2014 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 4             
DELAWARE STATE “HORNETS” (0-3)                                                                              
VS. 
TEMPLE “OWLS” (1-1)
SAT., SEP. 20, 2014 (1 p.m.)
LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD (68,532) - PHILA., PA.
National TV - ESPN3 (Dave Leno/Play-by-Play; Ken Dunek/Color Analyst)

THE GAME
Delaware State sticks its toe into the major college waters with a visit to Temple at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. This is the Hornets' first FBS opponent since a 23-7 loss to Cincinnati in 2012. DSU (0-3) is coming off a 21-7 loss to Towson in the home opener last Saturday. The Hornets held a one-point lead before allowing two special teams touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Delaware State grabbed a 7-3 lead when Gilbert Rivera connected with Malik Golson on a 13-yard touchdown pass with seven seconds to go before halftime. The Hornets led 7-6 when Towson scored a touchdown on a blocked punt following a bad snap with 11:16 left in the fourth quarter. The Tigers scored on a two-point pass after the touchdown to open up a 14-7 lead. Towson added some insurance points when Derrick Joseph scored on an 81-yard punt return with 2:54 remaining in the game. Towson's big special teams plays overshadowed a solid effort by the Delaware State defense. The Hornets held Towson to 187 total yards through three quarters. Delaware State opened the 2014 season with losses to Monmouth (52-21) on Aug. 30 and Delaware (27-9) on Sep. 7.

Temple, which was idle last week, is trying to rebound from a 31-24 loss to Navy on Sep. 6. The Owls scored first with a touchdown on a fumble recovery less than two minutes into the contest. Navy responded with 17 unanswered points to open up a 17-7 lead. Temple scored a touchdown with three seconds left in the second quarter to pull to within 17-14 at the half. The Midshipmen scored 14 third quarter points to open up a 31-14 lead. Temple was outgained 517-396 in the contest. The Owls passed for 240 yards and rushed for 156 in the contest. Temple opened the season with a convincing 37-7 victory at Vanderbilt of the Southeast Conference on Aug. 29. The Owls forced seven turnovers and held the Commodores to just 54 yards rushing in the contest. Temple quarterback P.J. Walker completed 23-of-34 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns.    

THE SERIES (First meeting)
The Hornets and Owls are meeting for the first time. Delaware State has played two current members of the American Athletic Conference before. The Hornets are 2-0 all-time against Connecticut, winning 24-14 in 1985 and 32-31 in 1986, when the Huskies were members of the then Division I-AA Yankee Conference. Delaware State fell to current AAC member Cincinnati 23-7 in 2012 when the Bearcats were in the Big East.

HORNETS VS. FBS
This is Delaware State's first contest against Football Bowl Subdivision since the aforementioned contest against Cincinnati in 2012. The Hornets are 1-4 all-time vs. FBS opponents.
DSU results vs. FBS opponents
1987        Delaware St. 52      Akron 26
2007        Kent State 38          Delaware St. 7
2008        Kent State 24          Delaware St. 3
2009        Michigan 66           Delaware St. 3
2012        Cincinnati 23         Delaware St. 7