Senior Day did not go the way of Ashland University's football team on Saturday (Oct. 31) afternoon at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field – but it wasn't for a lack of effort.
 
No. 10-ranked Northwood spoiled the Eagles' final home game of the 2026 season, winning 45-42 – in a game which featured a combined 87 points, 44 first downs and 1,070 yards of offense.
 
"I just talked to the team, and I told them I was proud of them. I was proud of the way they fought until the end," said Ashland head coach Doug Geiser. "That's a good football team. Their quarterback is probably the best player in the league. He's got my vote at this point.
 
"We gave them a go, we just didn't finish in the end."
 
Northwood is 9-0 overall and 7-0 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, and Ashland is 3-6, 3-4. The Eagles' six losses this fall have been by 10, 10, seven, five, one and three points, and four of those defeats have been to teams ranked in the Top 25 in NCAA Division II at the time.
 
On the second play from scrimmage, sophomore tailback Chris Maloney went 76 yards with a handoff for not only the Eagles' longest run of 2026, but a AU touchdown 42 seconds into the game. Northwood responded on its first drive, capping it with a one-yard scoring plunge from Marquan Braswell at the 8:52 mark of the opening period.
 
The early back-and-forth continued on Ashland's second drive, as, with 7:03 left in the first, freshman quarterback Coy Hamic hit sophomore wide receiver D.J. Harvey in stride for a 46-yard score – and another lead at 14-7.
 
The Timberwolves then used trickery to re-tie the game at 14, when holder Case Boos ran a fake field goal in for a four-yard major with 31 seconds to go in the first. Braswell's second rushing TD of the game, a two-yarder coming with 8:14 to go until halftime, gave the Timberwolves their first lead of the day at 21-14.
 
Ashland's response came on the very next drive, as another long Maloney run, 62 yards, set up Hamic-to-Harvey again – this time for a 10-yard score for the game's third tie score at 21.
 
The offenses refused to slow down, and the result was Northwood retaking the lead at 28-21 at the 5:56 mark of the second. Ethan Hamby's 65-yard bomb to Gerry Hanson put the Timberwolves back on top.
 
In the first 30 minutes, Ashland and Northwood combined for 49 points, 23 first downs and 579 yards offense – and had just one accepted penalty each.
 
On the first drive of the second half, the Timberwolves extended their lead to 35-21 when Larry Ellison scored on a three-yard touchdown run.
 
Hamic and Harvey connected one more time for an AU score with 1:31 left in the third quarter, a 29-yard strike which pulled the Eagles to within a touchdown at 35-28. Hamby came back, however, with a nine-yard scoring strike to Carter Minix on the first play of the fourth quarter to re-establish a two-touchdown lead.
 
With 9:26 remaining, Hamic's fourth touchdown pass of the game, six yards to freshman wide receiver Andrew McKnight, once again left Ashland trailing by seven points at 42-35.
 
Northwood's Drew Cady hit a 27-yard field goal to push the Timberwolves lead to 10 points at 45-35, giving the Eagle 5:23 to attempt to tie or win at the end.
 
With 11 seconds left, freshman quarterback Darrell Shumpert found McKnight for a two-yard TD – leaving Ashland trailing by three points. Northwood then recovered the ensuing onside kick.
 
Maloney ran for a career-high 222 yards on 21 attempts, Hamic was 21-for-32 for 304 yards and four scores, and Harvey grabbed nine passes for 174 yards and three TDs.
 
Of Maloney, Geiser said. "He's finally getting healthy again. You saw some glimpses last week. Today, just an outstanding performance. He set the tone early with the long touchdown, and we'll build off of that."
 
Over the last three games, Harvey has caught 25 passes for 497 yards and five touchdowns, and Hamic is 55-for-83 for 886 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions.
 
"They've really got a connection," Geiser said. "Two very, very talented players."
 
Ashland will go back on the road to take on Hillsdale (6-3, 4-3) for the Traveling Trophy at noon on Nov. 7.
 
"The Hillsdale game is always a special game," said Geiser. "It's circled every single year. It's our second-oldest rival. So we know we're going to get their best, and we've got to show up and give them our best."