#17 Grand Valley State used a big-play offense and an oportunistic defense to claim a 45-17 GLIAC road win over Northern Michigan Saturday (Oct. 19) in Marquette, Michigan. GVSU improves to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in league play. The Lakers will host Davenport next Saturday in its annual Homecoming contest at Lubbers Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Head coach Matt Mitchell's thoughts on today's win: pic.twitter.com/nhIyEZWWkv

— GVSU Football (@gvsufootball) October 19, 2019

Grand Valley State's offense scored on its opening drive of the game as QB Cole Kotopka hit Brandon Wadley with a short pass over the middle that Wadley took 50 yards for a touchdown, the first receiving TD of his career, to complete a 6-play, 75-yard drive. Place kicker Josh Gorball kicked the first of his six PATs for a 7-0 lead. The Lakers upped their lead to 14-0 when RB Johnt'e Crawford rambled 27 yards for his first career TD, completing a 7-play, 67-yard drive. 

Northern Michigan put together an 8-play, 64-yard scoring drive, its sustained offensive drive of the day to pull within 14-7 with 43 seconds in the first quarter. However, GVSU answered quickly as Kotopka hit TE Jayk Slager with a 63 yard scoring pass to push the lead out to 21-7. Senior WR Austin Paritee hauled in a 19 yard scoring pass from Kotopka to close a 5-play, 80-yard scoring drive and WR Jacob Miller caught a 5-yard TD pass from Kotopka, his fourth TD pass of the half, to give GVSU a 35-7 lead. NMU kicked a field goal as time expired in the second quarter for teh 35-10 halftime score.  GVSU put up 464 yards of total offense in the first half, 284 of those yards coming via the pass.

WR Luke DeLong caught hauled in a 76-yard touchdown reception midway through the third quarter for his first career TD and Goball remained perfect on field goals with a career-long make of 35 yards late in the third quarter. Northern Michigan's final points came on a defensive fumble return. 

GVSU's 587 yards of total offense bettered the 572-yard total versus Edinboro in the season-opener, while the GVSU defense limited the Wildcats to 221 total yards. Kotopka completed 18-of-25 passes for 402 yards and five TDs, marking the career-highs in both categories for the junior signal caller. His 402 passing yards is the sixth-best total in Laker football history, while his five TD passes is the third-highest total in a game. Paritee, who now has 99 career receptions, caught four passes for 117 yards and a TD, while Miller hauled in five passes for 37 yards. Crawford rushed for a career-high 82 yards and one TD, followed by Tariq Reid's 54 yards on 16 carries. 

De'Aundre Simpkins led the defense with eight tackles, while JT Webb and Jake Hlava each contributed four stops. LB Abe Swanson picked off the first pass of his career and chipped in four tackles.