BUIES CREEK, N.C. – After 665 days, Campbell returns home to Barker-Lane Stadium, hosting Elon on Saturday, September 11. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m.

Quick hits
• Campbell's season opener at Liberty marked its fifth straight outing against an FBS foe. Campbell is now 0-9 all-time against FBS opponents.
• The first-ever meeting between the Camels and the Flames, Liberty was CU's 12th first time opponent since the start of the 2018 season. The Camels' September 11 date with Elon will be the 13th first time opponent to add to the list, with James Madison and Robert Morris awaiting CU later this season.
• The game at Liberty was CU's sixth straight game on the road, dating back to its 2019 season finale (November 23, 2019 at Charleston Southern).
• The game at Liberty was the third straight season the Camels opened on the road at an FBS opponent (2019 at Troy, 2020 at Georgia Southern).
• Campbell's 319 passing yards allowed against the Flames marked the first time in 27 games that the Camels surrendered 300 or more yards through the air, last coming in their 2017 finale against Drake.
• Lynchburg native Caleb Snead, who missed the 2020 season due to injury, collected 70 yards receiving against Liberty, including a 40-yard TD from Hajj-Malik Williams in the second quarter, bringing the Camels within 14-7 with 10:41 to go before the break. Snead, who ranks second among Campbell's all-time wideouts in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, has now collected 16 TDs in just 21 career games.
• Making his third career start at linebacker, Keshawn Thompson collected a career-high 13 tackles in the Camels' 2021 season opener at Liberty. Thompson, a graduate student, nearly doubled his previous game-high in tackles, set in 2019 (previous 7, vs. Kennesaw State), the same year he posted his season-high in tackles with 24.
• Next up, Campbell will make its 2021 home debut, hosting Elon on September 11, 665 days since last hosting a football game at Barker-Lane Stadium (vs. No. 15 Monmouth, November 16, 2019). Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. at Barker-Lane Stadium.
• Saturday will be the first time a CU team has faced a Colonial Athletic Association squad since traveling to Old Dominion in 2012.
• Elon will be the ninth different North Carolina program to face off with the Camels in football since 2008. CU is 8-5 against nonconference NC schools, and 15-10 overall, last meeting an in-state opponent to close out 2020 at Wake Forest (L 66-14).
• 2021 marks the 14th season of Campbell's modern era of football.
• Head coach Mike Minter begins his ninth season leading the Camels.

Watch/Follow
Watch the Camels take on the Phoenix on ESPN+, and listen locally at 88.3 WUAW FM, and online at GoCamels.com. Live stats are also available at GoCamels.com, and follow on Twitter @GoCamelsFB for live updates.

Tickets and game day information
Single game tickets for all five of Campbell's home dates this season at Barker-Lane Stadium, including Saturday's home opener, are on sale at GoCamels.com/Tickets, as well as in person at the CU Athletics Ticket Office, located at the John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center, and by phone, at (910) 893-1459.

Tickets start at just $10 per game, while season tickets also remain on sale, starting at $100.

As always, Campbell students receive free admission at the gate with their CU ID.

Face coverings are highly encouraged at Campbell outdoor athletic events, regardless of vaccination status. Face coverings are required inside all campus buildings (including suites and restrooms), per university policy.

Back at Barker-Lane
After making its 2021 season debut at Liberty, Campbell will make its long-awaited return to Barker-Lane Stadium on September 11 against Elon, 665 days since last hosting a football game in Buies Creek (vs. No. 15 Monmouth, November 16, 2019).

Campbell is slated to welcome 100 percent capacity in 2021.

Clear bag policy adopted at athletics events
Campbell University Athletics will implement a clear bag policy that regulates the size and type of bag that may be carried into Campbell Athletics facilities during the 2021-22 year, including Barker-Lane Stadium. Fans are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the new policies before arriving at the venue to minimize time spent searching bags at security checkpoints.

Bags that are approved include:
• Clear tote bags made of plastic, vinyl or PVC that do not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″
• One-gallon clear plastic zip-style bags
• Small purses or clutch bags that do not exceed 6.5″ x 4.5"
• Medical or diaper bags must be accompanied by a child

Bags are that not permitted include:
• Backpacks
• Printed pattern or tinted plastic bags
• Drawstring bags
• Fanny packs
• Camera or binocular cases
• Large purses or bags

For more information, click here.

Last time out
Behind a balanced offensive attack that rolled up 537 yards of total offense, Liberty defeated Campbell 48-7 in last week's 2021 season opener in Lynchburg, Va.

Malik Willis paced the Flames' offense, connecting on 15-of-23 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown, while running for 55 yards and another score. Johnathan Bennett came off the bench to tack on 102 more passing yards in the second half to give LU 319 for the night, distributed to nine different receivers.

Demario Douglas hauled in 84 yards receiving and a TD on seven catches, while Joshua Mack's 60 yards with a touchdown led Liberty on the ground. Javon Scruggs notched seven tackles for the Flames, while Skyler Thomas recorded five tackles, including 2.0 of Liberty's seven stops for loss as a unit.

Hajj-Malik Williams guided Campbell with 183 yards and a score on 15-of-32 passing, adding 26 rushing yards. Lynchburg native Caleb Snead, who missed the 2020 season due to injury, collected 70 yards receiving, including a 40-yard TD from Williams in the second quarter, bringing the Camels within 14-7 with 10:41 to go before the break.

The Flames led 14-0 after the first quarter, taking a 20-7 lead into the half before shutting out the Camels in the second half.

Defensive streak comes to an end
Prior to last week's loss at Liberty, Campbell's defense had not yielded 300-plus yards passing to an opponent since 2017's season finale, snapping a streak of 26 consecutive games.

Malik Willis (217 yards) and Johnathan Bennett (102) combined for 319 passing yards for the night to break the streak. In the November 11, 2017 game against Drake, Campbell's final contest as a Pioneer Football League member, Grant Kraemer completed 17-of-20 passes for 369 yards, with the Bulldogs taking the 45-10 win in Buies Creek.

Scouting Elon
Elon will make its first trip to Barker-Lane Stadium following a 24-22 season opening loss to former Southern Conference rival Wofford.

Elon QB Davis Cheek completed 29-of-52 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns with an interception against the Terriers, leading the Phoenix to 426 yards of total offense. Chandler Brayboy hauled in eight passes for 112 yards, highlighted by a 37-yard touchdown, while Jackson Parham added seven grabs for 99 yards. Defensively, Omar Rogers had two interceptions for the Phoenix while junior Devonte Chandler totaled 11 tackles.

The game will be the first ever meeting between the Camels and Phoenix, and the first time a CU team has faced a Colonial Athletic Association squad since traveling to Old Dominion in 2012.

Looking ahead
Campbell will meet another former Big South rival, hosting Presbyterian on September 18. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. at Barker-Lane Stadium.

Still a Big South member in other sports, PC and Campbell matched up on the football field as conference foes in 2018 and 2019, with the Camels winning both Big South bouts 38-6 in Clinton, S.C. for CU's first-ever Big South Conference win, and 28-14 in Buies Creek a year later.

The Blue Hose lead the all-time series 3-2, taking the first three all-time matchups. PC was originally scheduled to make a trip to Buies Creek in 2020, but the game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The gang's all here
Not only a lyric in the CU fight song, but in 2021, Campbell will return 10-of-11 starters on both sides of the ball. The Camels bring back 100 percent of its rushing and passing yards, as well as 87.5 percent (740 of 804) of its receiving yards. Of 285 tackles from 2020, only 36 total tackles have been lost (less than eight percent).

Hajj-Malik Williams paced the Campbell offense with 878 yards of total offense, also accounting for a team-high eight touchdowns. Darion Slade led CU in tackles last season with 38, including 1.0 stop for loss and a breakup.

Campbell football at 14
2021 marks Campbell's 14th season at the FCS level since bringing football back to the Creek in 2008 after a 58 year hiatus, playing as a member of the Pioneer Football League from 2008-17.

Campbell previously fielded a football team during its junior college days from 1925-50, suspending the program from 1940-45 due to World War II. During its original era, Campbell won five North Carolina junior college state championships (1929, 1932, 1939, 1946 and 1948), and advanced to two Eastern United States Championship games.

Slade named Preseason All-Big South
Campbell's Darion Slade was named 2021 Preseason All-Big South, leading four Camels earning preseason league honors. Additionally, quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams, tight end Julian Hill, and linebacker Justice Galloway-Velazquez all picked up honorable mention accolades.

Slade, a two-time All-Big South performer, was named Preseason All-Big South for the second straight season. The redshirt senior posted a team-high 38 tackles, adding 1.0 stop for loss, a breakup and a QB hurry during the abbreviated 2020 season. A Winston-Salem, N.C. native, Slade combined for 23 tackles over CU's final two games of the year at Appalachian State and Wake Forest.

Camels picked fifth in Big South preseason poll
Campbell was picked fifth in the eight-team Big South preseason poll.

Monmouth, led by 15 Preseason All-Big South selections, was picked to win its third straight Big South title, earning 16 of the 18 available first place votes. Monmouth's Juwon Farri and Anthony Budd were also named preseason offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively.

Kennesaw State followed the Hawks in the poll (117 points), coming in second while collecting a first place vote. Big South newcomer North Carolina A&T was picked third (100), while Charleston Southern came in fourth (85), despite garnering a first place vote.

Campbell's 82 points came in just behind the Buccaneers for fifth, followed by Gardner-Webb (59). Hampton (35) and Robert Morris (29) rounded out the poll.

Campbell vs. the FBS
Prior to the 2020 season, Campbell had played against just four FBS opponents in its modern history, traveling to Troy in 2019 and hosting Coastal Carolina in 2018, while facing off with Old Dominion in 2013 and Appalachian State in 2014.

Although CU has never beaten an FBS opponent (0-9), the Camels nearly took down Georgia Southern in their 2020 opener in Statesboro, Ga., falling just a point short, 27-26.

Georgia Southern was Campbell's fifth game overall against an FBS squad, and third with full FBS status. When Campbell previously played at ODU and at App State, both were in the final year of the transitional phase from the FCS level. ODU played a FBS independent schedule in 2013, squaring off against five FBS members, while the Mountaineers played a full Sun Belt slate in 2014, going 6-2 in league play while winning its final six games of the year.

The Camels also played Charlotte in 2013 and 2014 when the 49ers were in the beginning stages of their transition to FBS, playing an independent FCS schedule. Campbell's 2020 finale at Wake Forest marked the program's first ever against a Power Five opponent in football.

In its now nine games all time against FBS foes, Campbell held the lead in four different outings for a total of 79:36, including 44:13 in its 2020 opener at Georgia Southern, and for 14:37 at App State. CU also led Coastal for 19:07 of the first half in 2018, and made the initial score against ODU in 2013, leading for 2:39 of the first quarter.

The Camels' matchup with Liberty marked the team's fifth consecutive FBS opponent over two seasons.