For Stetson University football coach Roger Hughes, the Hatters final game of the 2014 season, Saturday at Spec Martin Stadium against Drake, will come down to one simple question.

“This is the last game of the year for both teams, neither team is going to the playoffs,” Hughes said. “Who wants it more? That is what it is going to get down to.”

Saturday will be both Military Appreciation Day for Stetson Football as well as the Hatters' first senior day. Anyone with proof of membership to any active military or veterans organization will receive a discounted ticket to the game. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at GoHatters.com/Tix with the promo code Military2014 or by calling 386-738-HATS.

Kickoff for the game between the Hatters (5-6, 3-4) and Bulldogs (6-4, 5-2) is set for 1 p.m. Fans can listen to the game on WSBB AM 1230 in New Smyrna Beach and 1490 in DeLand as well as on iHeart Radio. Video streaming of the game will also be available on Hatter Vision through the official Stetson Athletics web site, www.GoHatters.com.

Tickets for the game are also available through the Stetson Athletics Ticket Office. Single game tickets start at just $15 for general admission.

Stetson will recognize two senior players during pre-game ceremonies. Linebacker Jake Paine has seen action in 15 games over two seasons, making three starts. A native of Naples, Fla., Paine joined the Stetson program in 2012 as a transfer from Webber International.

“Jake has been kind of a constant utility man,” Hughes said. “He is on all of the special teams and has been a backup linebacker. He is a great example for our kids because he has outstanding work-ethic on the field and outstanding character off the field. He was talking about going into the seminary at one time and does a lot of charity work. He is a complete person.”

The second senior is center Fletcher Eldemire, who has been a part of the newly reborn Hatters football program longer than perhaps any person other than Hughes. Even though the Longwood, Fla., native could come back to the program for a fifth year, his plans are to begin medical school next fall. That does not mean the Hatters wouldn't take him back for another year.

“Fletch will be tough to see go,” Hughes said. “The conversations with him about coming back will continue. Fletch came in before we really had a program. He was one of the first guys to come talk to me. We had our first organizational meeting and we had about 12 kids on campus who came and said they wanted to play football.”

The fact is that Stetson football is where it is today in great part because of the efforts Eldemire put in to build the team from the ground up.

“When we started our recruiting process, he came to every recruiting meeting, every dinner and he hosted almost every kid that is in our program,” Hughes said. “That first year we did 10 straight recruiting weekends and he hosted every recruit that came in. He has been the student face of our program.

“I really can't imagine what it is going to be like to not have him here, because he has always been here. He is Stetson football. Fletch is the last man standing, kind of the lone survivor, from that first group.”

For the Hatters to send Paine and Eldemire out with a win, they will have to bounce back from a sub-par performance last week against Morehead State, and do it against a Drake team that has improved every week during the season.

In that game, the Hatters turned the ball over four times and failed to solve the Eagles high-octane offensive attack. Against Drake, turnovers will again be key, but the Bulldogs are completely different on the offensive side of the ball.

“We have to be physical,” Hughes said of facing the Bulldogs. “They have a big, physical, front and will try to mash you. We have to be able to mix in our run game blitzes with some zone and some man coverages. Their quarterback is so big that, even if you hit him, he is hard to bring down. We have to make very sure tackles, put a body on a body and make good tackles. We can't be arm tackling or ankle tackling, we have to put our bodies on them and make sure the full force of our hits is translated to them to stop their momentum.”

Under first-year head coach Rick Fox, the Bulldogs have won four of their last five games since dropping three of the first five. The only loss in the last five games came to San Diego 17-14 in a game the Toreros scored the final 17 points to come from behind and steal a victory.

Drake relies on the passing of senior quarterback Andy Rice, who has throw for 2,072 yards, and the running of sophomore Conley Wilkins, who has scored 12 touchdowns while averaging 4.0 yards per carry. The fact that the Bulldogs average just 22.0 points per game to 23.9 per game for the Hatters indicates that Saturday's game may go down to the wire.

“If you look at the stats, we look like the same team,” Hughes said. “They obviously have more experience that we do and they clearly have more size and a lot more redshirt seniors than we have. We have to play our game and not turn the ball over. Turnovers will be critical in this game. If we can do that and hang around, who knows what will happen in the fourth quarter.”

The Hatters will rely on a bounce-back performance from a number of players, including quarterback Ryan Tentler, who surrendered two interceptions in the loss to Morehead State. The redshirt sophomore has had at least one pick in all 11 games this year and his 15 interceptions on the season are six more than he had in 2013.

“Inconsistent would be the best way to classify his season,” Hughes said. “At times he has been exceedingly good, but other times has hasn't. You might call it a sophomore slump. Ryan needs to do what he can do and stop worrying about what everyone else needs to do. He just needs to play the game because, when he does that and doesn't over analyze things, he is pretty affective.”

Hughes said the on-going competition at quarterback between Tentler and backup Blake Plattsmier has been good for both players. Plattsmier has seen his playing time increase in recent games and will certainly get an opportunity to lead the Hatters for a series or two in the final game.

“It is very close,” Hughes said of the competition. “A lot will depend this weekend on how the games goes. Frankly, both of them respond to the competition and both of them need it to play at the highest level. I told them both last week that I am going to do whatever it takes to get them best out of them. They may not like me very much when I am doing it, but I am going to do whatever it takes to help them play their best. My motivation is pure, but my methods may not be.”

To help both quarterbacks perform at their best, the Hatters have to be able to run the ball effectively. Over 22 games, the Hatters are 5-2 when out-rushing their opponents. This year, much of the load has been carried by another redshirt sophomore, Cole Mazza, who enters the final week needing 130 yards to reach the 1,000 yard milestone for the season.

“I think Cole would tell you that winning the game is the most important thing,” Hughes said. “With that said, when he has had 100 yards we have won more games that we have lost. It is going to be very difficult this weekend because Drake's front seven is very good. Their defensive line may be the best we have faced, so we are going to have our work cut out for us to get that goal.”

Defensively, all eyes will be on Stetson's Donald Payne, who enters the final week of the season as the nation's leading tackler with 168 total stops – 111 of which have come in the last five games. While he should be a hand's down lock to win the Pioneer Football League Defensive Player of the Year award, a strong closing statement might go a long way toward securing that honor.

Hughes said he hasn't thought about post-season awards but knows that, if Payne plays like he is capable, the numbers will be there at the end of the day.

“Donald needs to play his game – within the scheme of our defense – to help us beat Drake,” Hughes said. “If he does that, then he will end up generating the numbers we are used to. I really didn't think he was involved in that many plays last week, but he ended up with 18 tackles, two sacks, another tackle for loss and a forced fumble.

“It gets down to what is normal for him. Every time you put down a definition of normalcy for him, he exceeds it. If we are to win, Donald needs to play well. If Donald plays well, then he will generate the tackles and some other categories, such as interceptions, fumble recoveries, sacks and tackles for loss. If he does that, then we have a better chance to win than when he doesn't do that.”

For Stetson, this 12^th game will be the most games any of the Hatters have ever played in a season. In order to cap the year with a win, they will need to push through the fatigue – both mental and physical – to give the kind of effort that resulted in three straight wins earlier in the month.

“I think they were embarrassed by the way they played last week,” Hughes said. “I am hoping that turns into a quest for redemption this week.