The Blue Hens met the challenge, secured the desired result and avoided the historic consequences that failure against Delaware State would invite.
A 35-9 victory over the Hornets in the home opener at Delaware Stadium was, a little belatedly, worry free.
But Delaware’s ongoing dominance of its First State comrades didn’t hide the fact that, with the treacherous Colonial Athletic Association schedule now looming, the Blue Hens will likely have to be better.
Eventual success Saturday night swung on a couple third-quarter plays – Kedrick Whitehead’s 38-yard fumble return that set up one touchdown and Marcus Yarns’ subsequent 82-yard touchdown gallop. They put the Blue Hens in command 28-3.
Delaware also needed a blocked punt to take the lead for good early.
GAME STATS: Delaware 35, Delaware State 9
Quarterback Nolan Henderson completed 21 of 36 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns, the second a 7-yarder on fourth-and-6 to Braden Brose four plays after Whitehead’s runback on a bobble forced by Noah Plack.
Henderson later passed 27 yards to the tight end Brose for another touchdown to close the UD scoring with 4:51 left.
Thyrick Pitts caught seven passes for 94 yards, including the first UD touchdown, on a night he was targeted a dozen times. He earned the Nate Beasley Award as game MVP.
The Blue Hens had 400 total yards against a DSU defense that was No. 1 in the MEAC last year and returned much of its personnel. The Hornets had 279 total yards.
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That was all plenty for Delaware to prevail in the 11th meeting between the state’s lone college football teams, both members of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. The Blue Hens were presented the traditional First State Cup in ex-Hen QB Ryan Carty’s first home game as UD coach.
Delaware has won every game by a double-digit margin. Their next two scheduled meetings are in 2024 and 2025 at Delaware State.
Delaware (2-0), ranked No. 10 nationally in FCS, was coming off a 14-7 win at FBS-level Navy. Delaware will open CAA play next Saturday at 1 p.m. with a tough test at 22nd-ranked Rhode Island. The Rams visited Bryant Saturday night.
Delaware State (1-1) had romped 34-0 over Division II Lincoln University in its opener.
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The Hornets cut the gap to 28-9 early in the fourth quarter on Jared Lewis’ 57-yard TD heave to Rahkeem Smith. The game ended with DSU being thwarted on a goal-line stand by the Blue Hens’ defense.
The crowd of 17,176 featured a massive student turnout, typical for opening night but a throng Delaware has had difficulty retaining on subsequent Saturdays as the season progresses.
The Hornets struck first on the game’s opening drive as Jonathan Cardoza-Chicas tied a school record by booming a 54-yard field goal on his first career attempt for DSU. It was just the second time DSU has ever led Delaware, the other being by a 6-3 score in the 2019 game here.
It didn’t last long.
Delaware was stopped on its first series, but Ben Dinkel’s punt was downed at the DSU 1. That paid dividends for the Hens, who forced a DSU punt from the end zone. Middletown High grad Trey Austin blocked Matt Noll’s kick and Quincy Watson recovered for a touchdown with 5:39 left in the first quarter.
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The Blue Hens then marched 70 yards on 12 plays and a roughing-the-passer penalty on their next series, culminating with Henderson’s 18-yard TD pass to Pitts. The sixth-year wideout turned around just in time to get his hands on the football on the left edge of the end zone on the first play of the second quarter. Brandon Ratcliffe’s second extra-point kick put the Hens up 14-3.
But Delaware’s next two series ended with Henderson’s pass being picked off by Jayden Estes, ending the third longest streak without an interception in UD history at 156 passes, and Ratcliffe missing a 39-yard field-goal try.
DSU drove to the UD 37 on its final series of the first half but Cardoza-Chicas’s chance to tie his record on another 54-yard try was short.
Have an idea for a compelling local sports story or is there an issue that needs public scrutiny? Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com.
