A crowd of students, waving “Go Hatter” signs, cheered and clapped as the Stetson University football team departed early Friday morning for the season opening game against Sacred Heart University — missing one player.

The team is dedicating the game in Connecticut on Saturday to linebacker Nick Blakely, 19, who collapsed and later died following a light football practice this week.

Family and friends said the sophomore accounting major, who didn’t play last season as a redshirt freshman, was excited and looking forward to his first Hatter football game. Hundreds attended a campus Service of Remembrance for him Thursday night in Lee Chapel, including his father and other family members.

The game will be streamed live Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and the community is invited to join together at the Rinker Welcome Center, or the game can be seen on Sacred Heart’s video feed: http://necfrontrow.com/webcast.php/SHU-4636/ .

-Cory Lancaster