The Phoenix will open its season Saturday against one of the biggest opponents the team has ever played when it travels to Tampa Bay, to play the University of South Florida Bulls.

The Bulls belong to the Big East Conference and won the PapaJohn’s.com Bowl against Eastern Carolina University. The team also defeated Big East powerhouse West Virginia University in the same season, which helped the Bulls gain top 25 votes in the AP and Coaches preseason polls.

However, head coach Pete Lembo and his players aren’t intimidated by USF’s impressive resume heading into Saturday’s game.

“Every year you see five or six upsets with these I-AA teams beating a I-A team,” Lembo said at Thursday’s press conference. “We know we’re going to have to go down there and play clean football and take advantage of their mistakes.”

“Here we are, little Elon playing against the big boys,” fullback, junior Tim Applegate said. “But we’re not bending over for anybody.”

Saturday’s game will also be true-freshman Scott Riddle’s first game as a collegiate quarterback. Riddle won the competition against red-shirted freshman Donny Kirby that lasted until the last week of summer practices. Riddle will have to face a team that was the only team in 2006 to hold the WVU offense under 27 points.

“It’s going to be a hard competition, but the coaches have prepared us well,” Riddle said. “Basically we can’t turn the ball over on offense.”

How the team’s defense plays without two-time SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, Chad Nkang, is also something to watch for this weekend. But the defense is excited to show that they are still a tough unit without the NFL draftee.

“You can’t replace a player like Chad,” linebacker junior Corey Weaver said. “But [the defense] is better as a whole this year.”

One part of the defense that Lembo is very excited about is the defensive line, which he said is the most improved part of the team this year.

“This is a young, but quick group of guys,” Lembo said. “We can roll some guys through to keep guys fresh and that’s a luxury we didn’t have last year.”

An interesting subplot of Saturday’s game has to do with the teams’ coaching staffs. Elon’s special teams coach, Shane Burnham is the son of USF’s associate head coach and defensive coordinator Wally Burnham.

This will be the third time the Phoenix and Bulls are meeting on the field. They played in 1997, which the Phoenix won 41-13 and then again in 1998, which the Bulls won 35-7.

Sports Editor: Jeff Rickel - 08/29/07