DAYTON -- The 108th season of University of Dayton football begins Saturday night as the Flyers host Central State at Welcome Stadium.  Kickoff for the only night game of the year will be at 7 p.m. ET.

Dayton returns 18 starters (9 offense, 7 defense and both kicking specialists) from last year's 10-2 PFL championship team.   The Flyers also reached the FCS playoffs for the first time in school history in 2015.  Dayton came from behind in seven of its 10 wins last season.
 
UD's 22–man senior class includes 15 fifth-year players.  Team captains Christopher Beaschler, Ian Palin and Shane Toub are all redshirt seniors.
 
UD was predicted to finish second in the PFL's preseason coaches' poll, in a tight race that separated Dayton and San Diego by one voting point. (95-94). However, the Flyers received six first-place votes, while the Toreros had five.
 
GOOD NEWS WORTH REPEATING
The Flyers enter the season with the fourth-best winning percentage (.757, 134-43) in FCS football since 2000 AND have produced the most football Academic All-Americans (23) at any level of competition in the same time frame.  The top five are Harvard (.805), Montana (.766), North Dakota State (.761), Dayton (.757) and San Diego (.705).

STREAKING
UD has not been shut out in a school-record 443 straight games, the best such active string in all of college football. The last team to shut out the Flyers was Marshall, 9-0, on Oct. 16, 1976. That is also the all-time FCS record.

THE MAN AT THE TOP
• Rick Chamberlin is now in his ninth season in charge of the Flyer football program. His record is 65-25.
• He is third all-time in wins at Dayton, behind two members of the College Football Hall of Fame -- Mike Kelly (246 wins) and Harry Baujan (124).
• After coaching the Flyers to the FCA playoffs in 2015, he was named the 2015 AFCA District Coach of the Year and the PFL Coach of the Year.  He was the school's first AFCA District Coach of the Year, and his PFL honor was the ninth for a Dayton coach.

CAPTAINS FROM THE FLIGHT DECK
• Linebacker Christopher Beaschler is just the sixth two-time captain in school history.  He was a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American in 2015 and the Pioneer Football League's Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year.  He is a two-time First Team All-PFL selection and a three-time Academic All-PFL performer. He led UD in 2015 with 110 tackles.  In three seasons of action, the senior has 293 total hits and 21.5 tackles behind the line, with two interceptions.
• A three-year starter, tight end Ian Palin caught 14 passes in 2015 and grabbed 13 in 2014.  He was Honorable Mention All-PFL and was named Second Team Academic All-PFL.  He was the 2015 winner of UD's Beno Keiter Award, which is for contributions to the program over a career.
• Center Shane Toub is a two-year starter and the unquestioned leader of a veteran offensive line.  He is a four-time member of the Pioneer Football League Academic Honor Roll.  He is also a football team representative on UD's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.  He has a 17-5 record as a starter. Shane's father, Dave is special teams coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs.

SPECIAL TICKET DEAL AVAILABLE FOR FOOTBALL'S HOME OPENER
• Fans can purchase a $10 ticket to the Dayton Flyers home opener on Sept. 3 and enjoy an exclusive pregame cookout. If fans want to just attend the cookout, entry is $5 per person.
• To purchase the package, please contact the UD ProSource Ticket Office at (937) 229-4433 or in person at UD Arena.
• The UD ProSource Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.
• The pregame cookout opens at 4:30 p.m. There will be live music, food, drinks and giveaways. The first 200 people attending will also receive a Dayton Flyers sunshade.
• A range of alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase inside the tent only, while water and soft drinks are included in the cookout.

UP NEXT
• The Flyers remain home to host Robert Morris next Saturday, Sept. 10. 
• Game time is 1 p.m. ET.