Aurora is the longest-running opponent in Lakeland football history, with the series between the two schools dating back to the Muskies' first season in 1934. The Spartans have won the last six meetings, including a 49-14 win last year on Oct. 26 at Lakeland. Before Aurora's current winning streak in the series, Lakeland had won the previous five meetings, with its last win a 47-38 victory at Aurora Oct. 28, 2017, as Michael Whitley passed for 452 yards and four touchdowns and Dezmon Eddie gained 100 yards rushing and receiving and scored four touchdowns. Until COVID-19 affected the 2020-21 season, the teams had met for 22 consecutive years after a 47-year break in the series, a result of Aurora dropping football in 1952 and not reinstating the sport until 1986.

Lakeland last time out: Won at Rockford 35-7 last week
The Muskies grabbed their first win of the season as they received a stout defensive performance and pulled away in the fourth quarter in their Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opener. Lakeland held the Regents to 207 yards of total offense and the defense allowed no points, with the only Rockford points coming on a fumbled punt snap recovered in the end zone. The Muskies also gained 295 yards rushing as part of 486 yards of offense for the game, including Robby Michael rushing for 171 yards. Michael also completed touchdown passes to Jaden Davis and Caden Kleparski, with both notching their first collegiate touchdown catches. Jontae Lambert also added his first career touchdown run while Kenyon Peoples forced two fumbles, both recovered by teammate Trayvonne Roberts.

Aurora last time out: Won at Eureka 66-0 last week
The Spartans bounced back from their first NACC loss in seven years with a vengeance, blowing out the Red Devils on the road. Aurora scored 28 points in the first quarter and 24 in the second on the way to a 52-0 halftime lead, and would finish the game outgaining Eureka 510-94. Liam Mickle made his first start at quarterback for the Spartans and completed 19 of 27 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown, while T.J. Ramsey rushed for 123 yards and three touchdowns. Aurora also scored a pair of special teams touchdowns, including a punt return for a score by Trey Urwiler and a fumble returned for a TD after a kickoff. The Spartans defense also piled up 10 sacks, with a total of 11 different players registering at least one-half sack.

About the Spartans: Aurora has dominated the NACC in recent years with six straight conference championships and the league's last five trips to the NCAA Division III playoffs. The Spartans had won 46 straight games in NACC play until a 36-35 loss to Benedictine two weeks ago.

Aurora is again coached by Don Beebe, who played in the NFL for nine seasons, including in 1996-97 for the Packers, and was a member of Green Bay's Super Bowl XXXI champions team. Beebe quickly built Aurora into the standard in the NACC, and the Spartans advanced in the Division III playoffs in 2022 and 2023, including to the national quarterfinals in 2022.

Finding the ball: Lakeland junior defensive back Trayvonne Roberts recovered two fumbles last week against Rockford and along with a strip and recovery against Greenville on Sept. 13 he already has three fumble recoveries this season, a number tied for second in NCAA Division III. His total is already the most in a season by a Muskie since McNemon Vincent recovered four fumbles in the 2019 season, and also comes after Lakeland as a team recovered just one fumble in nine games last year. Including one fumble recovery in his freshman season in 2023, Roberts has four fumble recoveries in his Muskies career.

More Michael milestones: Robby Michael surpassed the 3,000-yard mark rushing for his career at Lakeland, becoming just the second Muskie all-time to reach that milestone. With 3,109 career yards on the ground, he is behind only Larry Rivers (4,557 yards from 2017-21) on the school's all-time rushing list. Michael also topped 9,000 yards of total offense in his career in the game against Rockford, with his 9,059 career yards third in school history behind only Mark Novara (10,975 yards from 1994-97) and Michael Whitley (10,915 from 2014-17).

Michael also ranks among the Division III leaders in a number of categories early in the season, including fourth in the country in total offense (383.7 yards/game). He also is ninth in points responsible for/game (25.3), 11th in rushing yards/game (142.7), 13th in scoring (12.0 points/game), 14th in rushing touchdowns (six) and 18th in total poinst responsible for (76), the latter despite playing in just three games, one less than many teams. Teammate Deshawn Hampton also ranks eighth in Division III in yards per reception, averaging 28.1 yards per catch so far this year.