2018 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 8
DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY “HORNETS” (0-7; 0-4 MEAC)
VS.
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL “EAGLES” (3-3; 2–1 MEAC)
SAT., OCT. 27, 2018 (2:05 p.m.) ALUMNI STADIUM (6.838) - DOVER, DEL.
Live Video - ESPN3
Live Audio - HSRN.com
THE GAME After playing six of its first seven games on the road, including the last two, Delaware State returns to Alumni Stadium to face Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival North Carolina Central in the annual homecoming contest. The Hornets (0-7; 0-4 MEAC) are seeking their first win of the season. DSU is coming off a 30-19 loss to South Carolina State last Saturday. SC State scored two touchdowns shortly after blocking Hornet punts and returned an interception for a touchdown in the game. North Carolina Central has won its last two contests, including a 36-6 victory at Norfolk State last week. The Eagles forced five turnovers and allowed held the Spartans scoreless until there was16 seconds left to play.
THE HORNETS The Hornets racked up a season-best 410 yards of total offense in last week's loss to South Carolina State. DSU passed for 217 yards and rushed for 193 in the game. The Hornets rank seventh in the MEAC in total offense at 297.7 yards per game, highlighted by the leagues' second-best rushing attack with a 170 yard-per-game average. Jack McDaniels (so.) and Keenan Black (jr.) have split time at quarterback this season. McDaniels has started three games, including last week at SC State, completing 47-of-95 passes (49.5%) for 462 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He was 18-for-36 for a career-high 217 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, while rushing for a personal best 53 yards last week. Black has started four games this season, connecting on 38-of-84 throws (45.2%) for 432 yards with two touchdowns and two picks. He's also third on the Hornets with 154 yards rushing on 42 attempts (3.7 ypc). Black threw for a career-high 247 yards, completing 17-of-29 passes (2 TDs; 1 INT), vs. Norfolk State on Sep. 29. Brycen Alleyne (sr.) is fourth in the MEAC in rushing at 55.0 yards per game (330 total). Alleyne is also second in the league in all-purpose yards (124.8 per game) and averages 28.8 yards per kickoff return this season. Mike Waters (jr.) is DSU's leader with 338 rushing yards (67.6 ypg), but does not qualify in the MEAC rankings because he has missed the last two games due to injury. Trey Gross is tops on the Hornets and fifth in the conference in receiving yards at 54.3 per game (380 total). Gross is also eighth in the league at 3.4 catches per game (24 total). Defensively, the Hornets also rank seventh in the MEAC in yards allowed at 419.1 per game. Linebacker Brian Cavicante (jr.) leads all MEAC players in tackles at 9.1 per game (64 total). He's also tops in the conference with 11 solo tackles-for-loss. Hornet defensive backs Jahad Niebauer (jr.) and David Bowman (fr.) are tied for 13th in the MEAC with 6.1 tackles per game.
THE EAGLES The Eagles feature one of top offenses in the MEAC, averaging 29.7 points per game to rank third in the league and 363.8 yards per outing to stand at No. 4 entering this week's action. NCCU quarterback Chauncy Caldwell (so.) has completed 70-of-127 passes (55.1%) for 877 yards with eight touchdowns and just one interception. Caldwell is fifth in the MEAC in passing efficiency (132.3 rating) and sixth in the league in yards per game at 146.2. He's also an adept runner, ranking 10th in the MEAC in rushing at 48.8 yards per game (293 total). Isaiah Totten (so.) is the team leader and third in the conference in rushing with a 57.5 yard-per-game average (345 total). Totten has three rushing touchdowns this season. Nique Martin (so) and E.J. Hicks (so.) are tied for the NCCU lead with 18 receptions each. Martin has a team-high 187 receiving yards, while Sherman McLeod (r-fr.) leads the Eagles with three touchdown receptions, including a 93-yard catch and run last week. The Eagles are seventh in the MEAC in scoring defense (34.2 ppg) and 10th in yards allowed (485.2 ypg). DB Devanta Reynolds (r-sr.), the 2018 MEAC Preseason Defensive Player-of-the-Year, is tops on the Eagles and third in the MEAC at 8.2 tackles per game (49 total). Linebacker Branden Bailey (so.) has 39 tackles to tie for seventh in the league at 6.5 per game. Lineman Darius Royster (sr.) is third in the MEAC in tackles-for-loss with 10 and tied for fifth in the league with three sacks. NCCU placekicker Adam Lippy (fr.) is one of the MEAC's best. Lippy is seven-for-seven on field goal tries (long 40) and 19-of-21 on extra-point kicks to rank second in the league among kickers with 40 points.
