Campbellsville comes to Whitewater ranked No. 17 in NAIA poll

Two nationally ranked teams will collide Saturday in UW-Whitewater’s home opener at Perkins Stadium.

Campbellsville University (Kentucky), ranked No. 17 this week in the NAIA, travels to Whitewater to play the top-ranked Warhawks.

Campbellsville is coming off two big defensive games over higher-ranked teams. In the Tigers' season opener, CU picked off four passes and caused a fumble en route to a 30-14 win over No. 27 Union College. Last Saturday, Sept. 10, Campbellsville knocked off No. 18 Cumberland University, 30-27, with three blocked kicks and a returned 2-point conversion.

Quarterback Nathan Cooper will be a new threat for UW-W, as the WarHawks did not see the Missouri native under center last September. Cooper is averaging 253 yards and three touchdowns per game.

Running back Wayne Coffee, who had only 25 yards against UW-W last season, is averaging 111.5 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry in 2011.

Senior wide receiver Stan Warrenhuffman, who is averaging two 100 yards and six catches per game this season for the Tigers. The Cincinnati, Ohio native set the program's single-game touchdown reception record last week with three TD catches and was named the Mid-South Conference Offensvie Player of the Week.

True freshman Leon Melvin has led the way in the takeaway department, picking off two passes in the end zone during week one and blocking a field goal and extra point last week for the Tigers.

Whitewater travelled to Campbellsville last year and came away with a 37-7 win.

"We feel like we can go in there and match up with them in the skill positions,” CU head coach Perry Thomas said. “We thought we did last year. If it wasn't for a couple of miscues early, we could have made it a competitive ballgame.”

This will be the sixth time in the Tigers' history that CU will challenge a defending national champion including last year’s game vs. the Warhawks. In 1992 Campbellsville beat 1991 NAIA national champion Georgetown College 29-27.

Kickoff for Saturday’s game at Perkins Stadium is set for 12-Noon.