The University of Delaware scored touchdowns on each of its first five possessions and never looked back in a dominating 45-0 win over Delaware State in the third meeting between the state's two Division I teams.
The Hens, ranked seventh in the two major Top 25 Football Championship Subdivision polls, won their second straight game to improve to 2-1 on the season, while the Hornets fell to 2-1.
Delaware outgained DSU 512-112 to improve to 3-0 in the series between the teams. The Hens have outscored the Hornets 116-24 in the three meetings.
"We were outplayed by a solid football team," said Delaware State first-year head coach Kermit Blount. ""It didn't help that we hurt ourselves with turnovers and execution breakdowns. You can't make the kind of mistakes we made and compete against a strong team like Delaware."
The Hens took control of the game right from the start.
After holding the Hornets to three plays without a first down on the game's first possession, Delaware marched 80 yards for the opening score. The Hens capped off the five-play drive with a 43- yard touchdown pass from Tim Donnelly to tight end Colin Naugle. Sean Banner's extra point kick gave Delaware a 7-0 lead with 11:58 left in the first quarter.
The Hornets were held to another three-and-out on their next possession.
Delaware responded with a 14-play, 96-yard drive touchdown drive to open up a 14-0 lead. Andrew Pierce scored the first of his three touchdowns on a three-yard run to cap off the more than seven-minute drive with 3:29 left in the first quarter. Pierce had six carries for 38 yards in the drive, which also featured two third-down conversions.
Delaware State's next three possessions ended in turnovers, resulting in the 21 points for the Hens.
Eight plays after Ricky Tunstall intercepted a Nick Elko pass at the Delaware 42, the Hens added their third touchdown of the game. Donnelly hooked up with Nihja White on an 11-yard scoring pass to give UD a 21-0 lead with 13:56 left in the second quarter.
The Hornets recorded their first first-down of the game on their next possession, but the drive was doomed by another miscue early in the second quarter. Three plays after a 15-yard first down pass from Elko to Darius Jackson, Delaware's Jake Guisti scooped up a Jaashawn Jones fumble and returned it 32-yards for a touchdown to give the Hens a 28-0 lead with 11:06 left in the quarter.
Delaware State moved the ball into Blue Hen territory for the first time on its next possession, but another turnover ended the march. One play after UD's Paul Worrilow scooped up a Josh Bailey fumble, Donnelly connected with White on a 40-yard pass to the DSU one-yard line. Pierce plunged in the endzone on the next play to give the Hens a 35-0 lead with a 7:58 remaining in the first half.
Delaware closed out the scoring with 10 points in the third quarter, highlighted by Pierce's third touchdown of the game on a seven-yard run.
Donnelly, who was presented with the Nate Beasley Award as the game's Most Outstanding Player, completed 13-of-14 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns. White had 122 yards and a touchdown on seven catches.
Pierce rushed for 106 yards on 15 carries, although UD's Walter Davis came off the bench to lead all players with 108 yards rushing.
Elko completed 17-of-25 passes for 115 yards for the Hornets. Travis Tarpley led DSU with four catches, although he collected just 16 yards. Freshman receiver Milton Williams, playing in his first game, had a team-high 44 receiving yards on three catches.
Delaware State was held to -3 yards rushing in the game.
"We never could get into a rhythm offensive," said Elko. "Delaware's defense disrupted a lot of things we wanted to do. We have to put this behind us and regroup for our next game."
Defensive back Joe Boyd led the Hornets with eight tackles, including five solo stops. Linebacker Alex Perry had seven tackles (5 unassisted ) and a forced fumble for DSU.
STINGERS
The Hornets played without junior receiver Justin Wilson, the 2011 MEAC Preseason Offensive Player-of- the-Year, who sat out due to an ankle injury ... Delaware State was shut out for the first time since a 49-0 loss to Southern Illinois in 2004, a string of 74 games ... The Hornets begin Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play next Saturday (Sep. 24) at South Carolina State.
