DeLAND, Fla. — Stetson Football officially kicks off the 2026 season Saturday night as the Hatters travel to Brookings, South Dakota, for a season-opening matchup against No. 3 South Dakota State at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT). The game will be televised on Midco Sports, KELOLAND and ESPN+. Saturday will mark the first meeting between Stetson and South Dakota State.

The opener begins the second season under head coach Mike Jasper as Stetson looks to build on the foundation established during his first year in DeLand.

After taking over the program late in the recruiting cycle prior to the 2025 season, Jasper and his staff enter their second year with greater continuity throughout the roster and a full offseason to continue shaping the program. A more established group of returners is joined by a collection of transfers and newcomers brought in to add depth, size and competition at several positions.

Consistency has remained a central theme for the Hatters entering the new season, with the program continuing to build around the standards of toughness, discipline, execution, respect and commitment. With a year in the system, returning players have taken on a larger role in setting those expectations and helping integrate the newest Hatters into the program.

Six Hatters have been selected to serve as team captains for the 2026 season, representing all three phases of the game.

Elphick and Gonda return to the leadership group after also serving as team captains during the 2025 season. They are joined this year by Bentley, von Grote, Rogers and Bending.

Elphick and Bentley give the group a pair of veteran linebackers who have developed into established leaders within the program. Bentley led the Hatters with 75 tackles in 2025 and enters the season with 140 career stops, while Elphick has recorded 169 tackles over the past two seasons, including a team-leading 102 during the 2024 campaign.

Rogers and Gonda add veteran experience on offense and special teams, respectively, while von Grote and Bending have quickly emerged as leaders since joining the program during the offseason.

Stetson will turn to North Texas transfer Thomas von Grote at quarterback to begin the 2026 season.

Von Grote spent two seasons with the Mean Green, appearing in three games during the 2025 campaign after preserving a redshirt season in 2024. His arrival has added another experienced option to a quarterback room that also returns Chris Stephenson.

Prior to his collegiate career, von Grote starred at Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club, Texas, where he was named District 4-6A MVP as a senior. He completed 70 percent of his passes for 3,331 yards and 38 touchdowns while adding 405 rushing yards and eight scores on the ground. He also earned Second Team All-Area recognition from the Dallas Morning News and helped Byron Nelson capture a district championship.

Von Grote takes over an offense that showed flashes of the physical identity Stetson began establishing during the second half of last season.

The Hatters rushed for a program-record 384 yards and five touchdowns in a 35-32 victory over Davidson before following with 242 yards on the ground in a 21-14 win over Morehead State. The victories gave Stetson back-to-back Pioneer Football League wins for the first time since 2019.

Stetson also finished the 2025 season ranked second in the PFL in time of possession, averaging 30:49 per game.

Bentley headlines a group of returning defenders after earning All-Pioneer Football League Honorable Mention recognition in each of the past two seasons. The Atlanta native started all 11 games in 2025 and led the Hatters with 75 tackles while adding four tackles for loss, an interception and four pass breakups.

Elphick provides another experienced presence at linebacker after totaling 58 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble last season. He enters 2026 with 169 tackles over the past two campaigns.

Stetson also placed an emphasis on adding size and pass-rush ability during the offseason, particularly along the defensive front. Bending is among the newcomers expected to contribute immediately, while the Hatters also welcome back a healthy Nycere Jacobs at linebacker.

The added pieces give Stetson more options throughout a defense looking to play faster and more aggressively in its second season under Jasper and defensive coordinator Steve Davis.

Seven Hatters earned recognition on the 2026 Phil Steele Preseason All-Pioneer Football League teams.

Gabe Snyder and Bentley were among Stetson's Second Team selections, while Michael Dempsey, Dylan Redmon, Jalen Foster, Elphick and Gonda also received preseason recognition.

Dempsey returns after contributing in multiple ways during his freshman campaign, rushing for 280 yards and two touchdowns while adding 187 receiving yards and three scores. He enters his sophomore season wearing No. 0 after sporting No. 42 a year ago.

The Hatters will receive an immediate test against a South Dakota State program that has established itself among the nation's premier teams at the FCS level.

The Jackrabbits enter the season ranked No. 3 in both the Stats Perform and American Football Coaches Association preseason polls. SDSU finished 9-5 in 2025 and made its 14th consecutive appearance in the FCS Playoffs, a streak tied for the third-longest in subdivision history. South Dakota State also captured back-to-back FCS national championships in 2022 and 2023.

South Dakota State was selected as the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley Football Conference after receiving 28 of 36 first-place votes. The Jackrabbits have not posted a losing conference record since joining the MVFC in 2008 and enter 2026 with a 103-39 record in league play during that span.

Quarterback Chase Mason returns to lead the SDSU offense after guiding the Jackrabbits to an 8-1 record in his nine starts last season. Mason completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 2,005 yards and accounted for 21 touchdowns despite missing time due to injury. He enters 2026 on the preseason watch list for the Walter Payton Award.

The Jackrabbits also placed six players on the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team, led by first-team offensive lineman Quinten Christensen. Defensive end Dawson Ripperda, linebacker Cullen McShane, wide receiver Lofton O'Groske and punter Max Pelham earned second-team honors, while tight end Greyton Gannon was named to the third team.

Saturday's environment will provide another challenge. South Dakota State has won 15 consecutive home openers and owns a 66-10 record at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium since the facility opened in 2016. The Jackrabbits averaged 16,278 fans at home last season, including a stadium-record crowd of 19,477 against North Dakota State.

The matchup also represents the type of nonconference challenge Stetson has sought as the program continues to develop under Jasper. Facing one of the nation's top FCS programs provides the Hatters with an early opportunity to measure themselves against scholarship competition before turning their attention toward the Pioneer Football League schedule.

Saturday will mark the first meeting between Stetson and South Dakota State.

SDSU is 8-0 all-time against current members of the Pioneer Football League, with previous matchups against Butler, Drake and Valparaiso. The Jackrabbits most recently faced a PFL opponent last season, defeating Drake 37-21.

Following Saturday's season opener, Stetson returns to DeLand for its home opener against Webber International on Saturday, September 5. Kickoff at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 11 a.m.

For information on tickets for the 2026 season, please contact the Stetson Athletics Ticket Office at tickets@stetson.edu or call (386) 738-HATS (4287). For updates on promotional activities and team information, visit GoHatters.com or follow @StetsonFootball on social media.
 

About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.