2021 Michigan Tech Huskies football team

The 2021 Michigan Tech Huskies football team represented Michigan Tech University during the 2021 NCAA Division II football season. The Huskies competed as members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and played their home games at Kearly Stadium in Houghton, Michigan. This was the program's fifth season under head coach Steve Olson.

2021 Michigan Tech Huskies football
ConferenceGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record6–4 (5–2 GLIAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJace Daniels (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorKen Klein (10th season)
Home stadiumKearly Stadium
Seasons
← 2020
2022 →
2021 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 1 Ferris State $^   7 0     14 0  
No. 7 Grand Valley State ^   6 1     10 2  
Michigan Tech   5 2     6 4  
Saginaw Valley State   4 3     7 4  
Northern Michigan   2 5     4 7  
Davenport   2 5     3 8  
Wayne State (MI)   2 5     2 9  
Northwood   0 7     1 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

The Huskies didn't compete in the 2020 season due to the GLIAC cancelling the season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendance
September 42:00 p.m.Hillsdale*W 14–101,767
September 111:00 p.m.St. Thomas (MN)*
  • Klearly Stadium
  • Houghton, MI
L 9–121,660
September 252:00 p.m.No. 9 Grand Valley State*
  • Klearly Stadium
  • Houghton, MI
L 21–441,447
October 21:00 p.m.Davenport 
  • Klearly Stadium
  • Houghton, MI
W 31–71,700
October 96:00 p.m.at Wayne State (MI)W 30–273,674
October 1612:00 p.m.at Northern Michigan
W 21–143,597
October 231:00 p.m.No. 1 Ferris State
  • Klearly Stadium
  • Houghton, MI
L 10-381,332
October 303:00 p.m.No. 8 Grand Valley StateL 9–148,652
November 61:00 p.m.at NorthwoodW 34–01,031
November 131:00 p.m.Saginaw Valley State
  • Klearly Stadium
  • Houghton, MI
W 21–201,315
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[2]

Rankings

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Ranking movements
Legend: — = Not ranked
Week
PollPre1234567891011Final
D2SIDA
Coaches—^

Preseason

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Preseason GLIAC poll

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The Huskies stand 5th in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll, leading rival Northern Michigan (7th).[3]

GLIAC Media poll
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Ferris State 49 (7)
2 Grand Valley State 43 (1)
3 Wayne State (MI) 36
4 Saginaw Valley St 25
5 Michigan Tech 24
6 Davenport 22
7 Northern Michigan 15
8 Northwood 10

Game summaries

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Hillsdale

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Week One: Hillsdale Chargers at Michigan Tech – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
St. Thomas 0 0 3710
Michigan Tech 0 0 01414

at Klearly Stadium • Houghton, MI

  • Date: September 4, 2021
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Cloudy
  • Game attendance: 1,776
  • Referee: Rick Schifter
  • Source:[4]

St. Thomas

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Series Record Previous meeting Result
0–1 N/A N/A
Week Two: St. Thomas Tommies at Michigan Tech – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
St. Thomas 0 3 0912
Michigan Tech 6 3 009

at Klearly Stadium • Houghton, MI

  • Date: September 11, 2021
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Mostly Sunny
  • Game attendance: 1,660
  • Referee: Bradley Mutnick
  • Source:[5]

No. 9 Grand Valley State

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Week Four: No. 9 Grand Valley State Lakers at Michigan Tech – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Grand Valley St 7 23 7744
Michigan Tech 0 0 14721

at Klearly Stadium • Houghton, MI

  • Date: September 25, 2021
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Cloudy
  • Game attendance: 1,447
  • Referee: Brian Bower
  • Source:[6]

Davenport

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Week Five: Davenport Panthers at Michigan Tech – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Davenport 0 7 007
Michigan Tech 14 14 0331

at Klearly Stadium • Houghton, MI

  • Date: October 2, 2021
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny
  • Game attendance: 1,700
  • Referee: Brian Bower
  • Source:[7]

Wayne State (MI)

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Week Six: Michigan Tech at Wayne State – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Michigan Tech 7 6 14330
Wayne State 3 17 7027

at Tom Adams Field • Detroit, MI

  • Date: October 9, 2021
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny
  • Game attendance: 3,674
  • Referee: Bradley Mutnick
  • Source:[8]

Northern Michigan

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Week Seven: Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Michigan Tech 7 0 01421
Northern Michigan 7 0 7014

at Superior Dome • Marquette, MI

  • Date: October 16, 2021
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny
  • Game attendance: 3,597
  • Referee: Marty Trudgeon
  • Source:[9][10]

For the 11th straight season, Michigan Tech took home the Miner's Cup. During their winning streak, Michigan Tech beat the Wildcats by an average of 8.6 points per game, or an average total of 30.1-21.5 per game. This victory is the largest since a 28-21 victory in 2017. Since 2002, the start of the Miner's Cup, Michigan Tech is 16-3 against the Wildcats, averaging a 31.5-22.2 win per game, or a 9.3 point margin of victory. Michigan Tech has outscored Northern Michigan 599-421 in this series.[11][12]

No. 1 Ferris State

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Week Eight: Ferris State at Michigan Tech – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ferris State 14 14 10038
Michigan Tech 0 7 0310

at Klearly Stadium • Houghton, MI

  • Date: October 23, 2021
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Footbally
  • Game attendance: 1,332
  • Referee: CJ Jackson
  • Source:[13][14]
Game information

No. 8 Grand Valley State

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Week Nine: Michigan Tech at Grand Valley State – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Michigan Tech 0 0 369
Grand Valley State 7 7 0014

at Klearly Stadium • Houghton, MI

  • Date: October 30, 2021
  • Game time: 3:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Overcast, Footbally
  • Game attendance: 8,652
  • Referee: Brian Bower
  • Source:[15]
Game information

Northwood

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Week Ten: Michigan Tech at Northwood – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Michigan Tech 7 6 14734
Northwood 0 0 000

at Klearly Stadium • Houghton, MI

  • Date: November 6, 2021
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny
  • Game attendance: 1,031
  • Source:[16]
Game information

In impressive fashion, Michigan Tech was not only able to get their first shutout win since November 13, 2010 (a 21-0 win against Northern Michigan), but the Huskies were also able to not only intercept the ball at an important spot in this victory, but also return it all of 100 yards for a touchdown as the last scoring play of the game.[17][18]

Saginaw Valley State

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Week Eleven: Saginaw Valley State at Michigan Tech – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Saginaw Valley State 3 7 7320
Michigan Tech 7 7 7021

at Klearly Stadium • Houghton, MI

  • Date: November 13, 2021
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Cloudy
  • Game attendance: 1,315
  • Referee: Mike Packard
  • Source:[19][20][21]
Game information

Personnel

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Coaching staff

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Name Position Season
Steve Olson Head coach/defensive line 5th
Dan Mettlach Associate head coach/offensive coordinator 5th
Phil Milbrath Running backs coach/special teams coordinator 5th
Bryan Thomas Defensive coordinator/linebackers 12th
Josh Wood Secondary Defensive coordinator/recruiting coordinator 11th
Jace Daniels Offensive line coach 3rd
Ken Klein Defensive line coach 10th
Bryan Parker Outside linebackers coach 1st

References

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  1. ^ "GLIAC suspends all fall sports; no football for Grand Valley, Ferris, Wayne State, others". freep.com. August 12, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  2. ^ "2021-22 Football". Michigan Technological University. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "2021 GLIAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL". GLIAC. August 9, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  4. ^ "Hillsdale College vs. Michigan Tech - Box Score - 9/4/2021". Michigan Tech Athletics.
  5. ^ "ST Thomas vs. Michigan Tech - Box Score - 9/11/2021". Michigan Tech Athletics.
  6. ^ "Grand Valley State vs. Michigan Tech - Box Score - 9/25/2021". Michigan Tech Athletics.
  7. ^ "Davenport vs. Michigan Tech - Box Score - 10/2/2021". Michigan Tech Athletics.
  8. ^ "Michigan Tech vs. Wayne State - Box Score - 10/9/2021". Michigan Tech Athletics.
  9. ^ "Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan". michigantechhuskies.com. October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  10. ^ "Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan". nmuwildcats.com. October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  11. ^ "PREVIEW: Huskies play Wildcats for Miner's Cup Saturday". michigantechhuskies.com. October 13, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  12. ^ "Beating themselves: Northern Michigan University Wildcats' football team loses Miners Cup for 11th time in a row with another heartbreaking loss to Michigan Tech". Mining Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  13. ^ "Ferris State at Michigan Tech". Michigan Tech Athletics. October 23, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  14. ^ "Huskies fall to #1 Ferris State 31-10". Michigan Tech Athletics. October 23, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  15. ^ "Michigan Tech at Grand Valley State - Box Score - 10/30/2021". Michigan Tech Athletics.
  16. ^ "Michigan Tech at Northwood - Box Score - 11/6/2021". Michigan Tech Athletics.
  17. ^ "MTU Football Dominates Northwood". Upper Michigan Source.
  18. ^ "Football Drops 34-0 Contest To Michigan Tech". Northwood Athletics.
  19. ^ "Saginaw Valley State at Michigan Tech - Box Score - 11/13/2021". Michigan Tech Athletics.
  20. ^ "Huskies Edge Cardinals 21-20 in Season Finale". Saginaw Valley State Athletics.
  21. ^ "Huskies Top Cardinals on Senior Day 21-20". Michigan Tech Athletics.