The last time Northern Michigan had a winning season was 2009, but they did see some post-COVID improvement.

After a 1-9 effort in 2019, the Wildcats rebounded from the year off in 2020 with back-to-back seasons at 4-7. They finished their 2022 campaign with a win over Lake Erie College.

Northern Michigan finished sixth in the seven-team Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference last season with a 1-5 conference record. The lone win came against Wayne State, which finished at the bottom of the conference standings at 0-6.

The opportunity to continue the forward progress will belong to first-year head coach Shane Richardson, who was hired after the 2022 season concluded. 

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Richardson previously was the head coach at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (2014-2022) and replaced Kyle Nystrom, who coached the Wildcats from 2017-2022, before resigning.

Nystrom was 13-40 in five complete seasons with Northern Michigan. 

The GLIAC again includes seven teams and returns three programs that finished with winning records in 2022. That includes Grand Valley State, which went 12-1 overall and claimed the GLIAC title with a 6-0 record.

GLIAC football action will be streamed live on FloFootball and the FloSports app, including all of Northern Michigan’s GLIAC games.

Here’s What To Know About Northern Michigan Football.

What Year Did Northern Michigan Start Playing Football?

Football was the first organized sport at Northern Michigan University, and the team debuted in 1904. 

Northern Michigan became a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in 1956 and joined the NCAA ranks in 1967. 

All-time, the Wildcats are 438-401-26. 

In What Division Of College Football Does Northern Michigan Play? 

Northern Michigan plays at the NCAA Division II level. 

How Many Times Has Northern Michigan Football Made It To The Playoffs?

The Northern Michigan football team has been to the postseason nine times. 

The Wildcats’ first two appearances were while in the NAIA, with their debut coming in1960, and the most recent postseason berth was 1987. 

Their playoff record is 6-8 overall and 6-6 in the NCAA Division II Playoffs, including defeating Western Kentucky 16-14 to win the 1975 national championship. The Wildcats finished that season at 13-1. They were 0-10 the season before.

When Did Northern Michigan Football Join The GLIAC?

Northern Michigan made its first appearance in the GLIAC in 1975, along with Wayne State University, Hillsdale College and the new Saginaw Valley State football program. 

Northern Michigan saw another opportunity shortly after and left the GLIAC to be an inaugural member of the football-only Mid-Continent Athletic Association in 1978. The stay was short-lived, however, as the Wildcats moved on again after the 1980 season, playing as an independent.

The Wildcats returned to the GLIAC in time for the 1987 season and went on to win the conference championship and advance to the playoffs. They won their first game but lost to Portland State in the semifinals, 13-7.

After the 1989 season, the GLIAC dropped football, sending those teams (including Northern Michigan) on to the new Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference, along with members of the Heartland Football Conference for the 1990 season.

The MIFC merged with the GLIAC in 1999, and the conference resumed its sponsorship of football that fall.

Has Northern Michigan Football Ever Won The GLIAC title?

Yes. Northern Michigan won the GLIAC title in 1987.

The Wildcats advanced to the playoffs that year. 

In the first round, they defeated Angelo State in overtime, 23-20, before losing to Portland State in their next game (the semifinals), 13-7.

Who Is The Northern Michigan Football Head Coach?

Shane Richardson is the new head football coach at Northern Michigan University. His hiring was announced in December 2022.

Richardson replaced Kyle Nystrom, who resigned after the 2022 season, his fifth official year with the team. Nystrom coached from 2017-2022 and compiled a 13-40 record, including back-to-back 4-7 campaigns after a year off due to COVID-19.

Prior to stepping into the top role at Northern Michigan, Richardson was the head coach at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (2014-2022). He was 37-48 there, including a 10-2 record and playoff run in 2016.

Before taking the helm at UNC Pembroke, Richardson was the defensive coordinator and linebacker coach from 2006-2013. He also coached the linebackers at Northern Michigan in 2002 and Jamestown in 2003, then made a stop at North Dakota State in 2004 to coach the defensive backs.

As a player, Richardson was a linebacker at Northern Michigan from 1996-2000.

Who Is Northern Michigan Football’s Biggest Rival?

For more than 100 years, one of the fiercest rivalries in the Midwest has been between Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech.

They first battled in 1920 (twice), with Michigan Tech winning both games. 

Northern Michigan’s longest winning streak over the years is 17, which came from 1956-2000. The teams did not play from 1962-1982, and they only met four times in the 1990s.

Since 2002, the teams have been playing for a traveling trophy called the Miner’s Cup. The trophy is a miner’s helmet mounted on a wood base, and it was created in a collaboration between Michigan Tech’s athletic department and the school’s Army ROTC battalion. 

Michigan Tech has won the Miner’s Cup 17 of the 20 times it has been on the line, including the last 12. Northern Michigan hasn’t won since 2009.

Across their 95 meetings, Michigan Tech now holds the advantage at 49-41-5. 

Northern Michigan also has long histories with a handful of other schools, meeting each more than 40 times—Ferris State (48), Grand Valley State (44), Hillsdale College (42), Saginaw Valley State (42) and Northwood (41).

Where Is Northern Michigan University?

Northern Michigan University is located in Marquette, Michigan. It opened in 1899 as Northern State Normal School with 32 students.

The school’s first name change came in 1927, when it was changed to Northern State Teacher’s Collage. It then became Northern Michigan College of Education in 1942, maintaining its mission of training teachers.

Growth continued, and the institution became Northern Michigan College in 1955. It became Northern Michigan University in 1963 when a state constitution gave all public institutions in Michigan university status. 

Notable Northern Michigan Alums

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, NFL coach Jerry Glanville, architect John Lautner, former director of the United States Mint, Jay Johnson, comic book artist Norm Breyfogle, actor Jason Cameron, a variety of professional hockey players and cold-sport athletes, Team USA wrestler Whitney Conder and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.

The national title-winning football team in 1975 was led by sophomore quarterback Steve Mariucci, who went on to coach in the NFL.

Northern Michigan Football Schedule 2023

• Aug. 31: at Minnesota Duluth, 7 p.m. ET
• Sept. 9: Lake Erie College, 1 p.m. ET
• Sept. 16: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2 p.m. ET
• Sept. 23: at Quincy, 2 p.m. ET
• Sept. 30: at Ferris State, 3 p.m. ET
• Oct. 7: at Davenport, 2 p.m. ET
• Oct. 14: Michigan Tech, 7 p.m. ET
• Oct. 21: Grand Valley State, 1 p.m. ET
• Oct. 28: Wayne State, 1 p.m. ET
• Nov. 4: at Saginaw Valley State, 1 p.m. ET
• Nov. 11: Northern State, 1 p.m. ET