For the last eight seasons there has been one virtually unchallenged leader in the Pioneer Football League.
 
The Stetson Hatters will step to onto the field at Spec Martin Stadium on Saturday and put their 11-game home win streak on the line against a San Diego squad that is again in first place in the race for the PFL title and, with a 35^th consecutive league win and some help, can clinch at least a share of another conference championship.
 
Fans coming to the game on Saturday are reminded that the DeLand Veterans Day Parade will roll through downtown during the late morning, meaning many of the primary routes into the stadium will be closed. All fans are encouraged to get to the stadium early, enjoy some tailgating, and then cheer on the Hatters. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
 
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Evan Weston and Victor Anderson on the call. Kenny Schierlinger and Davion Belk will also have the call of the game on the Stetson Hatters Radio Network.
 
Stetson (6-2) and the Toreros (6-2) come into the game with matching overall records but Stetson is among a group of four teams tied for third place with a 3-2 league mark behind USD's 5-0 conference slate. The 34 consecutive league wins for USD is the third longest such streak in the history of FCS football.
 
Since Stetson first joined the PFL for the 2013 season, San Diego has won or shared the league title every year and has lost just three conference games – one each in 2013, 2014 and 2015. All three of those loses came on the road, with the most recent at Dayton, a 13-12 decision on October 10, 2015. The Toreros have a 50-3 overall PFL record since Stetson joined the league.
 
While the Toreros have dominated everyone in the league – they are coming off a 49-7 victory over second place Drake last week – they have been especially tough on the Hatters, outscoring Stetson 276-63 in six meetings. The only close game in the series came in 2014 when USD took a 31-23 victory in California.
 
If NCAA statistics reveal anything about the potential for the 2019 game between the programs it is that fans can expect a high-scoring affair. USD comes into the game with the No. 3 ranked offensive unit in the nation, averaging 487.4 yards of total offense per game. Stetson is just behind, in fourth, averaging 482.0 yards per game.
 
While the Hatters rely on a balanced attack, USD has done much of its damage through the air. Fifth-year senior quarterback Reid Sinnett is in his first year as the Toreros' starter after Anthony Lawrence led the team for four years, but he is lighting up the stat sheet each week. Sinnett leads the nation in completion percentage (70.8), yards per pass attempt (10.29) and pass efficiency (186.4). He has thrown for 2,604 yards and 26 touchdowns so far this year.
 
Sinnett's top target is no stranger. Senior Michael Bandy had eight receptions for 135 yards and two scores against Stetson last year, with much of that production coming with JJ Henderson draped all over him. He is averaging seven receptions for 116 yards per game this year and has scored 10 touchdowns.
 
Stetson will counter that firepower with a defense that is ranked 12^th in the national in pass efficiency defense and 34^th in total defense.
 
Offensively, the Hatters rank eighth in FCS in rushing yards per game at 250 per outing. Freshman Jalen Leary has been carrying the bulk of the load of late with Jareem Westcott nursing an injury. Leary has rushed for more the 100 yards in each of the past four games and is 194 yards away from becoming the first Hatter to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
 
Graduate quarterback Gaven DeFilippo is also coming off a career-high, having rushed for 116 yards against Jacksonville last week.
 
The thing for the Stetson offense, to give the team a chance to end the USD win streak, is making sure to convert on chances inside the Red Zone. Over the last two games the Hatters have been unable to find the end zone on seven trips inside the opposing 20-yard line. Junior Jonny Messina has converted those opportunities into field goals, hitting five-of-seven field goal tries, but to keep pace with the Toreros, those chances have to be converted into touchdowns.
 
Homecoming on the Stetson campus is always special, and the Hatters have won four of their six homecoming games since restarting the program. The improve that record to 5-2, and keep their home win streak alive, the Hatters will need to turn in their best, and most complete, performance of the year.
 
Stetson Notes

• Redshirt senior linebacker Jamieson Craske will be recognized before the game by the Mayo Clinic as a Comeback Player of the Year candidate. A total of 30 players from across all levels of college football will be selected for the award with the top nine earning donations in their names to their schools' general scholarship fund. The three finalists will travel to the Fiesta Bowl in January and be recognized on the field.
• The homecoming tradition for Stetson football dates back to 1930, which is the first time the event is mentioned anywhere in the university's archives. Stetson is 17-9-2 in homecoming games since that first game against Florida Southern, a 52-0 victory.
• Stetson has played 20 different opponents for homecoming including Florida State in 1948 (an 18-7 loss) and East Carolina in 1952 and 1953 (a 19-19 tie and a 40-6 loss). The biggest homecoming victory was 73-0 over Florida Southern in 1933.
• The Hatters come into the game needing just 19 rush yards to set a new season record for the program. Stetson also needs just three rushing TDs for a new program record there.
• Freshman Jalen Leary was one of 24 players named to the FCS Jerry Rice Award Watch List on Tuesday. The Award goes to the top freshman in FCS football. He is the third Stetson player to be named to the watch list, joining Donald Payne (2013) and Jareem Westcott (2018).
• With 806 rushing yards through 8 games, Leary now has the second most in a season in modern Stetson history and has three games left to become the first Hatter with 1,000 rushing yards in a season in the modern era. Leary needs just 117 more rush yards to surpass Cole Mazza's 2014 total of 922 yards for the modern era record.
• Freshman Jaylon Johnson needs three yards on punt returns and 74 yards on kickoff returns to set Stetson season marks.
• Stetson snapped its three-game road losing streak last Saturday by posting its second consecutive victory over Jacksonville. Each of the last three games between Stetson and JU has been decided by three points and in the final minute of play.
• The win over Jacksonville secured a second consecutive winning season for the Hatters. The last time the Stetson program had consecutive winning seasons was 1950-51 with records of 8-2 and 8-1-2.

 
Ticket Information

• Tickets for Saturday's game, and all Stetson home football games this season, are available through the Stetson Athletics Ticket Office, which is open at the Edmunds Center from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. during the week. The ticket windows at Spec Martin Stadium open at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
• Single game tickets for Stetson football start at $20 for general admission seating.
• All Stetson University students receive free admission with a valid student ID card. Students can also catch a free ride to the stadium from the ATC starting at noon.
• For information on tickets, visit GoHatters.com/tix or call 386-738-4287.

 
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.