Football | 10/12/2017 2:29:00 PM

The Benedictine University football team hits the road on Saturday afternoon for a game against one of the only other unbeaten teams in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, Lakeland University at 1:00 p.m. in a contest that will go a long way toward determining the conference champion. the game is also homecoming for Lakeland. Lakeland has won a share of three consecutive NACC titles.

DETAILS
LOCATION: Taylor Field; Plymouth, WI
KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m.
LIVE STATS/VIDEO

MUSKIE MINUTE
Lakeland was selected as the preseason favorite to win the NACC. The Muskies have won back-to-back games entering this weekend and have scored at least 22 points in every game this season. Lakeland leads the conference in nearly every offensive category. The Muskies average 41.4 points per game, 11th in the country, along with 553.6 yards per game, second nationally. Quarterback Michael Whitley has earned NACC Offensive Player of the Year the past two seasons and leads the nation in total offense at 416.2 yards per game. Lakeland opened conference play with a 60-14 win over Concordia Wisconsin and bettered Adrian College last week 47-40 on a touchdown with just over a minute remaining.

LAST YEAR
Lakeland moved down the field 75 yards in just 42 seconds to score the winning touchdown with 4:58 remaining at Benedictine in the homecoming game last season. Benedictine had an opportunity to tie the game, but a 41-yard field goal missed wide right to close a 32-29 Lakeland victory. Benedictine led 15-6 at the half but fell behind 26-15 after three third quarter touchdowns. Derrick Miles led Benedictine with 97 yards rushing on 22 carries. Ryan Sample finished with three rushing touchdowns. Dezmon Eddie ran for 141 yards and a touchdown to pace Lakeland.

REWIND
Benedictine did not trail in rolling to a 40-14 homecoming win over Concordia Wisconsin last week. Benedictine accumulated 547 yards of offense in the game. Ryan Sample threw for 413 yards with five touchdowns, three of which went to Brandon Moore. Moore finished with eight catches for 159 yards. Dean Pauley also surpassed 100 yard with 116 on seven grabs. Concordia Wisconsin returned a fumble 80 yards to pull within a point at the end of the first quarter at 15-14, but Benedictine scored the final 25 points to take the win.

UP NEXT
Benedictine returns home to play a non-conference game against Olivet College next week. The game is part of Hall of Fame weekend. Olivet is currently 3-2 and owns a win over Aurora as part of the MIAA-NACC Challenge.

SAMPLE SIZE
Ryan Sample now owns nearly every record for a quarterback at Benedictine. The senior, who has thrown for over 400 yards three times this season, became the career leader in attempts and yards in the win over Rockford to open the conference schedule on September 30. Sample threw a for a season high five touchdowns with 413 yards in the win over Concordia Wisconsin, finishing with just seven incompletions. Sample completed a season high 31 passes for 407 yards in the loss to Alma on September 16. Sample sported three 400+ performances last year and owns six in his career. The Manteno, IL product owns career records for touchdowns, yards, attempts and completions. Sample sits second in the conference in passing yards per game at 330.2, which ranks 14th in the nation. The three-year starter set single season records for touchdowns (29), yards (3,299), completions (234) and attempts (402) last year. Sample threw his 50th career touchdown pass in the season opening loss to Wheaton and owns 63 in his career. Sample has thrown 14 touchdowns this season, second in the conference, against just four interceptions. Last year, Sample set the single game record for completions (38) and attempts (61) in a game at Wisconsin Lutheran while throwing for 475 yards at Olivet, a single game mark. Sample owns 1,651 yards passing this season, second in the conference and 14th in the country.

MOORE THAN BRANDON
Brandon Moore has rebounded in a big way in 2017 after seeing action in just four games last year due to injury. Moore leads the conference in receiving yards with 587, an average of 117.4, also the most in the conference. The Wheaton, IL native has reeled in 34 passes, most on the team and second in the NACC. Dean Pauley sits second on the team with 32 receptions for 366 yards. Moore also owns six touchdowns, most in the conference. The junior has reeled in at least four passes in each of the five games this year and owns three contests with 149 or more yards receiving. Moore caught six passes last year. Moore was selected as the NACC Offensive Player of the Week following an eight-catch performance at St. Norbert that produced 181 yards and two scores.

20 SOMETHINGS
Danny Drummond and Evontrae Pierce lead a defense that features nine players with 20 or more tackles. Drummond dominated against St. Norbert with 13 tackles including five for loss to earn NACC Defensive Player of the Week. Jack Drummond is sitting in a tie for fourth in the conference with three sacks.

SCHEDULE STRENGTH
The non-conference schedule features four games in 2017 against three different conferences. The combined non-conference record of the Benedictine non-conference schedule so far is 13-8. No team on the non-conference schedule is under .500. Benedictine will face Olivet College (MI) in the final non-conference game at home on October 21.

PRESEASON POLL
Benedictine was slotted third in the preseason NACC poll released on August 22. Benedictine, who finished 6-4 last season, gathered three first place votes and 76 total points. Lakeland, who has won or shared three straight conference titles, received eight first pace votes and 85 points to earn the role of favorite. Aurora notched two first place votes and finished with 80 points.