For the first time since 2004, Campbellsville University football is 1-0 to start a season, edging Cumberland University, 38-37, on the road Saturday.

"We ain't ever had that here at Campbellsville. This is a new team right here," said fifth-year senior Sherman Williams of Louisville, Ky.

Williams said the win is a clear example of the team's slogan, "Leave No Doubt," which was chosen by the seniors. Head coach Perry Thomas agrees.

"(This win) gives our guys confidence. They get browbeat every day of what we can do when we do things right. This kind of proves it to them," Thomas said. "Not only do they get a win, but they've won the first game of the year against a tough Mid-South Conference team in a tough game on the road. This Cumberland team is going to be good."

Williams helped secure the victory with a late fumble recovery with 49 seconds left to play - the Tigers' third forced turnover of the game.

Campbellsville opened the game with a 10-play, 69-yard drive that resulted in a 28-yard David Hon field goal to take a 3-0 lead. However, Cumberland immediately answered with an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Travis Carter.

The Tigers regained the lead, 10-7, midway through the second quarter on a 20-yard run by sophomore tailback Wayne Coffee of Franklin, Tenn. The five-play, 24-yard drive was set up by a fumble recovery by Williams on the Bulldog 24. Two minutes later, the Tigers struck again, as cornerback Calvin Bini returned a Bulldog punt 77 yards to take a 10 point lead, 17-7, with 6:34 to play in the first half.

"That gave us a little momentum back," Thomas said. "It kind of answered their kickoff return. That's something we have that we didn't last year. We have two or three guys back there that can catch it and go all the way if they can find a seam."

Cumberland narrowed the lead before the half, 17-14, with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Curt Bureau to Mitch Reynolds 21 seconds before intermission.

The Bulldogs carried the momentum out of halftime, scoring on a 52-yard strike from Bureau to Mike Moore to take a 21-17 lead just 15 seconds into the third quarter.

The Tigers and Dawgs traded scores through the third quarter, scoring a combined 44 points.

For Campbellsville, the touchdowns came as a result of the running game, which collected 414 yards in the game and 196 yards in the quarter. Cumberland found the endzone with its defense and big plays.

After Coffee scored on a 31-yard run to regian the Tiger lead, 24-21, Bureau found Moore again on a long pass, this time from 54 yards out. The extra point was forced wide by the Tigers' kick rush and proved to be difference in the game.

The Bulldogs extended its lead to 10 points, 34-24, after Anthony Allen picked off Tiger quarterback Robert Hill and returned it 94 yards for a score.y a 1-yard touchdown run by David Mason, cutting the lead to 34-31. The Bulldogs responded with a field goal to pull ahead by six.

With four minutes to play, Campbellsville went to work, driving 60 yards in four plays. A 54-yard scamper by Hill set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Mason to tie the game. Hon's extra point gave the Tigers their final lead, 38-37.

Hill finished the quarter with 122 yards rushing and was the Tigers' second leading rusher on the day with 189 yards rushing in his quarterback debut. Coffee led the way with 216 yards on 26 carries, while Mason added 58 yards.

"Our offensive line did a great job of opening up some holes. It's tough to stop a back when you've got a quarterback that can run too, and that's what Cumberland got today. I don't think they expected that," Thomas said.

Hill completed 13 of his 24 passes for 95 yards, but had two interceptions in his debut.

"I didn't pick up the blitz fast enough, but we're going to go in and look at that and take care of it next week," Hill said.

In addition to the two interceptions, the Tigers also lost a fumble on a punt return.

At the end of the day though, Thomas was pleased with his team's offensive display of 509 yards and his defense's job to hold Cumberland to 52 yards on the ground and 225 by air.

"I thought our defense really played well today. Cumberland scored on two big bombs, which last year, if they'd thrown as much as they threw today on our defense, they would have had 60 or 70 points," Thomas said. "They played well. We just can't give up those two huge plays."

Campbellsville (1-0) will travel to NCAA Division II opponent Carson Newman University on Thursday in Jefferson City, Tenn. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EST.