The Muskies and Cougars meet again in a series that dates back to 1947 and is the second most-played rivalry in Lakeland's football history on the gridiron, behind only 57 games against Benedictine. The Muskies have won four straight over Concordia, with last year's meeting the wildest yet and maybe the wildest in Lakeland's football history. The Muskies outlasted CUC 66-61 on the road in River Forest, Ill., as Robby Michael hit Xaviar Thomas for an 86-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds left in the game to cap a fourth quarter where the teams combined for 56 points and four lead changes in the game's final 2:43. 

Lakeland also won the last meeting at Taylor Field, scoring a 17-9 win in 2023 in a bizarre game that saw the Muskies score 11 of their 17 points on defense and special teams, including a fumble return for a touchdown by Jayson Wilder and safeties by Jacob Foster and Hassan Rivers. Lakeland has won 10 of the last 11 against CUC, though the Cougars snapped a six-game losing streak in the series with a 31-26 victory at home Oct. 5, 2019. The first meeting between the teams came 78 years ago on Oct. 18, 1948, a 20-0 win for Lakeland when it was known as Mission House College.

Lakeland last time out: Lost at Benedictine 42-35 last week
It felt like the movie Groundhog Day all over again for the Muskies on the road last week, with a similar story as recent weeks as Lakeland outgained its opponent by a huge margin again but came up short in its fourth loss this season by seven points or less. The Eagles built a 35-14 lead after returning the second half kickoff for a touchdown, but the Muskies kept chipping away and closed within seven on two occasions, including in the fourth quarter. Lakeland also was driving for a potential tying touchdown late before the drive stalled out after getting down to the Benedictine 20.

Robby Michael passed for 412 yards and four touchdowns, his third straight 400-yard game and second straight with four TDs. Deshawn Hampton caught eight passes for 161 yards, both career highs, and Jeremy Kobe caught two touchdown passes. The Muskies outgained the Eagles 560-360, outgaining an opponent for the sixth time in seven games, and posted 32 first downs, most in all of NCAA Division III for the weekend.

Concordia last time out: Lost to Concordia Wisconsin 47-20 last week
The Cougars fell in a hole early and were defeated in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference's battle of the Concordias. Concordia Wisconsin built a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and never saw the lead drop below 14 the rest of the game in remaining undefeated in conference. Concordia Chicago intercepted CUW three times, but the Cougars also committed three turnovers, including a pair of fumbles both coming in the first quarter. Colton Bosch completed 15 of 26 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, but Joron Brown was held to 52 yards rushing on 20 attempts, well off his average of 107.3 yards rushing per game coming into the contest. 

About the Cougars: Concordia Chicago has been one of the most improved teams in the NACC this year, already doubling its win totals from last year when the Cougars finished 2-8 overall and 1-7 in conference. CUC is aiming for its first .500 season since finishing 5-5 overall in 2019, and is shooting for its first winning record since going 10-1 and winning the NACC championship in 2012. Chase Hankins is in his second year as head coach and took over after serving as offensive coordinator in 2022.

Michael now leads the pack: Lakeland quarterback Robby Michael has thrown for over 400 yards in three straight games, and this week took over the top spot in total offense in all of NCAA football. Michael is averaging 410.4 yards of total offense (yards passing and rushing) per game, ahead of NCAA Division III second-place Kaleb Blaha of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (399.9 yards/game). Michael's total also is the best of any player in all four levels of NCAA football-Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Division II and III.

Michael also enters this game on pace to possibly break Lakeland's long-standing school record for total offense. He comes into Saturday with 10,781 yards passing and rushing in his career. His total is third behind Michael Whitley in second (10,915 yards from 2014-17) and he is 187 yards from breaking Mark Novara's record of 10,975 yards set from 1994-97.

Good start: Freshman Jontae Lambert made his first start at running back last week and totaled 115 yards, including 44 yards rushing and a touchdown against a tough Benedictine run defense. Lambert also caught seven passes for 71 yards, and along with fellow freshman receiver Lamarious Liggins nabbing three passes for 75 yards in the game, the Muskies now have had six players this season with at least 70 yards receiving in a game (Lambert, Liggins, Deshawn Hampton, Caden Kleparski, Jeremy Kobe and Mason Motquin). Three of those players-Hampton, Kleparski and Motquin-have posted at least 100 yards in a game, and Kobe just missed that marker with eight catches for 98 yards plus two touchdowns in the season opener against Carthage.