2021 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 8
DELAWARE STATE "HORNETS" (3-4; 0-1 MEAC)
VS.
HOWARD "BISON"  (2-5; 1-1 MEAC)
SAT., OCT. 30, 2021 (2:05 p.m.)
ALUMNI STADIUM  (6,800) - DOVER, DEL.  
Live Video: ESPN+                                                                                                                                                            
Live Audio - HSRN.com (DSU broadcast) 

THE GAME
Delaware State takes on long-time rival Howard in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest and third meeting between the teams in the teams in eight months. The Hornets (3-4; 0-1 MEAC) are trying to bounce back from a 13-7 loss to South Carolina State in their MEAC opener last week, snapping a two-game win streak. DSU outgained the Bulldogs 244-235 in total offense, but was plagued by two turnovers and several penalties that halted promising drives or nullified big plays. The Hornets trailed 13-0 before scoring their lone touchdown on a 55-yard punt return by Charles Peeler in the third quarter. Howard is also coming off a loss, falling to Norfolk State 45-31 in a MEAC contest last week. The Bison trailed 28-3 before scoring 21 of the next 24 points to pull to within 31-24 in the fourth quarter. HU only trailed 38-31 when Norfolk State closed out the scoring on a touchdown with 1:33 left to play.  

THE HORNETS
Delaware State continues to lead the MEAC in total defense, allowing 307.3 yards per game. The Hornets are giving up league-lows of 103.3 yards per game rushing and  204.0 yards per game by the pass. DSU is also tied for first in the MEAC with nine interceptions and second in the league with a 0.57 turnover margin per game (+4). The Hornets are second in the league with 14 forced turnovers. Defensive back Esaias Guthrie is tops in the conference with four interceptions and is tied for second in the MEAC in passes defended at 1.00 per game (pass break-ups + INTs) per game. Linebacker Ronald Holmes (fr.) is tied for first in the MEAC in tackles for loss at 1.07 per game (7.5 total) and is fourth in the league with three sacks (0.50 pg). Linebacker Kamari Jackson (jr.) is tops on the Hornets and tied for 14th in the MEAC at 5.0 tackles per game (35 total). Isaiah Williams is tied for fourth in the league with 3.0 sacks. Offensively, Delaware State is third in the MEAC in scoring at 22.6 points per game, but fifth in total offense at 270.6 yards per contest. DSU is averaging 143.6 rushing yards per game to rank second in the league, but sits at the bottom of the conference in passing at 127.0 yards per outing. Individually, Delaware State running back Sy'Veon Wilkerson (fr.) continues to shine. Wilkerson is the MEAC's rushing leader with 625 yards (89.3 ypg) after topping the 100-yard mark in two of the last three games, including a career-high 169 yards on a school-record 40 carries at Wagner on Oct. 2. Wilkerson has a league-high seven rushing touchdowns this year. Quarterback Jared Lewis (so.) has completed 52 of 101 passes for 585 yards (51.5%) for 585 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. Trey Gross (sr.) is tops on the Hornets and tied for fourth in the MEAC with 24 catches (3.4 per game) and is seventh in the league with 257 receiving yards (36.7 per game). He is also second in the MEAC with five touchdown catches.

THE SERIES (DSU leads 39-38-1)
The Hornets and Bison are meeting for the 64th consecutive year and 79th time overall, making it Delaware State's oldest rivalry. DSU and HU were among three MEAC teams, joining South Carolina State, to compete in the spring of 2021 after the league canceled its fall 2020 schedule due to the pandemic. The Hornets and Bison met twice last spring with Delaware State winning both games. DSU won the first spring contest 17-10 in Dover, Del. The Bison led 3-2 after three quarters before the Hornets scored 15 consecutive points, including a touchdown on an interception return by Esaias Guthrie, to open up a 17-3 advantage in the fourth quarter. In the second spring 2021 meeting, Jared Lewis and Trey Gross connected on three touchdown passes and Sy'Veon Wilkerson rushed for 112 yards and a score to lead the Hornets to a 37-28 victory in Washington, DC. Lewis completed 10-of-19 passes for a then career-high 179 yards and three touchdowns. Gross hauled in five passes for 123 and the career-high three scores.