a spirit T-shirt printed by Superior Graphics while supplies last.
The Series
The two teams met for the first time in 2023 in Fayette, Iowa, with the Huskies scoring 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to complete a 34-31 comeback win.
About the Peacocks
Upper Iowa holds a 1-1 record, falling to FCS affiliate Drake in week zero 41-7, with a week one bye before earning a big-time win over familiar foe South Dakota Mines 58-14 at their home opener on Saturday.
The Peacocks' offense was lethal over the weekend, with standout receiver Mante Marrow catching four touchdown passes from quarterback Darryl Overstreet Jr. as the duo posted career-highs with Marrow finishing with 216 receiving yards and Overstreet Jr. tossing for an impressive 406 yards and five total touchdowns. Three of the touchdowns thrown by Overstreet Jr. were 55 yards or longer in the first quarter shootout.
Marrow earned GLVC Offensive Player of the Week honors and D2Football.com Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Hardrockers. His five receiving touchdowns and 150.5 receiving yards per game rank second in the country.
As a team, Upper Iowa has averaged 32.5 points per game, converting 41.6% of third downs, while allowing 27.5 points and 129 rushing yards. Meanwhile, the opposition has a 56.2% third-down conversion rate.
The passing game will be crucial for the Peacocks, as the run game has not yet been established, with just 55 rushing yards on average through two games.
The defense has been successful at taking the ball away with four interceptions thus far, while adding seven tackles for a loss of 29 yards, which includes two sacks of 16 yards. Five players have over 10 total tackles, led by linebacker Evan Dorn with 16 total tackles, eight solo and eight assisted.
About the Huskies
Michigan Tech returns home for the second time this season with an unblemished 3-0 record, earning two GLIAC Players of the Week and two top-25 distinctions en route to its non-conference finale. The Huskies earned No. 24 national rankings in both the D2Football.com and AFCA top 25 polls.
Sophomore kicker Avery Kucharski was named GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for week two following the 34-21 victory at Hillsdale last week. The Portage, Michigan, went two-for-two on field goals with a 35-yard make in the third quarter and a near career-high 44-yard field goal connection in the fourth quarter and went four-for-four on extra points.
The Black & Gold's offense has been potent through three games, averaging 38.7 points per outing with 72 first downs, which ranks eighth nationally. Quarterback Alex Bueno has been a difference maker with seven passing touchdowns and 722 total passing yards, both of which are top-20 in the country. The escape artist has also used his legs to move the sticks with a team-leading 188 rushing yards. Last week, he had three receivers finish with over 100 receiving yards in Ethan Champney (119), Bryce Kurncz (110) and Nic Nora (106) as Bueno finished with a career-high 364 passing yards.
The Huskies' defense is allowing just 15.7 points per game with one of the best total defenses in the nation, allowing just 247.7 yards per game. Controlling the line of scrimmage has been a focal point with the Black & Gold holding the opposition to 78.7 rushing yards per game, ranking 20th nationally. The defensive backs in Dante Basanese, Jaiden Bolden and Jimmy Targosz have each recorded an interception.
Six players have over 10 total tackles, with Chase Koch leading the way with 17 total tackles, as Dakota Blackwell and Porter Zeeman have 16 total tackles, respectively.
One Last Thing
After two weeks receiving votes, the Huskies made an appearance in the AFCA top 25 poll for the first time since November 3, 2015, when Michigan Tech was ranked No. 22.
