EUREKA, Ill. – Dezmon Eddie (Sr.-Alexandria, La.) and Larry Rivers (Jr.-Dearborn Heights, Mich.) both set Lakeland University rushing records but the Muskies saw their Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference championship hopes suffer a big blow with a 50-49 loss at Eureka College Saturday afternoon.

Eddie set a new school career rushing record with his 218-yard day putting him at 2,734 yards rushing for his career, breaking by one yard the old mark of 2,733 yards held by Kimani Chambers (1995-98). Rivers rushed for 98 yards, giving him 1,215 yards on the season, and he broke the 29-year old single-season record of 1,197 yards set by Mark Smith in 1990.

The milestones both came in a loss, though, as Lakeland saw its three-game winning streak snapped and lost for the second time in NACC play. The Muskies now must win their last two games and need considerable help to grab a share of the regular season title.

Lakeland (4-4 overall, 3-2 NACC) and Eureka faced off in a shootout for the second straight year, with the Red Devils playing spoiler this time. The Muskies pulled out a 56-55 victory a year ago in the highest-scoring game in school history, stopping Eureka's quest for an undefeated regular season.

Lakeland had few answers defensively for the Red Devils, who rolled up 558 yards of offense and averaged 8.5 yards per play. Eureka receiver James Douglass III caught five passes for 205 yards and touchdowns of 48, 16 and 65 yards, and the Red Devils also continually kept drives alive, converting 8 of 13 times on third down plus on a fourth down.

The Muskies also had little trouble advancing the ball down the field, with 580 yards of offense and a load of explosive plays. Eddie posted his second 200-yard rushing game in three weeks with 21 carries for 218 yards plus two receptions for 98 yards. He scored on runs of 30, 65 and 23 yards, and with 856 yards on the season is in position to give Lakeland two 1,000-yard rushers in a season for the first time in school history.

Eddie also added receptions of 55 and 43 yards, and collectively the Muskies posted nine plays of at least 20 yards. Lakeland drove into Eureka territory on all but two of its 14 drives, but too often drives ended without points.

Three drives ended on downs inside the red zone, including two inside the 10-yard line. The Muskies converted just 4 of 12 third downs and just 3 of 8 fourth downs.

The teams were tied 20-20 after a wild first quarter that included four lightning-quick touchdown drives of 51 seconds or less. The game settled some in the second quarter, with Lakeland briefly taking a 27-20 lead on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Charl'Tez Nunnery (Jr.-Liberty, Miss.) to Brice Kensey (So.-New Orleans, La.) before Eureka pulled back ahead 30-27 going into halftime.

The Muskies played from behind the entire second half, though, after driving 67 yards to start the half only to see a drive end at the Eureka 8. The Red Devils drove right back down the field, going 92 yards to score and take a 37-27 lead.

The teams traded touchdowns the rest of the way, with Lakeland getting within a point with 5:16 left in the game after Nunnery found Chris Bustamante (Sr.-El Paso, Texas) wide open in the end zone for a 19-yard score, Bustamante's first collegiate touchdown reception. Eddie rushed in the two-point conversion to make it 50-49, but the Muskies couldn't get the ball back until it was too late.

Eureka converted a pair of 3rd-and-long plays to keep possession and get into Lakeland territory, and the Red Devils wouldn't give the ball up until a punt by Tanner Kuhne was downed at the Muskies' 6 with 29 seconds left in the game. Lakeland drove as far as its 33 but ran out of time, with Nunnery's last ditch throw intercepted as time expired.

Nunnery completed 15 of 30 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 37 yards and a score. Bustamante caught a team-high six passes for 66 yards, both career highs, and Kensey added four catches for 33 yards.

Joe Hughes rushed 22 times for 161 yards for Eureka while Drew Barth completed 12 of 25 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed for 73 yards and two touchdowns.

Lakeland is on the road again next week when it travels to face Benedictine University at 1 p.m. in Lisle, Ill.