Ashland has begun the season

1-2 and 0-2 in the GLIAC, but they look to turn things around this

weekend at Northern Michigan, where the Wildcats enter play at 2-1

and 2-0 in the GLIAC. The Wildcats have won consecutive games after

losing their season opener to nationally-ranked Minnesota

State-Mankato, 7-6.

The Eagles come into this

game losers of two straight, falling at Indy, 17-12 and this past

weekend at home under the lights against Hillsdale,

27-17.

In the season opener against

Bloomsburg, the Eagles didn’t commit a turnover in a 24-14 win, but

have committed six turnovers in their previous two

games. 

The Eagles should feel

confident about their chances this weekend, as they hold a 13-5

series lead and are currently riding a three-game winning streak

against the Wildcats. The Eagles and Wildcats haven’t played each

other since 2007 and the last time the Wildcats defeated Ashland

was back in 2004, where Northern Michigan edged Ashland,

35-27.

The Eagles offense, led by

sophomore quarterback Taylor Housewright, is averaging nearly 18

points a game this season. D.J. McCoy had his best game of the year

last weekend against Hillsdale, rushing for 78 yards on 18 carries.

Christian Livingston and Joe Horn are the leaders of the receiving

core, but head coach Lee Owens feels Al Dunson can be a key member

of that group too.

“When he is on the field, the

spirits of the offense seem to pick up,” Owens said of

Dunson.

“He has a contagious spirit

about him and he has worked so hard at developing his hands and

catching the ball. No one has worked harder this summer on catching

the ball than what Al did.”

The Wildcats will lean on

their stingy defense Saturday against the Eagles offensive unit.

The Wildcat defense, coached by Randy Awrey, is ranked third in the

nation in pass defense, seventh in pass efficiency defense,

10^th in total defense and 11^th in scoring

defense. They also lead the GLIAC in total defense, pass defense

and pass efficiency defense.

Ashland’s defense is nothing

to shy away from either, as the Eagles are fourth in the GLIAC in

rushing defense (110.0 ypg.) and scoring defense (19.3 ppg.) and

fifth in total defense (320.3 ypg.). They will have the

responsibility of containing Wildcat quarterback, Carter Kopach.

Kopach has been named the GLIAC’s Offensive Player of the Week the

last two weeks and is a duel threat quarterback similar to

Housewright.

“We have to contain him with

our pass rush,” Owens said.

“If you give him time to

throw the ball, he’s going to find his receivers. The great

quarterbacks, you don’t stop them, you contain them and don’t give

them a chance to make big plays.”

The Eagles and Wildcats will

kickoff at 4 p.m. at the Superior Dome, where Ashland is 4-5

all-time. The Eagles return home for the next two weekends to face

Northwood and Tiffin.