Editor's Note: The Arkansas Razorbacks will face one of the toughest football schedules in the nation in 2008. The sports staff of the Northwest Arkansas Times ranked Arkansas'12 upcoming games from least important to most important based on fan fervor, storylines and the effect a win or loss would have on the Razorbacks'season. This is part 2 of a 12-part series profiling the Razorbacks'opponents.

After a likely season-opening win over Western Illinois, the 2008 Arkansas Razorbacks will be hungry to sink their tusks into a meatier foe. The experienced Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, still pumped from their upset of Alabama last season, will enter War Memorial Stadium on Sept. 6 looking to topple another SEC West power.

ULM appears to be Arkansas' last " lightweight" before the always-huge matchup with Texas on Sept. 13. New UA head coach Bobby Petrino will want his offense clicking on all cylinders against the Warhawks before taking the show on the road to Austin.

Despite having assistants Kim Dameron and Ron Dickerson (former Razorbacks ) hired away by Houston Nutt at Ole Miss, ULM head coach Charlie Weatherbie still brings a smart, experienced staff into Little Rock. He also brings an experienced senior quarterback who has taken his lumps on in the Rock before.

OFFENSE After throwing five interceptions in a disastrous trip to Little Rock in 2006, ULM quarterback Kinsmon Lancaster returns as a senior for another crack at the Razorbacks. Always a dynamic runner, Lancaster improved his passing efficiency in 2007. In 2006, he threw just seven touchdowns to 14 interceptions, but had 13 TDs and 10 picks last season. Lancaster should have a solid group of receivers to throw to, including tough guys Darrell McNeal, LaGregory Sapp and tight end Zeek Zacharie, the team's top three pass-catchers in 2007. Like Arkansas, ULM lost a dynamic running back in the offseason. Calvin Dawson ran for 1, 414 yards and 12 TDs last year, his second straight season as the Sun Belt Conference's top ground-gainer. The job of replacing the school's all-time rushing leader falls to sophomore Frank Goodin. The shifty back had a couple of 100-yard games last year behind Dawson and will be heavily relied on to keep the ball away from Petrino's offense. While the Warhawks'offensive line is retooling with three new starters, the offense's best player is likely left guard Aaron Schultz. The 6-3, 310-pound mauler had 50 knockdown blocks last season.

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DEFENSE ULM returns eight starters to a unit that led the SBC in rush defense last season and ranked third overall. Despite the conference lead, the Warhawks still surrendered 154 rushing yards per game. To add more beef, Weatherbie brought in 300-pound junior college tackles Alex Ford and Aaron Williams. The Warhawks are still light on the flanks, especially starting end Aaron Morgan, who weighs just 215. The strength of the ULM defense lies in center field, where safeties James Truxillo and Greg James roam. The hard-hitting Truxillo stepped up against Alabama, forcing a fourth-quarter fumble and batting down a pass on the Tide's last play of the game. Starting corners Darrius Battles and Quintez Secka are gone, which may force James (5 INTs last season ) to move over from free safety. The Warhawks return all four of their leading tacklers from last year, including Truxillo, James and linebackers Cardia Jackson and Josh Thomas. Middle'backer Jackson plays downhill, and led the team with 8. 5 tackles for loss last season.

• • • The difference-maker: The ULM offensive line is not as experienced as in years past, and has the unenviable task of facing the Hogs' strong, deep defensive line. It's not hard to imagine Arkansas D-tackles Malcolm Sheppard and Ernest Mitchell exploiting ULM's new starters at center and right guard. The deal-maker: Obviously, if the Razorbacks were to be upset in this game, it would not bode well for them in the remainder of their murderer's row schedule. The Hogs must avoid the temptation of looking past the Warhawks, a seasoned team that returns most of its top players from last season. The deal-breaker: Arkansas fans, at least, are likely chalking up this game as a given win. Though ULM upset a slumping Alabama squad last year, it also lost to Troy, North Texas and Middle Tennessee. It's easy to see how the Razorbacks themselves could look past ULM to the following week's game against Texas at Austin.