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MARQUETTE -- (Courtesy of NMU Athletics) The Northern Michigan University football team will open the season against Minnesota State-Mankato for the second year in a row. The Wildcats and Maverick will open the 2011 campaign on Thursday, Sept. 1. at 7 p.m. in the Superior Dome.

Thursday’s game will be the fifth time the two schools meet. Last season the Mavericks squeaked out a 7-6 win after NMU missed a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter. Christian Marble-King had the lone Wildcat touchdown on a 19-yard reception from Carter Kopach. NMU and Mankato also met in 1967 (11/4/67) when the ‘Cats won 45-0 in Marquette. 

The two teams also met twice in Mankato with the teams splitting. NMU won 51-6 (11/7/64) and Mankato taking the game in 1954 by a score of 20-7 (11/6/54).

NMU went on to win three games in a row after the initial loss in 2010 and finished the season 5-6 and 5-5 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Mavericks finished 2010 with a record of 6-5 and 5-5 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Head coach Bernie Anderson will look for leadership from his 24 seniors. Leading the charge will be quarterback Carter Kopach, running back John Privitelli and linebackers Eddie Knoblock and Zach Pierson.

100.3 FM “The Point” will carry the game on the radio with Ryan Beckman on the play-by-play and Dan Hardenbrook on color commentary.