Wake Forest @ UL Monroe preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2013 ) UL Monroe 21, Wake Forest 19

Dave Clawson's most recent rebuilding project gets underway Thursday, when Wake Forest travels to Louisiana-Monroe with hopes of avenging last season's two-point loss. Clawson has turned around programs at Fordham, Richmond and Bowling Green, but he has his work cut out for him at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons lost six offensive starters and three All-ACC defensive players from last year's four-win team and have a tough opener on the road against a dangerous small-conference opponent.

Louisiana-Monroe was able to shut down the Demon Deacons' ground game in last year's 21-19 win in Winston-Salem, N.C. John Wolford takes the reins of the offense from four-year starter Tanner Price and will be the first true freshman to start his first game at Wake Forest since Mike McGlamry in 1974. The Warhawks also have a new signal-caller, with North Carolina State transfer Pete Thomas taking over for Kolton Browning.

TV: 7:02 p.m. ET, ESPNU, ESPN3. LINE: Wake Forest -2.5.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (2013: 4-8): The Demon Deacons lost all of their top offensive players from a team that averaged a meager 18.3 points a year ago. Wolford won the starting quarterback job in the preseason and brings high expectations after breaking a litany of state records as a high school star in Jacksonville, Fla. The defense has a better foundation anchored by a strong secondary but will need the inexperienced offense to keep it off the field more than it was last year.

ABOUT LOUISIANA-MONROE (2013: 6-6): Thomas, who played two seasons at Colorado State before transferring to N.C. State, has passed for 5,936 yards in three years as a starter at the two previous stops. He's a good fit for Todd Berry's spread attack and has the Warhawks' leading receiver back in Rashon Ceaser (65 receptions, 964 yards, five TDs). The defense returns nine starters from a unit that improved as the season went on, but the two losses were big ones - leading tackler Cameron Blakes and safety Isaiah Newsome, who returned two of his team-high four interceptions for touchdowns.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Thomas faced the Demon Deacons last season with N.C. State, completing 27-of-43 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown in a 28-13 Wolfpack loss.

2. The Warhawks are opening at home for the first time since 2007 and have won their home opener five of the last six years.

3. Wake Forest RB Dominique Gibson, the team's top returning rusher, is suspended for the first three games for violating team rules.

PREDICTION: Louisiana-Monroe 17, Wake Forest 13