Dover, Del. (Mar. 6, 2020) --- Six homes games, including visits by defending MEAC champion North Carolina A&T and three other conference foes, highlight the 2020 Delaware State football schedule released today.
The Hornets' 2020 home schedule also includes contests against first-time opponent and 2019 FCS playoff participant Albany University of the Div. I Colonial Athletic Association and Div. II St. Augustine's (N.C.) of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, a former Delaware State rival.
Delaware State will kick off its 11-game 2020 schedule at home on Sep. 5 against Albany for Hall-of-Fame & Champions Weekend. The Great Danes were 9-5 overall (6-2 CAA) and defeated Central Connecticut in the opening round of the 2019 FCS playoffs before falling to Montana State in round two. Albany was 18^th in the final 2019 FCS Top 25 Poll and No. 20 in the FCS Coaches Poll.       
The Hornets will play their first 2020 road game and MEAC opener the following Saturday (Sep. 12) at South Carolina State. The Bulldogs have won the last two meetings, including a 38-24 victory at DSU in 2019, to open up a 30-17 lead in the series. The last time the teams met at SC State, the Bulldogs posted a 30-19 win in 2018.
Delaware State is back home the next week (Sep. 19) to renew its rivalry against St. Augustine's for Military and Veteran's Appreciation Day. The Hornets and Falcons met 17 times from 1947 to '64. DSU holds a 9-7-1 lead in the series, including an 18-6 victory in the last meeting.
The Hornets will welcome defending MEAC and HBCU national champ North Carolina A&T to Alumni Stadium for the next game on Sep. 26, for Youth, Faith & Community Day.  The Aggies have won the last six meetings between the teams, including a victory in Greensboro, N.C., last season to open up a 25-22-1 series lead. This will be NCA&T's last visit to Delaware State before leaving the MEAC for the Big South Conference in 2021.
After a week off, the Hornets will celebrate homecoming against Morgan State on Oct. 10, the first visit by the Bears to Alumni Stadium since 2017. Delaware State is trying to snap a two-game losing streak against its long time MEAC rival, which holds a 38-25 lead in meetings between the teams.   
The following week, the Hornets travel to the Nation's Capital to take on Howard in a MEAC contest on Oct. 17.  The Hornets and Bison will meet for the 63rd consecutive year and 77th time overall, making it Delaware State's oldest rivalry. Howard took last year's meeting 24-9 at DSU, its fourth straight win against the Hornets to open up a 38-37-1 advantage in the series.     
Delaware State is back home for the next two games, squaring off against North Carolina Central on Oct. 24 and Florida A&M on Oct. 31.
The Hornets will be seeking their second straight home victory against North Carolina Central on Parents and Family Weekend. The last time the teams played at Alumni Stadium, DSU came out on top 28-13 in 2018 for head coach Rod Milstead's first win, which also snapped a five-game NCCU win streak in the series.  The Eagles avenged the defeat with a last-minute 30-23 victory over the Hornets last season in Durham, N.C., to open up a 19-7 series edge.   
Delaware State will celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and honor its 2020 senior class during the home finale against Florida A&M. The Hornets and Rattlers will be meeting at Alumni Stadium for the first time since 2016. Florida A&M has won the last four meetings, including a 52-30 victory in Tallahassee, Fla., in 2019, to stretch its series lead to 26-9. The Hornets' last win in the series was in 2013 (29-22) at Florida A&M and last victory over the Rattlers at Alumni Stadium in 2008.
DSU will close out its 2020 schedule with road games at Bethune-Cookman (Nov. 7), Norfolk State (Nov. 14) and the University of Delaware (Nov. 21).
The Hornets are seeking their second straight win against Bethune-Cookman after defeating the Wildcats 16-13 at Alumni Stadium in 2019 to tie the series (20-20). The Wildcats posted a 41-10 victory the last time the teams met at BCU in 2016.
The Delaware State contest at Norfolk State will mark the 26th meeting between the teams and 21st as members of the MEAC. The Spartans have won the last three contests, including a 33-17 victory at DSU last season, to cut the Hornets' lead to 16-9 all-time vs. NSU.
This DSU / Delaware match-up will mark the 10^th meeting between the state's two NCAA Division I football programs.  The Hornets are seeking their first win in the series. Delaware State held a lead against the Hens for the first time, 6-3 in the second quarter last season, although Delaware bounced back to win the 2019 contest.

Delaware State has a wide selection of ticket options for the upcoming football season. For more information, contact the DSU ticket office at 302-857-7497 or log onto dsuhornets.universitytickets.com

DSUHornets.com football schedule link       
https://dsuhornets.com/sports/football/schedule
DSU Ticket office webpage  
https://dsuhornets.universitytickets.com/