Absolutes are rare in college athletics, but they do happen. This Saturday, when Stetson travels to take on Davidson at Richardson Stadium, there is one absolute certainty.
 
Regardless of the outcome of the game, either the Hatters (5-1, 3-1) or Wildcats (5-3, 2-3) will secure the first winning season for their program in many years. Stetson's last winning season came in 1951, a 7-1-2 mark just five seasons before the program was discontinued for 57 years.
 
Davidson's last winning season came in 2007 when the Wildcats posted a 6-4 mark. Since that year, the five victories so far this year are the most for a program that posted a combined record of 23-87 mark over the last 10 seasons.
 
While not nearly an absolute, fans who make their way to the Davidson campus for Saturday's 1 p.m. kickoff are almost certainly guaranteed an entertaining game. If you aren't able to make it to the game, the contest will be video streamed on the Davidson Athletics web site, DavidsonWildcats.com.
 
History shows the Hatters with a 5-4 all-time series lead over Davidson, a series that dates back to a 21-6 Stetson victory in 1912. In the modern era, which began with the return of Stetson football in 2013, games between Hatters and Wildcats have been closely played. Three of the five games having been decided by one score and none decided by more than 13 points. Overall, the Hat­ters have outscored the Wildcats 142-111 in five games.
 
Recent results this year indicate a close, high-scoring, game may also be in the works. Stetson has won each of its last two games – downing Drake and Jacksonville – by scoring on the final play of the game. Davidson is coming off a double overtime loss to Marist and has played four consecutive games that were decided by a touchdown or less.
 
The key for Stetson will be in slowing the Davidson offensive attack, which is averaging Pioneer Football League best 43.5 points per game while also leading the league in total offense (507.5) and rushing (376.6). That last number is also the best in FCS football.
 
Davidson runs a similar offensive attack to the one that Jacksonville used last week to pile up 403 rushing yards against the Hatters, but the Wildcats mix in a much more potent passing attack, led by sophomore quarterback Tyler Phelps, a Pensacola native.
 
Phelps has thrown for 938 yards and nine touchdowns while also rushing for 385 yards and three scores. His primary target is junior William Wicks, who has 302 receiving yards to go with 701 yards rushing with eight touchdowns. Combine that with sophomore running back Wesley Dugger, who is just 77 yards shy of his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, and the Wildcats pose a scary offensive attack.
 
Against Stetson last year, in a 28-17 Hatters' victory, Dugger rushed for 160 yards while Phelps threw for 186, with seven passes for 97 yards going to Wicks.
 
For Stetson, success has come through the air with senior quarterback Colin McGovern coming off a program-record 391-yard passing performance last weekend against Jacksonville. McGovern is completing just shy of 70 percent of his pass attempts this season and is ranked among the top five players in FCS in passing efficiency (162.09).
 
There is no secret as to who McGovern is looking for when he drops to pass. Senior tight end Donald Parham owns the program records for career receptions (144), receiving yards (1,866) and TD receptions (13).
 
Last weekend against Jacksonville, with the Hatters trailing 35-28 in the fourth quarter, the 6-foot-9 Parham took over the game. His 11 receptions in the final quarter accounted for 116 of his 150 yards in the game, with a game-tying TD catch and run with 5:38 to play setting up Stetson's final, game-winning drive.
 
That drive ended in a 22-yard field goal for sophomore Jonny Messina that not only won the game, but was his 17^th career field goal, the most in the modern era of Hatters football. He was named the PFL special teams player of the week for the winning kick, meaning he will once again don jersey number 37 this week against Davidson.
 
In addition to Parham and Messina, junior dawg safety Peter Katz was selected as the Hatters' defensive player of the week for his career-high 11 tackles, which included eight solo stops against JU quarterback Calvin Turner, Jr., all of which were short of first down yardage.
 
Katz, along with junior linebacker Colby Duncan, sophomore linebacker Tyler Mirabella and junior dawg safety Reggie Gantt all stepped up to help fill the void left by the loss of junior captain Jamieson Craske against JU. The Stetson defense also expects a boost this week with the return of junior defensive end Shane Parton, who has not played since having knee surgery over the summer.
 
For Stetson, one of the keys to getting that sixth win this weekend will be weathering the early storm from the Davidson offense. The Wildcats have outscored their opponents 121-54 in the first quarter of games this year, but Davidson has been outscored 104-47 in the fourth quarter.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.