The Lakeland University football team will attempt to duplicate its success a year ago on the road in its season opener when it travels to face Carroll University in its 2016 opener Saturday at 1 p.m. at Schneider Stadium.

The Muskies earned their first-ever win over the Pioneers a year ago, fighting back for a 34-33 overtime win. Michael Whitley (Jr.-Vidalia, La.) threw two touchdown passes and rushed for two more in his first collegiate start, and his 16-yard rushing score in overtime gave Lakeland its first lead of the game. Carroll came back with a touchdown on its first OT possession, but the Muskies stopped two point after touchdown attempts, the second a two-point conversion run attempt that would've won the game.

The victory served as the springboard for a successful campaign, as Lakeland finished 8-3 overall and swept through the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference with a 6-0 mark. The Muskies made their first NCAA Division III playoff appearance in six years led by quarterback Whitley, who set a school record for total offense and ranked among the NCAA national leaders in numerous statistical categories.

This year's Lakeland team is led by Whitley, senior wide receiver and Muskies all-time leading receiver Kezlow Smith (Sr.-Pontiac, Mich.) and a total of 12 seniors. Whitley was the NACC Offensive Player of the Year a year ago, while Smith was named a second team preseason All-American by D3football.com this year and is a three-time first team all-NACC performer.

Lakeland is particularly deep in the wide receiver corps and in the secondary. Six of the top seven pass catchers return from a year ago to a group that in addition to Smith includes Jody Harrison (Jr.-Pontiac, Mich.), Dezmen Morse (Jr.-Baraboo, Wis.), Peyton Petersen (Jr.-Farmington Hills, Mich.), Michael Wynn (Sr.-Detroit, Mich.) plus Richard Micheaux (Sr.-Taylor, Mich.), who is back after an injury a year ago. The secondary returns four starters, and Dajuan Darling (Jr.-Detroit, Mich.), Chris Dickson (Sr.-Griffin, Ga.), Kevyn Lewis (Sr.-Inkster, Mich.) and Donte Rowell (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.) all were all-conference honorees a year ago.

Carroll finished 6-4 last year, with its four losses coming by a combined 17 points. The Pioneers were members of the Midwest Conference last year but this year return to the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin, where Carroll originally was a member of from 1955-92.

Carroll still holds a 5-1 lead in the all-time series. This will be the seventh straight year the teams have met in their respective season openers in a series that began in 2010.

Lakeland will have a live audio broadcast for the game as Baxter Colburn returns for his second year as the voice of the Muskies. The audio broadcast will be available at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/lc/. Live video and statistics for the game will be also available from Carroll University at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/carroll/.

For the rest of this week's game notes please click here.