The playoffs arrive one week early for Ashland University football as the Eagles gear up for a showdown with Michigan Tech this upcoming Saturday. 

After taking care of business against Grand Valley State, Ashland has control of its own playoff destiny when they match up with a team ranked ahead of them in the NCAA Division II Super Region Four Polls.

What better way to make a statement as to how worthy the Eagles are of being in the playoffs than beating a team ranked ahead of them to get there?

Ashland has not met Michigan Tech on the gridiron since 2009, when the Eagles defeated the Huskies 34-28. Ashland leads the all-time series against Michigan Tech 9-5 dating back to 1994. 

Regional and national polls have both teams ranked right next to each other and for good reason – both teams have some very similar personnel that have allowed them to win games in a variety of ways. 

On the offense side of the ball, it starts with the running backs for both teams. Ashland fans are familiar with the likes of Anthony Taylor and Vance Settlemire.

Michigan Tech has a stud running back of its own in Charlie Leffingwell. Leffingwell, a senior, is ranked just behind Taylor in individual rushing yardage this year and is also coming off his most impressive game of the season last week.

Leffingwell ran for 221 yards and scored all five of the Huskies touchdowns in a 35-17 win against Tiffin. 

There are similarities statistically at the quarterback positions for both teams as well. MTU quarterback Tyler Scarlett is similar to Travis Tarnowski in the sense that he is not expected to win every game on his own for his team. Nonetheless, Scarlett has thrown 12 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions this season.

Scarlett is different from Tarnowski in the sense that he is a senior with four years of starting experience under his belt.

Defensively, both teams are ranked atop the GLIAC in points per game. Ashland ranks first, allowing just 17.1 ppg and Michigan Tech isn’t far behind at 18.5 ppg. 

One statistical category that Michigan Tech has dominated the entire season has been time of possession. The Huskies hold the ball for nearly 35 minutes a game, which is best in the conference. Ashland ranks third in the GLIAC, holding the ball for just over 32 minutes on average. 

Three of Michigan Tech’s wins this season have been by six or less points, including a 34-31 win over Northern Michigan, who Ashland defeated 44-14 two weeks ago. 

Michigan Tech’s lone loss of the year was at home to the fourth-ranked Ferris State Bulldogs. Ferris State dominated thanks to 322 yards rushing and won 37-3.

The outcome of this game will likely determine the sixth and final seed in Super Region Four, barring some losses from teams ahead of the sixth-ranked Huskies and the seventh-ranked Eagles. 

This will be Ashland’s final regular season game of the season, while Michigan Tech will still play Lake Erie on Nov. 15. 

Should the winner of this game clinch the sixth seed in the playoffs, they would then travel to play the third seed of Super Region Four.