TUSKEGEE, Ala. | It's here.
 
Two simple words spoken by Tuskegee University head coach Willie Slater as he met with the media Thursday afternoon, marking the beginning of the 2015 football season.
 
"It seemed like it was a long time coming," Slater said of this weekend's matchup with Clark Atlanta. "But now it seems like it rushing up on us. We still have those young players we have to get ready to play, but we have done just about all we can do physically so it is a mental game up until kickoff."
 
The last time that Tuskegee and Clark Atlanta met on the field was in 2012, a 14-0 victory by Tuskegee, and a lot has changed since that last meeting. Since that time, Tuskegee has won 17 of 23 games, with an SIAC championship in 2014. Meanwhile, Clark Atlanta has won three games in each of the last two seasons and they have a new coaching staff, which was hired recently.
 
"We haven't played them since 2012," Slater said. "On top of that they have a new coach, and on top of that they have a lot of new players. They have guys who weren't on the roster last year, so as a coaching staff we are going to have to do a really good job of making adjustments so we can attack them and stop them."
 
Tuskegee enters the season as the pick to win the West Division of the SIAC, earning all of the first place votes from the coaches. They return just a pair of starters on offense and six starters on defense – all of which include eight preseason picks by the SIAC. Meanwhile, Clark Atlanta was picked to finish
 
The game is slated to kick-off on Saturday at 1:00 pm inside Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium, a place where the Golden Tigers feel comfortable.
 
"I hate waiting," Slater said. "That is what we have to do. We had our last physical practice this (Thursday) morning, so from this point forward it is a waiting game. The positive thing for me is that it is a 1:00 game, you get up Saturday morning and it's time to go. So there is not a whole lot of waiting around on Saturday."
 
Tuskegee leads the all-time series with Clark Atlanta 58-16-2, including winning six of seven games in the series since 2006. The last win by Clark Atlanta in the series was a 10-6 win in 2006.
 
The game can be seen and heard via the Tuskegee University Sports Network, and inside the stadium the game can be heard on 102.5 FM.
 
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