2019 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 9
DELAWARE STATE “HORNETS” (1-7 / 0-5 MEAC)
VS.
FLORIDA A&M “RATTLERS” (7-1 / 5-0 MEAC)
SAT., NOV. 2, 2019 (4:00 p.m.)
BRAGG MEMORIAL STADIUM (25,500) - TALLAHASSEE, FL
Live Stream - ESPN3 / MEAC DIGITAL NETWORK
THE GAME
Delaware State visits MEAC rival Florida A&M in a battle of teams headed in opposite directions. The Hornets have dropped their last six games to fall to 1-7 overall and 0-5 in the MEAC. DSU is coming off a 30-23 loss to North Carolina Central last Saturday. The Eagles scored the game-winning points on a kickoff return for a touchdown on the ensuing kick after the Hornets tied the game with 50 seconds left to play. Florida A&M (7-1; 5-0 MEAC) has won seven in a row since an opening day loss. The Rattlers posted a 24-12 victory at Morgan State in its most recent outing last Saturday. Despite its record and national rankings, Florida A&M is ineligible for post season play due to sanctions imposed on the program this season.
THE HORNETS
Delaware State is averaging 18.9 points and 287.2 total yards per game. The Hornets are sixth in the MEAC is rushing at 120.6 yards per game and eighth in passing at 166.6 yards per contest. Defensively, DSU is faring better, allowing 350.8 yards per game to rank fourth in the MEAC. Freshman quarterback Tylik Bethea has started the last seven games. Bethea enters the weekend ranked sixth in the MEAC in passing average at 150.4 yards per game. For the season, the rookie signal-caller has completed 103-of-219 passes (47.0%) for 1203 yards with eight touchdowns and six interceptions. He was selected as the MEAC Rookie-of-the-Week after completing 16-of-28 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns in the Hornets' 58-12 win over Lincoln (Pa.) on Sep. 8. Bryant Dallas (sr..) is the team rushing leader with 402 yards to rank ninth in the MEAC at 50.2 yards per game. Dallas also has a team-high four rushing touchdowns. Kwannah Kollie (jr.) is one of the MEAC's top pass catchers this season. Kollie is sixth in the league in receptions at 3.9 pg (35 total), ninth in receiving yards (51.2 ypg) and tied for fourth in touchdown catches (4). First-year receiver Bizzett Woodley had seven catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns, each a career-high, at North Carolina Central last week. For the season, Woodley has 18 receptions for 258 yards (14.3 ypc) and is tied with Kollie for the team lead with four TD catches. On defense, the Hornets are led by linebacker Brooks Parker (so.), who is tops on the team and tied for 187th in the MEAC in tackles at 5.8 per game (46 total). On the front line, Brandon Carswell (gr.) has 28 tackles and ranks among the league leaders in tackles for loss (10) and sacks (4). Defensive back Jahad Niebauer (sr.), a Preseason All-MEAC First Team selection, is 22nd in the league in tackles at 5.5 per game (44 total). Hornet cornerback D'Andre Blue-Eli (so.) is tied for third in the MEAC with two interceptions.
THE RATTLERS
Florida A&M is second in the MEAC in scoring at 30.2 points per game, and in total offense at 394.0 yards per game. The Rattlers feature the MEAC's top passing offense at 302.8 yards per game. Quarterback Ryan Stanley (sr.) is the top passer in the conference, averaging 241.0 yards per game. For the season, he has completed 144-of-236 yards for a league-high 1,928 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. Stanley also ranks second in the MEAC in total offense at 242.5 yards per game. Wide receiver Xavier is No. 1 in the MEAC with 54 receptions (6.8 pg) and 769 receiving yards (96.1 pg). He's also tied for the league lead with six touchdown catches. Defensively, the Rattlers are fifth in the MEAC in yards allowed 370.0 per game. Florida A&M is allowing just 116.6 rushing yards per game to rank third among conference teams .
THE SERIES (FAMU leads 25-9)
This is the first meeting between the Hornets and Rattlers since 2016, and 35th overall. Florida A&M has won the last three contests to open up a 25-9 series lead. The Rattlers won 41-27 the last time the teams met in 2016 in Dover, Del. Delaware State's last win in the series was in 2013 at Florida A&M.
