Posted: Nov 14, 2024
Game 11: Saginaw Valley Michigan Tech
Saturday, November 16, 2024 | 1:00 p.m. ET
Harvey Randal Wickes Memorial Stadium | University Center, Mich.
2024 Game Notes: Michigan Tech
Preview Interview: Coach Brady
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Kick-Off
The Saginaw Valley State University Football team hosts the Michigan Tech Huskies in the final home game of the regular season. The Cardinals (7-3, 4-2 GLIAC) look to end the year strong with a victory over the Huskies (6-4, 3-3GLIAC) and celebrate the 2025 senior class.
Saginaw Valley State fell 27-24 in a battle with top-ranked Ferris State on the road last week. The Cardinals held the lead twice against the Bulldogs, but a touchdown in the third quarter proved to be the difference as SVSU missed the game-tying field goal late in the fourth quarter and Ferris State killed the clock.
Michigan Tech suffered a 20-0 loss against Grand Valley State last week. The Lakers held the ball for over 40 minutes, compiled 477 yards of total offense, and ran 88 plays.
The Series
The Cardinals lead the all-time series 25-12 with a winning streak of three games, outscoring Michigan Tech 108-64 in those games. SVSU has won five of the last seven meetings.
Last season's meeting ended with a 38-21 win for the Cardinals. SVSU totaled 469 offensive yards and never trailed in the winning performance.
Last 10 Meetings
Nov. 11, 2023: SVSU 38, MTU 21
Nov. 12, 2022: SVSU 35, MTU 30
Sept. 24, 2022: SVSU 35, MTU 13
Nov. 13, 2021: MTU 21, SVSU 20
Sept. 21, 2019: SVSU 23, MTU 7
Sept. 29, 2018: SVSU 10, MTU 0
Sept. 23, 2017: MTU 28, SVSU 24
Oct. 1, 2016: SVSU 17, MTU 16 *
Sept. 19, 2015: MTU 35, SVSU 21
Sept. 20, 2014: MTU 26, SVSU 20
W-L: 6-4 / H: 2-2 / A: 4-2 / Avg. margin: 9.6
* Win Vacated
1ST-AND-10
• The Cardinals sit in a tie for third in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) standings with Davenport. The Cardinals and Panthers are 4-2 in league play. SVSU has the head-to-head tie-breaker with DU after the Cardinals won 24-14 at home in week nine.
• Senior All-American linebacker Micah Cretsinger was named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 and the D2 Elite 100 watch lists. Junior linebacker Brandon Rawls joined Cretsinger on the D2 Elite 100 list.
• Saginaw Valley faced three ranked opponents this season: at (#15) Indianapolis (W, 28-24), (#2) Grand Valley State (L, 16-9), and at (#2) Ferris State (L, 27-24).
• Freshman quarterback Mason McKenzie is 131-of-237 for 1,786 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air. McKenzie leads the Cardinals in passing and rushing with 110 carries for 654 yards and six scores on the ground. He currently ranks third in the GLIAC in rushing and fourth in passing yards.
• Redshirt freshman Joseph Walker is the team's leading receiver with 28 receptions for 457 yards and three scores. Walker's receiving yards currently rank sixth in the league. Junior Eric Craft has 25 catches for 401 yards and two touchdowns.
• Terrence Brown, Jr. has three touchdowns along with 19 receptions for 244 yards. Brown is second on the team in rushing with 116 carries for 511 yards and six touchdowns. He is the team's leading scorer with 60 points on 10 total touchdowns.
• Micah Cretsinger is the team's leading tackler with 70 stops this season. The 2023 All-American linebacker has 9.0 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one recovery, 2.5 sacks, and three pass breakups on his stat line. Eli Gordon has 59 tackles this season. He leads the team in interceptions with four and has six pass breakups. Alfred Dailey, Jr. has 52 tackles with a sack, and 1.5 TFLs, along with a forced fumble. Leonard Henry IV has 10.5 sacks to lead the Cardinal pass rush along with 48 tackles (5th-most on the team). Henry currently leads the nation in sacks per game with a mark of 1.05. Jasper Beeler leads the Cardinals with 14 pass breakups. Beeler is also sixth in tackles with 44, 7.0 tackles for loss, and has a forced fumble and a recovery.
• Saginaw Valley State University can post an 8-win season for the second time in the last three years with a win over the Huskies this Saturday. The Cardinals boast a top-15 strength of schedule in NCAA Division II Football and are still alive for an at-large bid to the postseason.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
Michigan Tech looks to bounce back after a 20-0 loss to Grand Valley State last week. The Huskies allowed just 16 points in the two wins during both week eight and nine (39-9 against Northern Michigan and 20-7 over Roosevelt).
Alex Fries leads MTU at quarterback. The 6-foot, 2-inch senior from Saginaw, Michigan has completed 52 percent of his pass attempts this season (167-320) for 19 touchdowns. Darius Willis has been Fries's favorite target this year with 56 catches for a team-high 689 yards and eight scores. Ethan Champney is close behind with 631 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Six Husky receivers have caught a touchdown toss from Fries this season, and four of those have been for more than one touchdown.
Jake Rueff has a team-high 125 carries for 511 yards and two touchdowns. Alex Bueno (24 for 155 yards), Kolby Hindenach (27 for 83 yards), and Fries each have one touchdown run. Asher Gregory has two scores on the ground with 31 carries for 105 yards.
Dante Basanese leads the defense in tackles with 77. He has an interception, fumble recovery, and nine pass breakups to his credit as well. Owen Watson is the only other MTU defender with over 70 tackles with 71 stops. Watson has the third-most tackles for loss with 11.5 and he has recorded a forced fumble and a recovery. Hunter Bueschel is the team leader in TFLs with 21.5 along with six sacks this season. Austin Schlicht also has six sacks to his credit. Sam Ahern and Jared Tarrance have two picks to lead the defense in that category.
GLIAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Two Cardinal defenders have earned GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors this season.
Senior linebacker Micah Cretsinger was selected after his week nine performance against Davenport. Cretsinger had a team-high eight tackles with three tackles for loss, an interception, and a sack-fumble in the fourth quarter in the 24-14 win over the Panthers.
Eli Gordon won three defensive nods this year for his week 1, 3, and 4 showings.
PASS RUSH NIGHTMARE
Cardinal pass rusher Leonard Henry IV has been a nightmare to opposing teams this season. Henry has 10.5 sacks through eight games and has the nation's best sack numbers, averaging 1.05 per game along with a second-best 15.5 tackles for loss.