2015 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 8
DELAWARE STATE “HORNETS” (0-7; 0-4 MEAC) VS.
BETHUNE-COOKMAN “WILDCATS” (6-2; 4-1 MEAC)
SAT., OCT. 31, 2015 (2 p.m.)
ALUMNI STADIUM (7,000) - DOVER, DEL.
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THE GAME (#DSUvsBCU)
Delaware State wraps up a two-game home stand against MEAC rival Bethune-Cookman. The Hornets are coming off a 34-7 home loss to South Carolina State last weekend. DSU surrendered two touchdowns early in the game, one on a special teams miscue, and never recovered in the contest. Hornet quarterback Gil Rivera completed 23-of-41 passes for a career-high 219 yards in the game. He has connected on 60-of-104 passes (57.7%) for 600 yards since coming off the bench in the second quarter of the Hornets' 21-7 loss to Hampton on Oct. 10. Rivera has started the last two games. DSU wide receiver Aris Scott had eight receptions for 87 yards last week, giving him 27 catches for 316 yards in the last three contests. Scott has climbed to third in the MEAC in receptions per game at 4.6 (32 total) and fifth in receiving yards at 60.7 (425 total). Freshman Brycen Alleyne led the Hornets with a career-high 50 yards rushing on 20 carries. Rashawn Barrett topped the DSU defense with nine tackles, including five solo stops last week. Hornet defensive end Gabe Sherrod had seven tackles, including 3.5 behind the line-of-scrimmage. He also had 1.5 sacks in the game to give him a team-high 4.5 this season. Sherrod leads all FCS players at 2.1 tackles-for-loss per game (15 total).
Bethune-Cookman has won six of seven games since a loss to FBS Miami (Fla.) in its season opener. The Wildcats are coming off a 59-49 shootout win over Norfolk State last Saturday. BCU quarterback Quentin Williams completed 20-of-29 passes for 386 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Wildcats' 607-yard offensive attack. Michael Jones rushed for 136 yards and had 112 receiving yards for the Cats, while Frank Brown tallied four receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns last week. Williams is second in the MEAC in passing average at 198.1 yards per game. For the season, he has connected on 94-of-149 passes (63.1%) for 1,585 yards and 13 touchdowns. Williams leads all MEAC quarterbacks with a 173.2 passer rating this season. Bethune-Cookman leads the MEAC in total offense at 420.5 yards per game. On defense, freshman linebacker Trenton Bridges is tops on the team and 11th in the league in tackles at 7.2 per game (58 total).The Wildcats are second in the current MEAC standings at 4-1, trailing only pre-season favorite North Carolina A&T (4-0).
THE SERIES
This will be the 38th contest between the teams. Bethune-Cookman has won the last four meetings, although Delaware State is clinging to a 19-18 lead in the series. The Wildcats won last year's contest 27-7 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Bethune-Cookman took advantage of three special teams shortcomings by the Hornets to open up a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. The Hornets scored their lone touchdown on an interception return by Terrick Colston. The last time the teams met at Delaware State, BCU won 21-7 in 2013. The Hornets won six straight in the series from 1992-to-'97; and four in a row from 2005-to-'08.
