BABSON PARK, Fla. — The longest road trip of the year started this morning at midnight as Campbellsville University Fighting Tiger football hit the road for Webber International University for its second game of the year. 
 
The 19th-ranked Tigers and Warriors square off on the gridiron at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 1. The Tiger Tailgate Show begins at 1 p.m. ET with Alex Meade and former Tiger Khalil Baker on 88.7 The Tiger – the Campbellsville University Sports Network.  
 
Matt Payton and Jim Freeman's coverage begins at bottom of the hour, 1:30. 
 
In addition, what's known as the "streak" almost ended this weekend after a little mishap at the Bluegrass Airport in Lexington. Kevin Burkhead, the only person who has witnessed all 322 Tiger football games as the statistician since 1987, forgot his wallet in Campbellsville and the streak seemed to be in jeopardy. 
 
After Payton, Freeman and Jordan Alves, the CU sports information director, came up with a back-up plan, the TSA folks in Lexington said it was not needed. Burkhead just turned a little white in the face and had to go through a detailed screening. 
 
Don't worry folks, the streak will move to 323 on Saturday (good Lord willing) but Burkhead may have to spend a few more days in Florida if the TSA officials at Orlando International aren't as nice like the ones in Lexington. 
 
Campbellsville vs. Webber International
 
Campbellsville enters the weekend after dropping a 16-10 contest against Faulkner University last weekend in the season opener. The Eagles scored 16 unanswered points in the final 3:44 of the second quarter and held on late for the win – which was the 17th time in history CU has lost a season opener. 
 
Webber International dominated Kentucky Christian last weekend in Grayson. The Warriors routed the Knights, 48-14, to start the season 1-0. Webber scored 41 straight points in the first half and cruised the rest of the way. 
 
Series Facts:

• Campbellsville and Webber International have met four times with the series tied, 2-2. Every game in the series has been played in September, but this will be earliest both programs have met in a season. 
• CU lost the first meeting, 27-26 in overtime, at home in 2005, but WIU was later forced to forfeit the game because of an ineligible player. 
• Campbellsville fans traveled to Florida in 2006 and took in Disney World as part of the trip to Lake Wales, where WIU handed the Fighting Tigers a 36-0 shutout. 
• The series history extends beyond the football field. In 2004, Lake Wales, Fla., was hit by three hurricanes, which caused damage to the Webber International campus. Campbellsville University President Michael V. Carter and the university made a donation to the WIU relief efforts, which WIU recognized in 2006 with a plaque, which currently hangs in the Finley Stadium press box. 
• The storms returned in the last meeting in Lakeland as Campbellsville and Webber International had to sit through a two-hour delay before the Warriors won, 35-25. 
• Webber International currently has former Campbellsville defensive line coach, Vincent Davis on staff. Davis also serves as the recruiting coordinator since January 2017. 
• The Warriors also have former Tiger Tajh Milliken on their roster. He played quarterback and wide receiver at Campbellsville before being dismissed from the program in 2015. He currently is a senior defensive back for the Warriors. 

 
Tiger Clawz:

• After stellar season openers, local products Kendon Young and Austin Hash were both named NCCAA Student-Athletes of the Week.
• Young had over 100 all-purpose yards to lead Campbellsville. He finished with 44 rushing yards on seven carries with a touchdown and also had three catches for 48 yards. In addition, his two kick returns totaled 52 yards.
• Hash, a junior linebacker, tied the Campbellsville program record with two fumble recoveries against Faulkner. He also picked up his first-career sack and had a tackle for loss in his season debut.
• The defense forced four Faulkner turnovers, which is the most since Sept. 16, 1995 vs. Bethel University. In that game, Chris Gust recovered two fumbles and Mark Carroll finished with two interceptions.
• The last time Campbellsville out-gained its opponent but still lost was last season vs. Lindsey Wilson College (457 yards to 399 in a 49-28 loss). While playing against teams from Florida, the Tigers are 3-2 overall.

 
Kendon Young is spark plug on offense:

• Junior wide receiver Kendon Young has provided a much-needed spark to the Tiger offense the last two seasons and he didn't disappoint in the season opener last week. 
• Young has totaled over 2,212 all-purpose yards in his career thus far - ranking just outside the Top 10 in program history. All-American Greg Fountain leads the list with 4,699 all-purpose yards in his career which was set in 2005-08. 
• Young also provides a spark in the return game, averaging 26 yards per kick return last week - ranking No. 16 in the NAIA. 
• Last year, Young had three games of 100-plus yard receiving and averaged 112 all-purpose yards per game. 

 
Two Quarterbacks to see action:

• Earlier last week, Coach Thomas and offensive coordinator Rick Gehres named Talaileva Sufia, a freshman from Pago Pago, American Samoa, the starting quarterback. 
• Jeremy Hinds made his first-career start as the signal-caller against Faulkner. He played wide receiver the last two seasons
• Sufia is the first freshman to see action at QB since Nathan Cooper did so in 2009. 
• Cooper threw for 2,067 yards and 11 touchdowns to help guide CU to its first winning season since 2003. 
• Hinds and Sufia has big shoes to fill as the previous two quarterbacks have been All-Conference and NCCAA Players of the Year - Jacob Russell and Hunter Brown. Each hold nearly every offensive record in program history. The lone passing category Russell or Brown do not control, single-season passing completion by then-sophomore Nathan Cooper in 2011. 

 
Defense is Steady Eddie:

• Head coach Perry Thomas raved about his young defense two years ago as 18 of the 22 defensemen on the two-deep were either a freshman or sophomores. 
• Now fast-forwarding two years later, Thomas' defense is full of upperclassmen mixed with talented freshmen. 
• Darius Moore led the attack last weekend with 12 tackles, while Austin Hash recovered two fumbles and recorded a sack and Mahari Sturgis forced the fourth Faulkner turnover with a late third quarter interception. 
• The defense forced four Faulkner turnovers, which is the most since Sept. 16, 1995 vs. Bethel University. In that game, Chris Gust recovered two fumbles and Mark Carroll finished with two interceptions.