ELON – Elon returns home Saturday to host Hampton in its CAA football opener. It's Family Weekend at Rhodes Stadium and kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET.
Following four straight conference wins to end 2024, Elon looks to start 1-0 in league play this fall after going 2-2 in nonconference action.
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GAME INFORMATION
Date: Sept. 27, 2025
Time: 2 p.m.
Audio Broadcast (Web-Based): LeanStream via ElonPhoenix.com
SETTING THE STAGE
- Elon and Hampton will meet for the fourth consecutive year on Saturday. The Phoenix and Pirates never played until Hampton joined the CAA.
- After taking the first two games of the series, Elon fell to Hampton last season on the road, 41-20. Elon dismantled the Pirates, 51-14, in the final game of 2023 in the two programs' lone game played at Rhodes Stadium.
- Hampton enters the matchup with a 1-3 record following a 34-7 loss to Howard last Saturday. Trenton Boykin is in his second season at the helm of the Pirates and has a record of 6-10 at Hampton.
- The Pirates already have a CAA game in the books with a double-overtime 33-30 road loss at North Carolina A&T.
A Smooth Landen
- Quarterback Landen Clark has already been named CAA Rookie of the Week twice this season, most recently for his performance against Western Carolina. Clark became the first Elon quarterback to earn the honor twice since Davis Cheek in 2017.
- Against ETSU, Clark fired another two touchdown passes, his third straight game with two or more passing scores.
- Clark was a threat through the air and on the ground against Davidson. In Elon's only home game, he passed for a career-high 305 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for two more touchdowns in the win, giving him a rushing score in all three games.
- Clark became just the fourth Elon freshman quarterback to start a season opener since 2005 when he took the first snap at Duke on Aug. 28.
- Clark was one of the most prolific high school quarterbacks in the history of southwestern Virginia. Under coach Michael Crist at Radford High School, Clark led the Bobcats to a 15-0 record and the first state title for the school in 51 years.
- Clark finished his senior season with more than 4,300 total yards and 71 total touchdowns as a senior. He passed for over 3300 yards and ran for over 1000 as well as played free safety on defense and punted on special teams.
CAA Success
- Over the last four seasons, the Phoenix have become accustomed to over performing CAA preseason expectations. Elon has played their best when it is a conference opponent across from them.
- Since 2021, the Phoenix has a combined record of 22-10 in CAA play. Elon ranks second among active members in both CAA wins and winning percentage over the last four seasons.
- Elon finished their 2024 season on a four-game, CAA winning streak. Elon averaged 38 points per game during that stretch despite averaging less than 20 in the eight games prior.
- Rhodes Stadium has become one of the toughest places to play in the CAA. Over the last 15 home, conference games, the Phoenix are 12-3. Over the last three seasons, Elon has lost just two home, CAA games. The Phoenix went unbeaten in the league at home in both 2022 and 2023.
DJ, Turn Up the Music
- In Elon's five defensive back system, two starters from last season will be starting again this season. But, in a whole new position.
- DJ James-Hamilton is one of those players. After starting last season at corner for the first three games last season, James-Hamilton returns to the defensive backfield but as the team's free safety.
- The free safety has been a tackling machine over his first four games. So far this season, James-Hamilton has reached double-digit tackles in a game three times. His nine solo tackles against the Catamounts were a career high and best amongst defenders in the game.
- Against the Buccaneers, DJ James-Hamilton was all over the field. In the loss to ETSU, he had a career evening with 13 total tackles. His 13 total tackles were a season high and the most by a Phoenix defender since Brandon Tyson had 14 against Villanova in 2023.
- In his first action since sustaining his injury against Western Carolina last season, James-Hamilton became a tackling force against the Blue Devils. He was the leading tackler between both Duke and Elon with no player topping his 11 total tackles.
- This was not the first time DJ showed off his tackling against Duke. Against the Blue Devils in 2024, James-Hamilton led the Phoenix with nine total tackles.
