The Muskies and Green Knights are separated by just over 50 miles but for many years rarely saw each other. Five of their previous seven meetings have come in the last five years, since St. Norbert joined the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference in 2021. Lakeland won last year's game, taking a 35-25 victory in the season finale for both teams as Robby Michael threw three touchdowns, Deshawn Hampton caught two scores and the defense held SNC in check as the Muskies outgained the Green Knights 521-253. Before that, St. Norbert had won the last three over Lakeland, including a 55-13 victory in the last meeting in De Pere on Nov. 9, 2024.

Lakeland's other win in the series came in 2021 with a dominant 40-8 victory at home as the Muskies forced eight turnovers in SNC's first game as a NACC member, six of those in the first half on the way to a 33-0 halftime lead. That was the first meeting between the schools in nearly 60 years, since St. Norbert won the two previous meetings in back-to-back years in 1961 and 1962, including a 25-0 win at Lakeland Oct. 7, 1961 in the first meeting and then a 42-0 shutout Sept. 22, 1962 in De Pere. There have been two other meetings between the schools involving the Muskies' varsity. Lakeland, then known as Mission House College, hosted the St. Norbert freshman team in consecutive years in 1938 and 1939 and picked up two close wins by scores of 14-13 in 1938 and then 19-12 a year later.

Lakeland last time out: Lost to Benedictine 49-13 last week
The Muskies fell hard to the Eagles in a night game at home, going scoreless the final three quarters while Benedictine scored the final 35 points of the game. The Eagles' Dino Stephens rushed for 200 yards and scored five touchdowns and the Muskies were plagued by defensive struggles and dropped passes on offense in losing their second straight. Carson Glosny passed for 207 yards and rushed for 48 more and Lamarious Liggins set career highs with six receptions and 97 yards receiving. Kenyon Peoples paced the defense with seven tackles, with two tackles for loss including one sack. Norrye Evans added a fumble recovery.

St. Norbert last time out: Won at Rockford 28-14 last week
The Green Knights won their third straight game, holding the Regents scoreless over the final three quarters to improve to 3-0 in the NACC. Jacob McVane returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, his second straight game bringing a kickoff back for a score. St. Norbert took the lead late in the second quarter with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Tanner Hora to Adam Westberg, their connection for a touchdown in the game, and SNC added insurance with a 6-yard touchdown run by McVane midway through the fourth quarter. The Regents finished with a 383-307 advantage in yardage but their final eight drives ended in punts or on downs. McVane rushed for 159 yards and Westberg caught four passes for 93 yards, the only four completions of the day for the Green Knights.

About the Green Knights: St. Norbert has rebounded from a pair of lopsided non-conference losses to win its first three conference games, shutting out Eureka and then beating Wisconsin Lutheran and Rockford by identical 28-14 scores. The Green Knights finished 5-5 overall last year and 5-3 in the NACC, losing their final two games. St. Norbert has posted a winning record in conference each of the last four years after going 4-4 in their first season in the NACC in 2021.

Moving up the lists: Caleb Besaw is on track to finish his career as one of the most productive receivers in Lakeland history. He enters Saturday's game with career totals of 144 catches for 1,659 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is currently ninth all-time for the Muskies in receptions, two away from tying MacArthur White (2004-07) and Michael Wynn (2013-16) for seventh on the career list. Besaw also needs 341 yards to become the ninth player in Lakeland history to reach 2,000 career yards receiving.

First 3 vs. last 2: Lakeland comes into Saturday at 2-3 on the season, but the Muskies' last two games have played out much differently than the first three. In its first three contests, Lakeland outgained its opponents in all three games, picked up more first downs in all three, and held opponents to a 37.5% conversion rate on third down. The past two games have been a different story, with both Concordia Wisconsin and Benedictine outgaining the Muskies, both picking up more first downs, and the two combined to convert a staggering 71.4% of third downs.

Lakeland's performance offensively so far this season and especially in its first three games has the Muskies still ranking high in NCAA Division III in a number of offensive categories. Lakeland is 14th nationally in D-III in total first downs (115) and a respectable 68th of 243 teams in total offense, averaging 400.4 yards per game. Carson Glosny is 17th nationally in passing touchdowns (12) and 20th in total passing yards (1,163).

Going for 60: Lakeland head coach Colin Bruton enters Saturday's game one win from his 60th career win as the Muskies' coach. Bruton can become the second coach in Lakeland football history to reach 60 victories, and he is behind only John Thome on the Muskies' all-time wins list. Thome won 79 games in his 14-year stretch as head coach from 1967-80, finishing his career with a 79-50-2 record.