Marquette, MI – October 8th, 2025 – This weekend, Northern Michigan University will honor its 1975 Championship football team. In addition to celebrating the team, NMU will retire the jersey of Steve Mariucci, the quarterback of that championship squad. Mariucci will be the first NMU football player to receive this prestigious recognition. You won’t want to miss this weekend as you’ll have many chances to meet and interact with the team.
Tomorrow (October 9th) the celebration kicks off. Beginning with a welcome party that will be at Blackrock’s Brewery from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The following morning, October 10th, the team is set to have a private lunch at the Northern Center from 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., where they will have the opportunity to watch their championship game in color.
After lunch, the team will head to the Vandament Arena for a panel discussion (free admission). This is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. and is expected to last around an hour and a half. During this, you’ll get to hear some stories and memories. Mariucci will be the moderator with guest appearances from Fred Smith ’78, Keith Ponder ’80, Jerry Rosenberg ’83, Rick Popp ’88, Matt Hoard ’97, and finally Jake Witt ’21.
After the panel discussion, the team will attend football practice, which is open to the community from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to join and watch. The evening concludes with a celebratory dinner, where Bobby Tuma ’77 will serve as master of ceremonies.
Saturday, October 11th, NMU is set to show the community the championship game film and filmmakers panel that will take place at Vandemnt Arena from 11:00 am to 3:30 p.m. Admission is free, just show up and enjoy watching history. Once the film is complete, the players will head out behind the Superior Dome as they begin tailgating with fans before the football game gets underway. The football game is set for 7:00 p.m., with NMU hosting Grand Valley State. At halftime, they will have a special celebration for the teams and Mariucci.
