After earning its first win of the season last Saturday, the Stetson University football team is looking for two in a row as the Hatters are set to square off against Davidson College this Saturday at 1 p.m. at Spec Martin Stadium.
 
After starting the season with an 0-5 record, the Hatters earned their first win via a 17-13 victory over Brown University at Spec Martin Stadium last week. It not only snapped a five game losing streak to start the season, but a nine game overall streak overall dating back to last season.
 
In the win, the Hatters got 269 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns from junior quarterback Colin McGovern. His 269 passing yards came despite not having the services of the teams' two leading pass catchers, junior tight end Donald Parham and freshman wide receiver Justin Jordan. Freshman wide receiver Bensley Bornelus, who had made just one catch on the season coming in, had a game-high eight receptions, while fellow freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Nails had five catches for 94 yards.
 
"We have a next man up attitude. Someone goes down, the next one up has to perform," Hatter head coach Roger Hughes said. "I thought our assistant coaches did a great job of getting those guys in the correct position and only asking them to do things they were already comfortable doing."
 
On defense graduate linebacker Jeb Boudreaux and senior defensive back Eric Martin had 10 tackles each. Stetson also recorded its first two interceptions of the season. The first interception was by graduate defensive back Dre Long and the other by sophomore linebacker Colby Duncan.
 
"To hold that Brown team to just thirteen points was remarkable. They came in and had scored almost thirty points against a scholarship school. They are known for their offense. They are known for throwing the ball around and doing trick plays and things like that," Hughes said. "I thought our defense did a great job of tackling; there were very few missed tackles. We got them to turn it over three times, and our defensive game plan was well planed, and the execution by our players was big. "
 
After averaging nine penalties per game during their 0-5 start, the Hatters committed a season-low two penalties, a stark contrast from the early season woes that plagued them.
 
"I told the team the night before this game has already been won by the way you prepared. It was our best preparation for a game all season, and frankly the past couple of seasons," Stetson head coach Roger Hughes said. "We came out and executed, and we didn't do the things that dug us a hole early. We didn't turn the ball over early and we didn't have stupid penalties that put us behind the chains."
 
The Hatters and Wildcats enter Saturday as the only two remaining Pioneer Football League (PFL) teams yet to win a league game this season. Stetson comes into the contest with an 0-3 PFL record, while Davidson is 0-2 in the PFL right now.
 
Overall the Hatters have lost seven straight against PFL opponents dating back to last season. Stetson's last win was a 30-24 overtime victory at Campbell on Oct. 22 2016. Meanwhile, Davidson has lost 10 in a row against league opponents. The Wildcats, who went winless against the PFL last season, have not won a PFL game since the 2015 season when they beat the Hatters 20-17 at Spec Martin Stadium on Nov. 21 of that year.
 
For the Hatters, McGovern has completed 143 of 228 passes for 1321 yards and four touchdowns. Despite missing last week's action Parham and Jordan remain Stetson's two leading statistical receivers. Jordan leads the receiving core with 27 receptions for 244 yards and two touchdowns, while Parham had made 22 catches for 291 yards. J'Vonta Swinton has made 21 catches for 200 yards plus a touchdown.
 
On the ground, Stetson won for the first time in its modern era despite rushing for less than 100 yards as a team. The Hatters are averaging 41.1 yards per game as a unit on the ground, and Stetson is led by sophomore running back Bryce Blackmon with 182 rushing yards plus a touchdown.
 
On defense, Boudreaux leads with 59 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, seven quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles, while Martin has 46 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and two quarterback hurries.
 
Overall, the Stetson defense has made rapid improvements since the start of the season. After allowing over 300 yards rushing against Sacred Heart in week one and Dartmouth College in week three, followed by more than over 240 yards against Campbell in week four, the Hatters held Valparaiso to record low 49 yards in week five and 138 against Brown in week six
 
Davidson comes into the game 2-3 overall, with wins being a 30-7 victory over Brevard College in week one, and a 42-21 triumph over Guilford College in week three. The Wildcats lost in week two to Western Carolina 63-17, and have suffered back-to-back loses the last two weeks against PFL schools Marist College 31-9 in week five and 35-21 at Jacksonville in week six.
 
Davidson's passing leader has been quarterback Tyler Phelps with 594 passing yards and four touchdowns, while Stockton McGuire has taken quite a few snaps and has passed for 266 yards. On the ground, Wesley Dugger has run for 475 yards and scored four touchdowns. The receiving core has been led by William Wicks with 353 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
 
Defensively, George Hatalowich has led Davidson with 27 tackles.
 
Davidson remains one of only three remaining teams in the FCS this season yet to record an interception.
 
Tickets are still available for this contest. They can be purchased by visiting GoHatters.com/tix or by calling 386-738-HATS (4287).
 
For fans who can not make it to the game, you can catch all the action streaming live on ESPN 3, or via radio at WSBB AM 1230 in New Smyrna Beach or WTJV AM 1490 in DeLand.