DAYTON – The University of Dayton football team will begin its 108th season of varsity football Saturday, when the Flyers travel to Pennsylvania to visit Robert Morris.  Game time at Joe Walton Stadium is 12 noon ET.

• Dayton coach Rick Chamberlin begins his 10th season as UD's head coach.

• The Flyers bring a seven-game winning streak into the 2017 season, the third-best active streak in FCS football. 

• Two years ago in the season opener at Robert Morris, quarterback Alex Jeske took over as the Dayton QB, leading the team to the FCS playoffs in 2015 and earning MVP honors in 2016.  Unfortunately, for UD, Jeske is recovering from a broken foot and not expected to play until week four this year.  Redshirt sophomore Kyle Kaparos is slated to make his first collegiate start Saturday.

• Jeske, linebacker Jack Crain and defensive end Nick Surges are the Flyer football captains this year. 

• Christian Searles, a preseason All-America kick returner, is UD's special teams captain.

GOOD NEWS WORTH REPEATING
The Flyers entered the season with the third-best winning percentage (.761, 143-45) in FCS football since 2000 AND have produced the most football Academic All-Americans (26) at any level of competition in the same time frame.  The top five in winning percentage are Harvard (.799), North Dakota State (.761), Dayton (.757), Montana (.755), and San Diego (.719).

STREAKING
UD has not been shut out in a school-record 454 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.

#AFCA PATCH
The Flyer football staff will be one of the 336 college football staffs wearing American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) patches on their shirts to bring awareness of and to promote the association On Saturday. AFCA patches will be worn during games from August 31 through September 3.The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 12,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks.

UP NEXT
UD will plays its home opener on Saturday, Sept. 9 when Southeast Missouri comes to Dayton.  The first 300 fans in attendance will be able to be part of a free University-sponsored Kickoff Tailgate.  It will be the first-ever meeting between Dayton and SEMO, who is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.  Start time for the Flyer home opener at Welcome Stadium is 1 p.m. ET.