ANN ARBOR, Mich. (October 17, 2009) --- In front of a crowd of 106,304 the Delaware State Hornets fell to the Michigan Wolverines, 63-6, at the Big House on Saturday, Oct. 17.
The Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Div. I-A) Wolverines snapped a two-game losing streak to improve to 5-2 on the season. The Hornets, members of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Div. I-AA), dropped their second straight to fall to 1-4.
Eight different players scored touchdowns for Michigan, which racked up a school-record 727 yards of total offense. UM's yardage also marked a single-game record by a Delaware State opponent. The Hornets gained 216 yards on the day, 151 through the air and 65 on the ground.
"We came to play an outstanding football team," said Delaware State head coach Al Lavan. "And an outstanding football team showed up. Michigan plays hard and fast, and they simply dominated us. I was not shocked, but surprised at how dominant they were. We were inconsistent in what we were trying to do. Overall, our performance was not due to a lack of effort. My hat goes off to Michigan."
The Wolverines took a 7-0 lead following a two-yard run by sophomore Michael Smith with 12:06 left in the first quarter. The five-play, 45-yard drive on Michigan's first possession lasted 1:51.
UM stretched its lead to 14-0 when Vincent Smith capped off a seven-play, 72-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run with 8:12 left in the first quarter. Smith rushed for a game-high 166 yards on 17 carries.
Michigan scored on special teams to open up a three-touchdown lead. Brandon Graham returned blocked punt two yards for a touchdown to give the Wolves a 21-0 with 7:07 left in the opening frame.
The Wolverines capped off the first quarter scoring with 3:12 left on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Denard Robinson to Kelvin Grady to open up a 28-0 lead.
Michigan added 21 second quarter points, including a touchdown run and a scoring pass by Robinson to open up a 49-0 lead.
Delaware State got on the scoreboard right before halftime, thanks to a long kickoff return. Larrone Moore returned a Michigan kickoff 51 yards to the Wolverine 23. On the next play, DSU quarterback Nick Elko competed a 19-yard pass to Donnell Dixon to the Michigan 4. The Hornets were unable to advance the ball any further, and had to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Riley Flickinger to pull to within 49-3 with 57 seconds left in the first half.
Elko completed 18-of-34 passes for 151 yards in his first collegiate start. The Odenton, Md., native was filling in for Anthony Glaud, who sat out the contest due to an injury suffered in last week's loss to Bethune-Cookman.
The Hornets kept Michigan off the scoreboard in the third quarter. The highlight of the quarter was two fourth-down stops for the DSU defense. The Hornets stopped the Wolverines on a fourth down inside the DSU 5, and at the Hornet 18 in the third quarter.
Flickinger added his second field goal of the game, a 24-yarder, to make it 49-6 with 11:35 left to play. The highlight of the four-play, 76-yard scoring drive was a 42-yard pass from Elko to Justin Wilson to the Michigan 9. The play was the longest from scrimmage for the Hornets this season.
Wilson was tied for the team high with four catches for a game-high 55 yards. Zach Charles also had four receptions (28 yards) for the Hornets. Freshman Nick Williams came off the bench to lead DSU with 48 yards rushing on 10 carries. His total included a 26-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Free safety Jerome Strums led the Hornets with 10 tackles (6 solo) to lead all players. Lineman Andre Carroll had seven tackles (all solo), including a backfield stop. Linebacker Kevin Green had six tackles (5 solo), including a forced fumble that was recovered by Greg Ligon in the first quarter.
The Hornets return home to take on the Morgan State Bears next Saturday, Oct. 24. The homecoming contest kicks off is 1:00 p.m.
STINGERS:
- Today's captains - Anthony Glaud (Offense), Nick Richmond (Offense), Mike Gable (Defense), Jerome Strums (Defense), Travis Tarpley (Special Teams)
- Redshirt freshman quarterback Nick Elko made his first-career start on Saturday.
- Today's crowd of 106,304 is the largest to witness a Delaware State football game.
- Darius Jackson extended his consecutive games with a catch streak to seven-straight contests. Larrone Moore extended his consecutive games with a catch streak to eight games. Erick Jones has caught a pass in nine-straight games.
- The 28 points allowed in the first quarter is tied for the third-most allowed by a Delaware State team. It is the most points allowed in a quarter since 1980 (at Portland State - 35 points - third quarter - 11/8/80).
- The 49 points allowed by DSU in the first half is the second-most allowed in Delaware State history.
- Consecutive starts (15-or-more) - Francis Adjei (27), Andre Caroll (17), Kellen Kemp (28), Mike Maloney (17), Nick Richmond (28), Jerome Strums (16)
- With Riley Flickinger's 26-yard field goal with 0:57 left in the first half, DSU has not been shut out in 58-straight games.
- The field goal by Flickinger is the 12th of his career, ranking the Gresham, Ore., native fifth all-time in career field goals at Delaware State.
- Running back Nick Williams made his Hornet debut. He carried the ball for his first collegiate rush (5-yard gain on the final play of the third quarter).
- Nick Elko completed a 42-yard pass to Justin Wilson in the fourth quarter for the longest pass play of the season for the Hornets.
- Flickinger converted his second field goal attempt of the game (24-yard attempt with 11:35 left in the game) to tie his career-best for field goals in a game.
-DSU allowed 727 total yards of offense, the most in team history.
-The Hornets have yet to score in the third quarter this season.
- Delaware State LB Kevin Green was playing his second game at Michigan Stadium. He competed against the Wolverines at the Big House while playing for Purdue in 2007.
