WISE - - Tusculum and UVa-Wise meet for the first time since 1998 Saturday night when UVa-Wise honors the College's first team, the 1991 Clinch Valley team prior to the 7 p.m. kickoff.  

Both teams enter the opener optimistic. Tusculum finished 2014 on a four-game winning streak while UVa-Wise won its final game of the season, 24-21 over Fairmont State, a year ago.

Picked to finish fifth in the Preseason SAC Poll, Tusculum returns 12 starters, including a trio of 300 pounders on the offensive line. Six-foot-three, 305-pound senior left tackle Billy Munker, six-foot-four, 325-pound junior left  guard Patrick Benson and six-foot-three, 310-pound junior center Max Gaubert helped pave the way for 1,599 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns last season. The Pioneers also return two starters at wide receiver in Justin Houston and Ken Funnye. The two combined for 110 catches, 1,107 yards and six touchdowns. At quarterback, sophomore Malcom Pendergrass and senior Cameron Tallent are back after both saw playing time last season. Sophomore Luke Lancaster may also see snaps under center for Tusculum.  Pendergrass passed for 1,393 yards and nine scores as a freshman.

The Pioneers return a pair of starters in their linebacker and defensive back units on defense. Linebacker L'Keith Brown is back for his sophomore season after posting 70 stops in 10 games as a freshman, fellow linebacker Mike Mosah enters his senior season after collecting 50 stops and a team-high three fumble recoveries in 2014. A pair of juniors highlight the Tusculum secondary. Free safety Deres Benn posted 42 tackles and an interception a year ago while conerback Cameron Thomas notched a team-best three interceptions.

UVa-Wise returns four of five starters on the offensive line. Junior Honorable Mention All-MEC center Randy Kumah (6-1, 290) anchors a unit that led the way for a rushing attack that gained 1,387 yards in 2014. Senior right guard Dustin Mcgill (6-1, 290) and senior left tackle Jose Urrutia (6-3, 255) join Kumah to make up a trio that combined to play in 33 games during the 2014 season. Second-Team All-MEC wide receiver Terrence Younger enters his senior season with 118 catches, 1,768 yards and 12 touchdowns during his career and sophomore tailback Carlton Griffith will look to build on his 617-yard freshman season.

Punter and place kicker Trent Martin is back for his junior season after averaging 38.7 yards per punt and making 7-10 field goal attempts in 2014.

Tusculum hosts Virginia State while UVa-Wise visits Notre Dame in its conference opener next week.