2021 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 5
DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY "HORNETS" (1-3; 0-0 MEAC)                                                                              
VS.                                                                                                                                                              
WAGNER "SEAHAWKS (0-4; 0-2 NEC)
SAT., OCT. 2, 2021 (5:00 p.m.) 
 WAGNER COLLEGE STADIUM – HAMELINE FIELD  (3,500) - STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  
Live Video: NECFRONTROW.com
Live Audio - HSRN.com (Sirius XM Channel 390)
THE GAME
Delaware State continues its non-conference schedule with a visit to Wagner College in Staten Island, N.Y. After winning its opener against Bowie State, the Hornets have dropped their last three games to fall to 1-3 this season. DSU is coming off a 47-10 loss to Merrimack last week. The Hornets led 10-0 before the Warriors scored the last 47 points, highlighted by six touchdown passes. Delaware State scored its lone touchdown in the game on a four-yard pass from Jared Lewis to Trey Gross in the second quarter to give the Hornets a 10-0 lead. Wagner (0-4) is seeking its first win of the season, although two of its losses have been at the hands of FBS opponents, including a 41-7 setback against Temple in Philadelphia last week. The Seahawks opened the season with a 69-7 loss to FBS Buffalo This will be DSU's second straight game against a Northeast Conference opponent.            
 
THE HORNETS
Despite last week's 47 point outburst by Merrimack last week, Delaware State still leads the MEAC in total defense at 353.0 yards per game. The Hornets are allowing a league-low 224.8 yards per game by the pass and are second in the conference in run defense at 128.2 yards per game. DSU also leads the MEAC with six interceptions and a 0.50 turnover margin per game (+2). The Hornets have a league-best nine forced turnovers. Linebacker Kamari Jackson (jr.) is tops on the Hornets and is 13th in the MEAC at 5.8 tackles per game (23 total). Jackson is second in the league-high 19 solo stops and four assists through week four. DSU linebacker Ronald Holmes (fr.) is tied for the MEAC lead with three sacks, while Hornet lineman Isaiah Williams is tied for third in the league with 2.5 sacks. Holmes also has a MEA best 7.5 tackles for loss through week four. Defensive back Esaias Guthrie has a league high three interceptions is third in passes defended at 1.25 per game (pass break-ups + INTs) per game. Offensively, Delaware State is tied for second in the MEAC in scoring at 15.5 points per game, but fifth in total offense at 210.5 yards per contest. DSU is averaging 114.0 rushing yards per game to rank fourth in the league, but sits at the bottom of the conference in passing at 96.5 yards per outing. Individually, Delaware State's Sy'Veon Wilkerson (fr.) is second in the MEAC in rushing at 64.8 yards per game (259 total) and also tied for the league high with four rushing touchdowns. Jared Lewis (so.) is expected to start his third straight game under center this week. Lewis has completed 16 of 34 passes (47.1%) for 159 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Trey Gross (sr.) is tops on the Hornets and fourth in the MEAC with 15 catches (3.8 per game) and is eighth in the league with 137 receiving yards.         
 
THE SEAHAWKS
Wagner is averaging 240.8 yards and 14.3 points in their four outings this season. The Seahawks are allowing 384.8 yards and nearly 43 points per game. Wagner has been fairly balanced offensively this season, averaging 123.8 yards per game passing and 117.0 by the run. Quarterback Jaalon Frazier has completed 33 of 55 passes (60.0%) for 454 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a 143.7 rating in three games this season. Todd Simmons is tops on the team with 104 receiving yards on eight catches, while Jeremiah has a team-high eight receptions for 88 yards this season. Ricky Spruill is the team's top runner with 199 yards on 38 carries (5.8 ypc) with a long of 50. Defensively, Tre Vallar leads the Seahawks with 26 total tackles, including 13 solo stops and two tackles for loss. Leo Titus tops the Seahawks with four tackles for loss (-16 yards) and is tied for the team lead with two sacks (-13). Gabriel Bryan and Coby Cox share the team lead with one interception each.         
    
DSU vs. WAGNER  / NORTHEAST CONFERENCE
This is the first meeting between the Hornets and Seahawks. The Hornets are 1-5 all-time vs. current members of the Northeast Conference: 1-2 vs. St. Francis (Pa.); 0-2 vs. Merrimack; 0-1 vs. Central Connecticut.