MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Panther football team took three quarters to get some offensive success as they scored 14 points in a 10-minute span of the fourth quarter in a 24-14 loss at Northern Michigan. The Panthers (0-4, 0-3 GLIAC) fell behind 17-0 at halftime and then started to make a comeback as they cut the lead down to 17-14 with 5:22 left in the game. The Wildcats (1-2, 1-1 GLIAC) then broke off a big run on their next drive to secure the 10-point win.

One thing that has plagued the Davenport defense this season has been allowing points on the opponent's opening drive. That continued again on Saturday as NMU took the opening kick and marched 70 yards in just five plays capped off by a 49-yard TD run by Jake Mayon. The Panthers were forced into a 3-and-out on their next drive and the Wildcats quickly increased their lead to 14-0. Mayon carried the ball three times as NMU reached the DU 33. The scoring play was Ryan Johnson hooking up with Ryan Knight from 33 yards on the eighth play of the 65-yard drive.

Davenport never could recover from that onslaught in the first half. After another punt to the NMU 5-yard line, the Wildcats went 90 yards in seven plays but the DU defense held and NMU settled for a 22-yard field goal by Dalton Ray for a 17-0 advantage with 14:09 left until halfitme. DU got it into NMU territory twice in the second quarter but could not muster any points.

The defenses held tough in the third quarter with no one scoring points. As the fourth quarter began, DU had the ball at the NMU 18 and one play later Michael Catching rushed for 10 yards down to the NMU 5. Catching finished the drive with a five-yard TD plunge to cut the lead to 17-7 with 13:56 left in the contest.

The DU defense kept hopes alive with back-to-back stops and the offense took over at the NMU 26 after a 29-yard punt return by Nate Couturier. William James used his legs on the third play of the drive to score from 13 yards and make it 17-14 with 5:22 remaining. The Wildcats had the back-breaker as Mayon's 58-yard TD run concluded the scoring at 24-14.

Mayon had a big game on the ground with 26 carries for 247 yards. James led DU with 88 rushing yards on 21 carries. He also completed 10-of-19 passes for 75 yards. C.J. Thornton led the Panther defense with seven tackles.

"I'm extremely proud of this football team," said head coach Sparky McEwen. "We walked into a tough environment and fought like a bunch of determined men. The small things continue to hurt us but we gave ourselves a chance to win today and that is what's important."