Michigan Tech defensive back Hunter Buechel hurries Davenport quarterback Jason Whittaker during a game Saturday, Sept. 30, at Kearly Stadium in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

MARQUETTE — According to Michigan Tech Huskies football coach Dan Mettlach, his team has had Saturday’s date with the Northern Michigan Wildcats circled on their calendars since the players hit campus for good in early August. The Huskies are looking for their 13th straight Miner’s Cup, but while they have been the better team this season, Mettlach knows it will not be easy.

“Our guys will be ready,” he said. “It’s a rivalry game. We’ve been talking about it since August 11. This is something that we talk about daily. It’s a game that the old cliche, you throw out the records. Both of us are coming in on skids right now, if you will.

“We start hot, (but we are) on a two-game losing streak now, and they’re trying to find themselves as well, doing some good things over there as the season goes on. They get us at their place at nighttime. It’s going to be an odd travel day for us, being the same-day travel, having to leave early and everything else. So (there are) a lot of things going against us, outside of just the football game itself, but we need to go down and play a complete game.”

In Mettlach’s estimation, that is something the Huskies have yet to do.

“We have not yet put together a full defense, offense, special teams, where everybody is clicking at the same time,” he said. “So that is focus No. 1. Ultimately, when you play in a rivalry game, we cannot turn the football over. Anything that could be momentum-building for the opposite team, where we’re creating those issues ourselves, penalties with the discipline, turning the football over, so on, we cannot have any of those situations where it’s our missed assignments or pre-snap, post-snap, penalties that are going to give them any more ammo than they already need. (We have) to play a clean football game. Obviously, we’ve talked about it before, but our toughness, physicality, things that we talk about on a daily basis, that’s clearly got to show up in a rivalry game as well.”

As Mettlach mentioned, the Huskies started the season 3-0 without playing a full game in all aspects. However, since they reached the GLIAC portion of their schedule, they have gone 0-2 after losing last Saturday to Wayne State on the road in a game that, at least on paper, they should have won, according to their coach.

“I mean, stats-wise, watching it back on film, being there on Saturday, I thought we outplayed them in every category but the final score, unfortunately,” he said. “So, your sitting here, licking your wounds on Monday, rather than being excited about it. I thought the guys played well. We played hard, moved the football offensively, got stops on defense.

“It’s just kind of the perfect storm. We couldn’t catch a break, way too many penalties to win a football game in crucial times.”

One of the penalties that Mettlach focused on this week was the holding penalty taken during the Huskies final drive of the game. Junior quarterback Alex Fries had completed a pass to junior wide receiver Darius Willis near the Warriors’ 15 yard line, however the play came back on the penalty, putting the Huskies back at the Warriors’ 45 yard line. From there, the drive stalled, and the Huskies were forced to turn the ball over, ending any shot of taking the lead.

“It’s a tough spot for that flag to come out, (but) unfortunately it does,” Mettlach said. “Our tight end, who got called for it on that play, could have done a better job of his pre-snap alignment, and maybe not let him outside in the first place.”

At the same time, Mettlach admits that no one penalty was the difference in the game.

“It wasn’t just that one,” he said. “There are too many penalties, whether we like the calls or not, that were called in crucial situations. We have to be more disciplined across the board.”

On a positive note, Mettlach felt that Fries had his best day as a Huskies’ starter in the loss.

“This was the best game he’s played as a college quarterback, managed it well,” said Mettlach. “There’s still some mistakes, and some throws that he wishes he had back, but made a bunch of plays with his feet. (He) was much more comfortable in the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield.”

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS

Much like the Huskies, the Wildcats are trying to figure out what kind of football team they are going to be. First-year coach Shane Richardson’s squad is 0-6 overall and 0-2 in GLIAC play. They lost to Ferris State, 78-3, two weeks ago, but were much better last Saturday against Davenport on the road, losing 28-12.

Fifth-year quarterback Mariano Valenti has shouldered most of the load under center. He is 86-of-151 for 782 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also run for two touchdowns.

Freshman Aidan Hoard saw action against the Panthers, and he did well, going 12-of-24 for 177 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

Sophomore wide receiver Sam Peiffer has been the favorite target for both quarterbacks. He has 29 catches for 229 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Franko Williams is also settling in with 14 catches for 146 yards.

Fifth-year running back Tyquan Cox has been instrumental in both the ground and air games. He has 19 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown in the air, and has 96 rushes for 391 yards on the ground.

GAME TIME

The Huskies and the Wildcats will do battle at 7 p.m. at the Superior Dome in Marquette Saturday.