2015 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 10 (#DSUvsNCAT)
DELAWARE STATE “HORNETS” (0-9; 0-6 MEAC) VS.
#14/#19 NORTH CAROLINA A&T “AGGIES” (9-1; 6-0 MEAC)
SAT., NOV. 14, 2015 (1:02 p.m.)
AGGIE STADIUM (22,000) - GREENSBORO, N.C.
TV: ESPN3 –LIVE; ESPNU - TAPE DELAYED (4 P.M.)
DSU SPORTS UPDATE (VIDEO): CLICK HERE
THE GAME
Delaware State wraps up its 2015 road schedule with a visit to MEAC leader North Carolina A&T in a nationally-televised contest (ESPN3/ESPNU). The winless Hornets (0-9; 0-6 MEAC) are coming off a 43-10 loss at North Carolina Central last week. DSU trailed 17-10 at the break, but was outscored 26-0 in the second half. The Hornets hurt their cause by committing four turnovers, surrendering a special teams touchdown and coming up empty on three-of-five chances in the red zone. The Hornets scored their lone touchdown on a three-yard run by freshman RB Brycen Alleyne to cap off an 11-play, 76-yard drive that consumed more than five minutes. Alleyne has scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) in the last two games. He ranks second on the Hornets with 663 all-purpose yards, including a team-high 371 on kickoff returns. Allyene is second on the Hornets with 199 yards rushing. Quarterback Gil Rivera (jr.) is seventh in the MEAC in passing at 122.7 yards per game. Rivera has completed 80-of-152 passes (52.6%) for 859 yards and three touchdowns. WR Aris Scott is fourth in the conference with 37 receptions and fifth in the league with 499 receiving yards. On defense, Hornet lineman Gabe Sherrod is No. 1 in the MEAC (4th FCS) at 1.9 tackles for loss per game (17.5 total).
NCA&T (8-1; 6-0 MEAC) brings a seven-game win streak into the contest. The Aggies are coming off a dramatic 9-6 victory over South Carolina State last Saturday. The winning touchdown came on a 17-yard pass from Kylil Carter to Khris Gardin with 1:39 left to play. The Aggies started the game-winning drive at the SC State 31 after an interception by Denzel Jones with 2:52 left to play. South Carolina State drove to the NCA&T five-yard line on its final possession, but missed a 33-yard field goal that would've tied the game as time expired. The Aggies feature the top-ranked defense in the MEAC, allowing just 264.8 yards per game, third-best among all FCS teams. NCA&T is tops in the MEAC and second in the nation in rushing defense at 80.3 yards per game, and second in the league (11th in FCS) in scoring defense at 16.1 points per contest. The Aggie offense is led by tailback Tarik Cohen, who tops the MEAC in rushing yards (1,004) and rushing yards per game (111.6 pg). He's also the league leader at 131.9 all-purpose yards per game.
THE SERIES (DSU leads 22-20-1)
This will be the 44th contest between the Hornets and Aggies. North Carolina A&T won the last meeting 33-20 at Delaware State in 2014. The Aggies scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams in the first 22 minutes to key the victory. NCA&T's Tarik Cohen rushed for a game-high 144 yards on 36 carries in the contest. DSU had won the two previous meetings, including a 12-7 victory the last time the teams met at Aggie Stadium in 2013. The Hornet defense held NCA&T to 102 total yards in that contest.
