College Football
Delaware Blue Hens Defeat DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets 35–17 in FBS Debut
Published28 Aug 2025
The Delaware Blue Hens opened their 2025 season — and their new era as an FBS program — in style on Thursday night, knocking off in-state rival Delaware State, 35–17. The Hornets, led by first-year head coach and former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson, kept things competitive, but the Blue Hens pulled away to secure a milestone victory.
a ne(W) era 🔥 pic.twitter.com/swy7j5Kwhb
— Delaware Football (@Delaware_FB) August 29, 2025
It marked Delaware’s first win since making the jump from the FCS ranks, a milestone moment in the program’s history.
Game Highlights
- Quarterback Nick Minicucci threw for three touchdowns and added another on the ground, finishing 28-of-36 for 251 yards and rushing for 44 yards.
- Jake Thaw led the receiving corps with 7 catches for 91 yards and one score; Kyre Duplessis added 8 receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown.
- Kahlil Ali returned an interception 45 yards for a pick-six to extend Delaware’s lead to 28–10.
- In a streak dating back to 2007, Blue Hens head coach Ryan Carty remained unbeaten in home openers.
- 15 players made their Delaware debuts: Ali, Duplessis, Meikhi Cuttino, Viron Ellison Jr., AJ Graham, Noah Jefferson, Jamarion Kolagbodi, Brenden Lach, Noah Matthews, Scott Moore, Brandon Rehmann, Kaeden Singleton, Greg Spiller, Noah Rosahac, and Jackson Whitacre.
Scoring Summary
| Quarter | Time | Team | Play | Drive | Score (DSU–DEL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Quarter | 6:46 | DSU | Patrick Fisher-Butler 40 yd FG | 13 plays, 50 yds, 6:12 | 3–0 |
| 3:44 | UD | Nick Minicucci 8 yd run (Nate Reed kick) | 6 plays, 75 yds, 3:02 | 3–7 | |
| 0:33 | UD | Kyre Duplessis 4 yd pass from Minicucci (Reed kick) | 11 plays, 77 yds, 2:07 | 3–14 | |
| 3rd Quarter | 10:29 | DSU | Kaiden Bennett 23 yd run (Fisher-Butler kick) | 11 plays, 75 yds, 4:31 | 10–14 |
| 7:15 | UD | Ja’Carree Kelly 9 yd pass from Minicucci (Reed kick) | 7 plays, 34 yds, 3:01 | 10–21 | |
| 4th Quarter | 10:44 | UD | Kahlil Ali 45 yd interception return (Reed kick) | 5 plays, 18 yds, 2:16 | 10–28 |
| 8:10 | DS | Marquis Gillis 39 yd pass from Bennett (Fisher-Butler kick) | 6 plays, 76 yds, 2:25 | 17–28 | |
| 6:15 | UD | Jake Thaw 50 yd pass from Minicucci (Reed kick) | 5 plays, 60 yds, 1:55 | 17–35 |
With the win, Delaware starts 1–0 in its first-ever FBS campaign, while Delaware State drops to 0–1. The Blue Hens now turn their attention to the Deion Sanders led Colorado Buffaloes, looking to build on a historic season-opening triumph.
