The series between the Muskies and Red Devils has a long history, one that was renewed seven years years ago after an 11-year absence and has since added some colorful chapters since Eureka joined the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference in 2018. Lakeland has won the last five games in the series, the last two in decisive fashion including a 40-12 win last year on the road Nov. 8, 2025, as Jontae Lambert rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown.

In 2023, Lakeland rallied from a 20-point deficit with seven minutes left with Robby Michael hitting Caleb Besaw for a 16-yard touchdown with 23 seconds remaining for a 35-34 win. The Muskies scored two touchdowns in the final 1:25 to come back to win. Lakeland also won 45-16 in 2021 as Charles Kobe tied an NCAA Division III record with three blocked punts in a single game. The prior two games before that were shootouts, including Nov. 2, 2019 when Eureka held off Lakeland 50-49 in Illinois to snap the Muskies' 13-game winning streak in the series. The year before Lakeland won a wild one, edging the Red Devils 56-55 at Taylor Field as Michael Moreau scored the go-ahead touchdown with 56 seconds left in the game. The score capped a rally from a 21-0 deficit just 3:44 into the contest and gave Lakeland its first lead of the game, and the Muskies held on after Eureka scored a touchdown with 18 seconds left but missed an ensuing two-point conversion attempt to take the lead.

The two teams met every year except one from 1962-2007, missing only 1979, and the two were members together of the Illini-Badger Football Conference from 1976-2007 and also the Gateway Conference in the 1960s. Only Benedictine (58 meetings) and Concordia Chicago (57) have played Lakeland more than Eureka's 52 times.

Lakeland last time out: Lost at Concordia Chicago 43-34 last week
The Muskies received a good first start from Cy Lumbano-Larson but lost their fourth straight game, all four in NACC play. Lumbano-Larson made his first collegiate start and completed 17 of 32 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns. Caleb Besaw caught seven passes for 140 yards and three scores, and Lumbano-Larson also connected with Braylon Reece for a 73-yard touchdown to get Lakeland within 37-34 in the fourth quarter. The Muskies came up empty in their final two drives, though, and Concordia closed out the win with a time-consuming drive, one of many on the day for the Cougars who gained 510 yards of offense and held possession for nearly 40 minutes.

Eureka last time out: Lost at Concordia Wisconsin 55-12 Oct. 10
The Red Devils were idle last week but in their most recent play two weeks ago were defeated by the defending NACC champion Falcons. Eureka trailed 35-0 at halftime but scored a pair of touchdowns in the second half, the first from the defense as Quivone Mitchell returned a fumble 57 yards for a score. Tyler Lowe later completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Damarzei Swisher for the game's final score. Concordia outgained Eureka 481-175, including holding the Red Devils to 23 yards rushing. Ethan Velazquez completed 13 of 25 passes for 94 yards, Lowe completed 5 of 10 for 58 yards, and Swisher caught six passes for 87 yards.

About the Red Devils: It's been a tough year for Eureka, which is 0-6 overall and was shut out in its first five games before scoring its first points of the season last week. The Red Devils have lost 13 straight games dating back to last season, when they finished 2-8 overall and 1-7 in the NACC. Eureka is led by first-year coach Dion Jordan, who played eight years in the NFL as a defensive end with the Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers.

Senior Day: This is the second-to-last home game of the season for the Muskies, but the team will celebrate Senior Day before the game, honoring 17 members of the team. Fourteen seniors in eligibility recognized before the game will include Caleb Besaw, Octavis Cherry, Ben Garcia, Josh Gross, Deshawn Hampton, Rease Pakkala, Kenyon Peoples, Donny Pratl, Hassan Rivers, Trayvonne Roberts, McKynzee Schepp, Julian Viera, Tyler Washington and Ayden Winston. Also recognized will be Quinton Burch, Marshal Hobbs and Matthias Miller, all juniors in eligibility but on track to graduate this year.

Besaw's big season continues: Caleb Besaw continues to put up big numbers in his senior season. Returning this year after missing last season due to injury, he comes into the Eureka game with 52 catches for 568 yards and nine touchdowns this year. He leads the NACC in receiving yards and touchdowns and is second in receptions to only Napoleon Williams of Rockford (61 catches).

Besaw also is moving up Lakeland's all-time career lists, and his 157 career receptions entering Saturday ranks sixth in school history, with Brandon Lawson's 168 catches from 1994-97 next on the list. He also is 173 yards from becoming the ninth Lakeland receiver to reach 2,000 yards receiving in a career.