- Thursday's contest will make the 26th meeting all-time between the two schools.

- Florida A&M holds an 18-7 edge in the series history.

- Delaware State has won the last three meetings, including last season's 20-7 win on Sept. 8, 2007 in Tallahassee, Fla.

- Vashon Winton is 3-0 as a starter versus the Rattlers.

- Head Coach Al Lavan is looking for his fourth-straight victory over FAMU.

Al Lavan 3-0 All-Time Versus the Rattlers

Head Coach Al Lavan enters Thursday's contest with a perfect 3-0 record versus the Rattlers. In his first meeting with FAMU, Lavan led the Hornets to a 21-17 victory in Tallahassee (Sept. 3, 2005). The second meeting between Lavan and the Rattlers resulted in a 34-14 victory for DSU in Detroit (Sept. 2, 2006). Last year, DSU downed FAMU, 20-7 on Sept. 8, 2007. Lavan has yet to face FAMU in Alumni Stadium. Each of the previous three meetings took place outside of Dover (two in Tallahassee, one in Detroit). The Hornets are averaging 25.0 points-per-game versus FAMU while holding the Rattlers to 12.7 points-per-contest.

In the Spotlight

Thursday's game will be featured on ESPNU and will be the first of three national broadcasts for the Hornets this season. DSU vs. FAMU (Sept. 4), DSU vs. South Carolina St. (Nov. 1) and DSU at Norfolk St. (Nov. 15) will be the three televised games this season, setting a school-record for games nationally broadcast in a single season.

This week's contest will also mark only the second time a game has been played at Alumni Stadium on a Thursday night. The first time took place last season as the Hornets defeated the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, 24-10, in front of a national audience.

The Field General

Senior Vashon Winton enters Thursday's game with a 25-8 record as the Hornets' signal caller and a 20-3 mark in MEAC contests. The Chicago, Ill., native comes into the 2008 season ranked second in the school's record books in completions (385), passing attempts (678) and passing yards (4,274). His 30-career passing touchdowns are third-best on the all-time DSU list. In 2007, Winton threw a career-best 12 touchdowns, completing 59 percent of his passes en route to a 122.2 passer rating.

DSU Ranked No. 2 in Preseason Sheridan Poll

Delaware State will kick-off the 2008 season as the No. 2 team in the Sheridan Broadcast Network (SBN) preseason Black College football poll. The Hornets collected 197 total points and six first-place votes, trailing only Tuskegee in the poll. The Golden Tigers received 241 total points and 15 first-place votes. Tuskegee, 12-0 last season, is the defending SBN Black College National Champion, while Delaware State (10-2) was also No. 2 in the final 2007 poll.

The Hornets, defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champions, held the No. 1 spot in the 2007 SBN poll for eight-straight weeks before falling to Delaware in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Delaware State is one of three MEAC teams in the Top 10 poll. Pre-season league favorite South Carolina State is No. 4 in the poll, while 2007 MEAC runner-up Norfolk State is No. 6.

Coach Lavan Battles Delaware's K.C. Keeler to a Draw..... In the Kitchen

In a contest that came down to the final "pinch and dash," the head football coaches at Delaware's two Division I universities battled to a tie in the "Dover Downs Cook-off" Monday evening.

Delaware State Head Football Coach Al Lavan and the University of Delaware's K.C. Keeler showed off their culinary skills in a friendly competition to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Delaware, and IMPACT Delaware Tobacco Prevention Coalition.

The coaches traded in their playbooks and headsets for cooking utensils and secret ingredients to see who could whip up the best "stinging Hornet chilli" and "Blue Hen chicken".

Following some pre-game instructions by Dover Downs Director of Culinary Operations Fred Bohn, Lavan and Keeler squared off to determine "First State bragging rights in the kitchen."

After tasting each man's dish, the judges gave Lavan the nod for his chilli, while Keeler got the thumbs up for his chicken.

Delaware State Radio Network Broadcast Moved to 1450 WILM

Thursday's broadcast of the Delaware State-Florida A&M game will be heard on 1450 WILM-AM. This will be different from the rest the season as 1290 The Ticket and 1410 WDOV will be covering the Wilmington Blue Rocks' (Carolina League) playoff game (prior commitment). However, for the rest of the season, all DSU football games will be heard on 1290 The Ticket and 1410 WDOV with Scott Klatzkin (play-by-play) and Kevin Scholla (broadcast analyst) calling the action.

Two New Coaches on 2008 Staff

Two new assistant coaches have joined Al Lavan's staff - offensive line coach Lawrence Livingston and running backs coach Renato Diaz.

- Lawrence Livingston, Offensive Line Coach - Livingston most recently served as an assistant under legendary head coach Mike Price at Texas-El Paso (UTEP) the past four years. He was assistant head coach and offensive line coach for the Miners. In 2005, Livingston helped lead UTEP to an 8-4 record and an appearance in the GMAC Bowl. The previous year, the Miners were 8-4 and competed in the 2004 Texas Bowl. Texas-El Paso offensive lineman Oniel Cousins was a third round draft pick of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens last spring.

During the 2001 and '02 seasons, Livingston was co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at the University of Wyoming.

In 2000, he was tight ends coach at the University of Arizona. San Diego Chargers tight end Brandon Manumaleuna played for Livingston while at Arizona.

From 1998 to '99, Livingston was running backs coach at Texas A&M. The 1998 Aggies were 11-3, captured the school's only Big 12 championship and competed against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. Texas A&M was 8-4 and appeared in the Alamo Bowl in 1999.

Livingston was offensive line coach at Washington State from 1995 to '97. The 1997 Cougars, led by quarterback Ryan Leif, competed in the Rose Bowl after winning the Pac-10 championship.

From 1989 to '94, Livingston was offensive line coach at Weber State in Ogden, Utah. He helped lead the Wildcats to the 1992 Division I-AA playoffs.

Livingston began his coaching career at the U.S. Military Academy in 1988, serving as offensive line coach. That year, the Cadets captured the Commander-In-Chief Trophy and received a bid to the Sun Bowl

Livingston played college ball at Weber State, where he was a four-year letterwinner and three-time All-Big Sky Conference selection. He started every game on the offensive line during his collegiate career. A 1986 Weber State graduate. Livingston and his wife Michelle have two sons, Lawrence Jr. (17) and Theodore (16).

- Renato Diaz, Running Backs Coach - Diaz, who has more than 12 years of college coaching experience, most recently served as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) rival Florida A&M the past three years.

During the 2007 season, Diaz was credited with the success of Florida A&M freshman tailback Philip Sylvester, who was named MEAC Rookie-of-the-Year after rushing for nearly 900 yards and leading the league in all-purpose yards (164.3 ypg).

Diaz began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, Fla. (1996-1998), where he was an assistant to the offensive coordinator.

In 1998, Diaz was promoted to tight ends coach for USF, and also served as coordinator for recruiting and special teams. That season, the Bulls led the nation in total punt return yards and was seventh in net punting, limiting opponents to 2.1 yards per return. During the 1999 season, South Florida was eighth in the nation in net punting and 12th in kickoff returns.

Diaz also served as running backs coach at Columbia University in New York during the 2000 season. At Columbia, Diaz coached Johnathan Reese, the school's first 1,000 yard rusher, who was an All-Ivy League First Team selection after leading the conference with 1,330 yards rushing. From 2001 to '03, Diaz was running backs coach at Florida International University. FIU's Rashod Smith was a Division I-AA All-Independent First Team selection at running back in 2001.

In the summer of 2003, Diaz did a brief stint with the NFL's New York Jets during training camp, working with the offensive staff in all phases of preparation for the season.

Diaz was running backs coach and special teams consultant at Widener University in Chester, Pa. in 2004. That season, the Division III Pioneers were 11th in the nation in kickoff returns (23.3 ypr).

Diaz earned a bachelors in geology from South Florida in 1983. He is also a 2005 graduate of the NCAA Advanced Coaches Academy.