A matchup of a pair of defending conference champions and preseason league favorites went firmly in favor of Trine (Ind.) University, which defeated the Lakeland University football team 56-6 in the Muskies' home opener Saturday at Taylor Memorial Field.

The nationally ranked Thunder-who are 17th in the latest D3football.com Top 25 Poll-rolled to its 13th consecutive regular season win and won the headline game of the annual MIAA-NACC Challenge. The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association favorites topped the Muskies of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, looking very much like a team capable of making another trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs, as Trine did a year ago in advancing to the second round of the national championship.

The Thunder (3-0 overall) piled up 670 yards of offense, including 486 yards on the ground. Lamar Carswell rushed for 217 yards, including an 81-yard run in the third quarter that reversed field position, and Trine quarterbacks also threw four touchdown passes.

Lakeland (0-2 overall) had success running the ball but struggled through the air. The Muskies gained 240 yards on the ground and averaged 5.7 yards per rush, but passed for just 28 yards while completing 5 of 25 passes.

Larry Rivers (So.-Dearborn Heights, Mich.) provided the day's biggest highlight for the home fans, busting through the line and off to the races for a 75-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to get Lakeland on the board. He rushed for 89 yards total, while Charl'Tez Nunnery (So.-Liberty, Miss.) also added 73 yards rushing and Eldrada Meeks (Sr.-Southfield, Mich.) rushed a team-high 14 times for 48 yards.

The game started with the Muskies defense stopping Trine twice, including on downs on the opening drive of the game and then generating a turnover on the Thunder's next offensive series, with Paul Saucedo (Fr.-Georgetown, Texas) recovering a fumble.

A close game after 15 minutes turned in the second quarter, when Trine scored 21 points to take a 28-0 halftime lead. A key play came at the open of the second quarter, when the Thunder lined up in punt formation on a 4th-and-11 play from the Muskies' 47-yard line, but snapped to upback Elijah Klepper, who found a gaping hole and ran 43 yards down to the Lakeland 4, leading to a touchdown three plays later.

Trine was off and running from there, finishing the game with touchdowns on eight of its final 10 possessions. Using a power running game that ranked among the very best in Division III a year ago, the Thunder recorded 28 first downs, converted 7 of 12 third downs and held the ball for 36 minutes 57 seconds for a nearly 14-minute time of possession advantage.

Diante Moses (Sr.-Houston, Texas) led the defense with eight tackles, and freshman Albert Journet (Fr.-Brokebridge, La.) added seven tackles, including a sack, plus one pass breakup.

The Muskies next face another nationally ranked opponent next week when they travel to face the University of Wisconsin-Platteville at 6 p.m. in Platteville. The Pioneers were ranked 16th in this week's D3football.com poll.

Muskies by the numbers:
3 - Touchdowns of at least 75 yards this season by the Muskies, including a pair by Larry Rivers
5.7 - Yards per carry on rush attempts for Lakeland Saturday
23:03 - Muskies' time of possession, nearly 14 minutes less than Trine's
52- Yards of the longest punt by freshman Lincoln Barta in his first collegiate game punting
73 - Rushing yards by Charl'Tez Nunnery in the second half vs. Trine
240 - Rushing yards as a team by Lakeland on Saturday
1,500 - Career rushing yards on the nose for senior running back Eldrada Meeks, after he rushed for 48 yards on Saturday