The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's third-best defense will do battle today with the conference's top rushing offense when Clark Atlanta takes on Albany State.

The 2 p.m. game in Albany will be streamed live at http://bit.ly/2PLTITC.

Clark Atlanta (2-5, 1-2, SIAC, 1-1 SIAC East) features a defense that only gives up 284 yards a game, third-best in the SIAC behind Tuskegee and Benedict – two teams that CAU has lost to by only a combined ten points.

That defense is led by the SIAC's top pass defense unit, led by CAU's Ezekiel Edmonds and Kenneth Morgan.  Albany State's passing game hasn't been one of the conference's more prolific units – they average only 123 yards a game and are ninth among the SIAC's ten teams.  But last week, Kelias Williams had a career-best 254 yards and three touchdowns in the Golden Rams 41-19 defeat over previously-undefeated Morehouse.

ASU has the conference's top-ranked rushing offense, led by running backs Tracy Scott and McKinley Habersham.  Scott has run for 474 yards and five touchdowns while Habersham has picked up 454 yards and two touchdowns.

CAU isn't ranked high amongst conference teams in rush defense, but DE Kameron Rogers leads the team with 43 tackles and an SIAC-leading 11 tackles for loss.  He also has five sacks this season.  Linebacker William Profit has 41 stops for CAU Head Coach Kevin Ramsey's defense.

On offense, CAU continues to be led by quarterbacks Charles Stafford, who threw for 397 yards and two touchdowns last week against Benedict, and Elijah Odom, who has thrown for 190 yards and two touchdowns this season and is second on the team in rushing with 184 yards. 

The team's leading rusher is the SIAC's second-best rusher Roger Thomas.  Thomas is second among all SIAC rushers with 489 yards this season, for an average of 70 yards a game.  He has also run for three touchdowns.

Panther Notes: Last season, CAU defeated Albany State 44-36 in a rousing homecoming victory at Panther Stadium.  It was the first CAU win over Albany State since 2001…. The Albany State-Clark Atlanta series is one in which ASU leads 39-7 advantage.  The two teams began play in 1971, with their matchup becoming a traditional, season-opening game for both schools until 1999… CAU's Johnathan Sanders continues to rank among the SIAC's top receivers.  Sanders is second in receptions per game with 4.9.  The junior has 34 receptions for 324 yards and three touchdowns this season… Despite a tough game last week, CAU kicker Carlos Saldana still leads the SIAC with five made field goals.  Saldana is also tops in PATs among conference kickers as he is 12-of-12 this season… Today's Albany State homecoming game will take place at Albany's Hugh Mills Stadium after ASU's stadium was damaged by Hurricane Michael last week.  

CLARK ATLANTA PANTHERS (2-5, 1-2 SIAC, 1-1 SIAC East)
Head Coach – Kevin Ramsey

Offensive Leaders
Passing - #3 Charles Stafford (87-of-171 for 647 yards, six touchdowns, eight interceptions)
                 #10 Elijah Odom (15-of-35 for 190 yards, two touchdowns, five interceptions)
Rushing - #22 Roger Thomas (114 rushes, 489 yards, three touchdowns, 4.3 yards per carry, long of 45 yards)
Receiving - #1 Johnathan Sanders (34 receptions, 324 yards, 9.5 yards per catch, long of 29 yards, three touchdowns)
Defensive Leaders
Tackles – #8 Kameron Rogers (43 tackles, 29 solo, 14 assisted, 11 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery)
   #7 Ezekiel Edmonds (42 tackles, 31 solo, 11 assisted, 5.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble)
                 #20 William Profit (41 tackles, 30 solo, 11 assisted, 9.5 tackles for loss)
                  #24 Kenneth Morgan (34 tackles, 18 solo, 16 assisted, 1.5 tackle for loss, 1 fumble recovery)
                 #5 Justin Wade (25 tackles, 20 solo, 5 assisted, 4 tackles for loss)
                 #25 Tyrone Mixon (22 tackles, 9 solo, 13 assisted, 3.5 tackles for loss)
Sacks –    #8 Kameron Rogers (five sacks)
   #7 Ezekiel Edmonds (2.5 sacks)
Interceptions - #24 Kenneth Morgan (1 interception)
                            #7 Ezekiel Edmonds (1 interception)
                            #25 Tyrone Mixon (1 interception)
Special Teams
Field Goals - #39 Carlos Saldana (5-of-10 field goals, long of 43 yards)
Punts - #38 Ty Woods (32 punts, 1157 yards, 36.1 avg., long of 60 yards)
Kickoff Returns - #21 Jaha McCray (11 returns, 208 yards, 18.9 avg., long of 33 yards)
                               #36 Darius Blackmon (9 returns, 179 yards, 19.8 avg., long of 65 yards)
Punt Returns - #80 Jarel Henry (4 returns, 61 yards, 15.2 avg., long of 21 yards)
                           #26 Jeramie Tate (6 returns, 26 yards, 4.3 avg., long of 20 yards)
 
ALBANY STATE GOLDEN RAMS (4-3, 3-0 SIAC, 1-0 SIAC East)
Head Coach – Gabe Giardina

Offensive Leaders
Passing – #12 Kelias Williams (56-of-83 for 728 yards, seven touchdowns, five interceptions)
Rushing - #32 Tracy Scott (66 rushes, 474 yards, five touchdowns, long run of 75 yards)
                  #4 McKinley Habersham (77 rushes, 454 yards, two touchdowns, long run of 46 yards)
Receiving - #3 Mike Green (20 receptions, 378 yards, four touchdowns, long of 67 yards)
Defensive Leaders
Tackles - #30 Stephen Pierre (37 tackles, 20 solo, 17 assisted)
                #21 Tyler Scott (34 tackles, 23 solo, 11 assisted, one fumble recovery)
                #37 Martery Brown (31 tackles, 20 solo, 11 assisted)
Sacks - #93 Deonte Jackson (three sacks)
             #58 Roman Victor (three sacks)
Interceptions - #5 Coemba Jones (two interceptions)
Special Teams
Kicking – #19 Gabriel Ballinas (3-of-3 field goals, long of 47 yards)
Punting - #19 Gabriel Ballinas (36 punts, 1444 yards, 40.1 avg., long punt of 65 yards)
Kickoff Returns - #83 Jason Wooten (6 returns, 101 yards, long return of 23 yards)
Punt Returns - #3 Mike Green (8 returns, 67 yards, long return of 26 yards)