PLYMOUTH, Wis. –
Robby Michael (
So.-Sheboygan, Wis.) threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to
Caleb Besaw (
So.-Conroe, Texas) with 23 seconds left in the game and the Lakeland University football team rallied for a 35-34 win over Eureka College Saturday afternoon at Taylor Field.
Michael's touchdown pass to Besaw tied it and
Jesus Garcia (
Fr.-El Paso, Texas) kicked the go-ahead extra point to cap a comeback from 20 points down in the fourth quarter. Lakeland scored three touchdowns in the game's final 6 minutes, 43 seconds, including two in the final 1:25 to finish its season 4-6 overall and 3-5 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.
Eureka (4-6 overall, 2-6 NACC) took a 34-14 lead just 10 seconds into the fourth quarter on a 31-yard touchdown run by Angel Garcia. The Muskies crept closer when on fourth down Michael hit
Devon Harris (
So.-Milwaukee, Wis.) for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 6:43 left in the game to make it 34-21.
Lakeland got the ball back with just under four minutes left and drove 65 yards in nine plays, with Michael scoring on a three-yard run to make it 34-28 with 1:25 left. The Red Devils recovered an ensuing onsides kick and needed just one first down to close the game out. Eureka advanced the ball on the ground with ease almost the entire game, finishing with 314 yards rushing as part of 525 yards of total offense overall, but the Muskies defense came up with a stop, including on a 4th-and-1 play to get the ball back on its own 41 with 1:03 to play.
After a pair of incomplete passes to start the drive, Lakeland needed just three more plays to get to the end zone. Michael connected with
Kaeden Calcari (
Fr.-Menominee, Mich.) for 24 yards, hit Harris for 19 and then after a Eureka timeout found Besaw over the middle for the tying score.
Lakeland led early on, taking a 14-7 lead in the first quarter after Michael touchdown passes to
Keon Willis (
So.-Chicago, Ill.) and then to Besaw, but the Red Devils responded to take a 21-14 halftime lead, led 27-14 after three quarters and took their biggest lead on Garcia's third touchdown of the game to start the fourth quarter.
Michael finished completing 24 of 43 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed 22 times for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Jatron Bevly (
So.-Springfield, Ill.) caught six passes for 75 yards, Harris nabbed five balls for 78 yards and Besaw caught four passes for 78 yards.
Chris Crawford (
Sr.-Chicago, Ill.) also added three catches for 61 yards.
Charles Kobe (
Sr.-Glendale, Wis.) led the defense with 10 tackles, and
Shamond Oliver (
So.-Phenix City, Ala.) and
Jake Leclaire (
Sr.-Stuart, Fla.) added nine and eight tackles, respectively, including 2.5 tackles for loss each.
Jordin Garvin (
Fr.-Miami Gardens, Fla.) added his first collegiate interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter, returning it 33 yards to spark the Muskies' rally.
