PINEVILLE, La. – After months of waiting and weeks of intense training in greater-than-100-degrees temperatures, the Louisiana College football team will finally get to step back on the field Saturday night at home with a 7 p.m. showdown with Belhaven.

The game will be broadcast live on local radio through 105.5 FM KBKK as well as online at 1055kbuck.com. Live video will be available at iHigh.com/louisianacollege and live updates will be provided through the official Louisiana College Athletics Twitter page (@LaColAthletics).

“We're all very excited,” senior offensive lineman Hunter Crowder said. “We're sick of hitting each other and ready to start hitting someone in a different color jersey. Belhaven is a great opponent, a quality team, so we're equally excited about the challenge we'll face this Saturday.”

Louisiana College opened its 2010 campaign with a visit to Belhaven, and NAIA from Jackson, Miss., and suffered a 41-34 loss. All-time, Belhaven holds a 2-1 advantage over the Wildcats. The last time LC defeated Belhaven was in 2002.

While LC will be kicking off its 2011 season, Belhaven enters the game with a 1-0 record having defeated Texas College 47-3 a week ago.

In Belhaven's opener, Junior quarterback Jimmy Basford completed 24 passes for 314 yards with three touchdowns. Kylan Pollard caught four of those passes for 121 yards and one touchdown on the night.

On the LC side, there are a few questions. First, how will the Wildcats replace longtime starter, and state and national player of the year, Ben McLaughlin qt quarterback? Second, how will the defense respond to a sub-par year in 2010?

Junior quarterback Jamie Bunting has been given the task of starting the first game of the post-McLaughlin era with transfer Tim Curry having the backup job.

Defensively, the Wildcats return nine starters.

“The play at our quarterback position will be a key early in the season,” Coach Dennis Dunn said. “The strength of our defense appears to have improved. They have matured and are playing with a lot of passion.”

Dunn enters his sixth season as head coach of the Wildcats, a tenure during which he has amassed a record of 30-19 including a 21-9 record over the last three seasons.

“I love the culture of this team and everything it has come to represent off the field,” Dunn said. “I believe that the quality of these young men off the field will be reflected in what happens on the field this season. We have great leadership, chemistry and unity.”

Belhaven at Louisiana College
Team Records: Belhaven (1-0), LC (0-0)
Game time: 7 p.m.
Location: Wildcat Stadium, Pineville
TV: None
Local Radio: 105.5 FM KBKK
Listen online: www.1055kbuck.com
Watch online: www.ihigh.com/louisianacollege
Follow online: @LaColAthletics
Head Coaches: Belhaven, Joe Thrasher (2nd Season); Louisiana College, Dennis Dunn (6th season, 30-19)
Last Week: Belhaven def. Texas College 47-3, Louisiana College did not play
Last Year: Belhaven defeated LC 41-34
All-Time Record: Belhaven 2-1