BUIES CREEK, N.C. – After four years of planning and a year and half of just practicing the Campbell football team will open the 2008 season this Saturday against Birmingham-Southern College at 1 p.m. at the CU Football Stadium.

Head Coach Dale Steele is ready to lead the Fighting Camels in their first season of football in 58 years. Steele, a veteran of 32 years in the coaching industry, was named the head coach of the program in June 15, 2006 and has spent the last two years assembling his coaching staff, recruiting two classes of players and preparing for this day. The team went through over 100 practices since reporting in the fall of 2007 so the opportunity to lineup across from someone that is not part of the program will certainly be a welcome sight this Saturday.

The Panthers arrive at the game with one year of football experience under their belt and went 3-7 in their first season of football since 1939. BSC is under new leadership this season in Eddie Garfinkle. Garfinkle, who served as the team's defensive coordinator last season, was named the head coach in the spring. He will now oversee the entire program, while also keeping a watchful eye on the defense. Birmingham-Southern is led by sophomore quarterback Joe Thigpen. Thigpen started all 10 games a year ago and led the team with 2,059 yards passing and 13 touchdowns. A dual threat option he also led the team with 367 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. BSC also returns both their leading receivers in Walter Arrington (43 catches for 491 yards) and Tony Myers (30 catches for 558 yards).

This is also the first time that Campbell and Birmingham-Southern have met up in any team sport (m/w soccer, volleyball, m/w basketball, baseball, softball, swimming & diving).

Despite the lack of program in over half a century, the Camels can rely on a strong history of success with the team capturing state championships in 1929, 1932 and 1939. CU also won three-consecutive North Carolina Junior College Championships from 1946-48. The Camels first fielded a varsity program in 1925. The team led by Coaches Edge and Baker went 3-1-1 in their inaugural season with the first-ever victory being a 7-0 win over Carthage. The team was disbanded in 1950 with the onset of Korean Conflict.

Campbell's football program will next travel to Methodist next week to take on the Monarch's at Monarch Stadium at 1 p.m. on Sept. 6. Methodist is a member of the USA South Athletic Conference under the leadership of head coach Jim Sypult.