Tigers to feast on Warhawks

Sep 5, 2007, 16:14 GMT

Clemson, SC - Coming off a big win and a short week, the 25th-ranked Clemson Tigers try to avoid a letdown, as they host the UL- Monroe Warhawks in non-league play.

The Tigers enter the game on a high note, as they opened their season with a big win, defeating then 19th-ranked Florida State, 24-18, on Monday night. It was a significant victory for the Tigers and head coach Tommy Bowden, who defeated his father, Bobby, for the third straight time at Death Valley and in the process avoided an early hole in ACC play. Clemson also slipped into the Top 25 with the triumph.

As for UL-Monroe, it didn't have as much luck in its opener on August 30th, dropping a 35-17 decision to Tulsa. It was a disappointing start for the Warhawks, who return 18 starters from a team that won three of their final four games in '06. Things won't get any easier for ULM following this contest, as it must travel to College Station for a bout with nationally-ranked Texas A&M on September 15th.

The Warhawks and Tigers are meeting for the first time ever on the gridiron this Saturday.

The Warhawks came out on fire in their opener and scored 17 points in the first half, but following the break they were completely shut down as they failed to score in the final two quarters of a 35-17 setback to Tulsa. The team gained just 278 yards in the game, including a mere 66 through the air. Quarterback Kinsmon Lancaster struggled in completing 7-of-21 tosses for 66 yards and a touchdown. Lancaster, the team's third-leading rusher (333 yards) last season, did gain 44 yards on 13 carries in the loss. Calvin Dawson led the ULM ground attack, which produced an impressive 212 yards, with 150 yards on 24 carries. Dawson, who rushed for 1,210 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, averaged an impressive 6.2 yards per carry against Tulsa.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Warhawks were simply abused by the Golden Hurricane, allowing a whopping 523 yards of total offense. The unit was equally as bad against the run (216 yards) as it was versus the pass (307 yards), and it also surrendered 28 first downs. On a positive note, ULM did manage to make a big play on defense, as Matt Freeman returned a fumble 46 yards for a touchdown. The defense, however, didn't have much luck getting to the quarterback, recording just one sack in the contest. Greg James paced the defense with nine tackles and he also added an interception.

The Tigers have a lot of new faces on the offensive side of the ball and although the unit scored 24 points on Monday, it wasn't exactly an overwhelming performance. Clemson scored all 24 of its point in the first half against FSU and gained just 292 total yards in the game. The offense showed some good balance between the run (132 yards) and pass (160 yards), but it converted just 4-of-15 third down attempts. First-time starter Cullen Harper showed he can be effective, as the strong-armed quarterback completed 14-of-24 pass attempts with two touchdowns against FSU's highly-touted defense. His primary outlet was Aaron Kelly, who pulled down five balls for 98 yards and a score. Tailback James Davis also got into the mix, as he rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. It was a solid start for Davis, who figures to be among the top backs in the nation this season after rushing for 1,187 yards and 17 touchdowns a year ago.

Defensively, the Tigers put forth an outstanding effort in the opener, as they held FSU to just eight first downs and 256 total yards. The defense was especially tough against the pass, allowing the Seminoles to complete just 17- of-35 throws for a mere 142 yards. The Tigers only forced one turnover, but they made up for it by recording five sacks and holding FSU to just a 3-of-17 effort on third down conversions. Nick Watkins turned in a solid all-around performance in the win, as he posted 11 tackles, a fumble recovery and a sack. Phillip Merling also put forth a noteworthy effort, recording eight stops, a forced fumble and a sack.

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