The Aurora University Spartan football team overcame a slow start to the game on offense but the AU defense was stout on the way to a 70-14 victory over Lakeland University. 


FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 70, Lakeland University 14
LOCATION: Spartan Athletic Park - Montgomery, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 9-0 overall and 7-0 NACC
GAME TIME: 2:52


- After both teams traded punts on their first possessions, the Spartans put together a drive to score on the second.
- The Spartans had to start the drive on their own six yard line and went 94-yards in nine plays. Ian Luyando hit Ty Pruett who would scamper 36 yards to the end zone for a 7-0 AU lead.
- Each team would punt twice more in the first quarter as AU led 7-0 after the opening 15 minutes of action.
- Lakeland drove down to the AU three yard line and had first and goal early in the second.
- The Spartan defense and Marcellus Romious intercepted a fourth and goal pass with Romious returning the pick 18 yards to end the Muskie scoring chance.
- The momentum from the stop carried over to the offense who marched 81-yards in five plays with the big play coming on a 64-yard catch and run from Trey Madsen. Madsen was forced out of bounds at the eight yard line to set up a goal to go for AU.
- Luyando connected with a wide open Robert Cooper from eight yards out and AU led 14-0.
- The AU defense forced a three and out with the Muskies punt only going three yards to set up AU at the Lakeland 21.
- Luyando found Madsen on a three yard pitch and catch and the Spartans led 21-0 midway through the second.
- When the Spartan offense got the ball back they needed just three plays to go 77 yards in 1:11 to score again.
- Two long runs from Jhe'Quay Chretin and Luyando set up a second score for Cooper and AU led 28-0.
- Another short Lakeland punt set up the AU offense at the Lakeland 38 for AU's final drive of the first-half.
- On the fifth play of the drive, Luyando hit a stretched out Madsen in the end zone and AU led 35-0 which would be the score going to halftime.
- Lakeland took the second-half kickoff and marched down field in 12 plays to score their first points of the day.
- AU turned to the ground game and Jhe'Quay Chretin on their opening drive of the half as Chretin rushed eight times for 52 yards to set up a third score of the day from Luyando to Madsen. The five yards touchdown strike put AU ahead 42-7.
- A defensive stop with a turnover on downs put the AU offense at midfield for the second drive of the third quarter. 
- Chretin capped off the drive with a 15-yard scoring run and now AU led 49-7.
- After both teams traded punts to start the fourth quarter, Spartan defensive lineman Otis Watts provided some excitement when he blocked a punt from the Muskie quarterback which set up AU at the Lakeland 28.
- On the second play, James Mautino followed the lead block of Matthew Kickel and scored from 23 yards out. Kickel finished the play with three massive blocks on Muskie defenders. AU led 56-7.
- Lakeland would take advantage of two long pass plays to score and cut the AU lead to 56-14.
- Lakeland was given the first of several unsportsmanlike penalties at the end of the game which set up a nice return on the kickoff from Zack Russell.
- The Russell return to the Lakeland 41 and then a 21-yard rush by Russell set up a four yard score from Jon Alstott with Alstott running over a Muskie defender to get into the end zone for the score. AU now led 63-14.
- Spartan Ben Slatcoff would intercept a Muskie pass on the following possession which was capitalized on by Russell who finished the four play drive with three runs for 28 yards and a diving touchdown run inside the pylon. AU led 70-14 which would be the final score.


Rushing:
 - Carries: Jhe'Quay Chretin (25) and Ian Luyando (10)
 - Yards: Jhe'Quay Chretin (152) and Ian Luyando (69)
- Touchdowns: Jhe'Quay Chretin, Zack Russell, Jon Alstott and James Mautino (1)
Passing:
-  Ian Luyando (15-25-0 for 233 yards and six touchdowns)
Receiving:
 - Catches: Trey Madsen (7)
 - Yards: Trey Madsen (144)
 - Touchdowns: Trey Madsen (3), Robert Cooper (2) and Ty Pruett (1)
Defense:
- Tackles: Conner Nordmeyer and Ty Hopp (9)
- Sacks: Jaylen Jordan and Joel Coston (1.0)
- Interceptions: Marcellus Romious and Ben Slatcoff (1)
Spacial Teams:
- PATs: Matthew Hylek (10-of-10)
- Blocked punt: Otis Watts (1)
 

Next action for the Spartan football team comes on Saturday, November 11 when they host senior day and Concordia University Wisconsin. Game time is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Spartan Athletic Park in Montgomery, Illinois.