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FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart football team opens its 2016 season Saturday night at Stetson. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Saturday will mark the first-ever meeting between the Pioneers and the Hatters. It is also the first time SHU will play a football game in the state of Florida. Sacred Heart opens the season with three consecutive games against Pioneer Football League opponents, hosting Valparaiso and Marist on Sept. 10 and Sept. 17.

The Pioneers are coming off their third consecutive winning season a year ago, going 6-5 with a 3-3 record in the NEC. SHU was picked second in the NEC preseason coaches' poll behind defending champions Duquesne. Four student-athletes were named to the preseason All-NEC team – defensive lineman Ryan Cottrell, offensive lineman Sean Merrill, linebacker James Rentz, and wide receiver Moses Webb. Rentz was also named to the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year watchlist this summer and to the STATS FCS Preseason All-America Team.

Fifth-year quarterback RJ Noel looks poised to break some SHU career passing records in his final season. A three-time All-NEC First Team selection, Noel enters the season 1,693 yards behind Dale Fink for the career passing yards record. He is also 18 touchdowns away from the career passing touchdowns record, also held by Fink. Noel enters the season 1,320 yards away from having 10,000 career yards of total offense.

Stetson, entering its fourth season of the current program, was picked to finish ninth in the PFL this season. The Hatters were 3-8 in 2015 after a 5-7 season in 2014. Last season, Stetson was second in the conference in red zone offense. The Hatters also have the reigning two-time PFL Defensive Player of the Year in defensive back Donald Payne. Payne led the league with 126 tackles in 2015.