October 17th, 2026 12:30pm
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The No. 14-ranked Michigan Tech football team won its 16th straight Miner's Cup after defeating rival Northern Michigan 56-33 Saturday afternoon at Kearly Stadium. The Huskies were 5 for 5 in the red zone and scored eight touchdowns on the day, going a perfect 8 for 8 on the point after.
Tech improved to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the GLIAC and handed NMU its seventh loss.
"Winning the Miner's Cup is always one of our team goals, and it was important to get the win today," Tech coach Dan Mettlach said. "We didn't play particularly well on defense, giving up too many third downs and missing some tackles, but we'll continue to work on that side of the ball and get it cleaned up. The offense played well from the start and controlled the line of scrimmage."
Touchdowns were scored on the first three drives of the game. Tech struck first with an 8-play, 61-yard drive that was capped off by a six-yard run to the end zone by Jake Rueff.
NMU quickly answered. The Wildcats had a 45-yard passing play that set up a four-yard rush by Noah Dobert. The extra point was missed.
Alex Bueno and Abram Larner connected on a 64-yard scoring play on the second play of Tech's second drive of the game.
After a turnover on downs, Tech went 71 yards in four plays, and Elliott Larner scampered for 58 yards to the endzone as the first quarter clock expired to make it a two-score game.
Elliott Larner scored again in with 4:28 left in the second after Alex Bueno and Abram Larner set up the score with a 24-yard pitch-and-catch.