2020-21 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 5
DELAWARE STATE "HORNETS" (2-2)
VS.
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE "BULLDOGS (2-1)
SAT., APR. 17, 2021 (6:05 p.m.)
ALUMNI STADIUM - DOVER, DEL.
LIVE TV: ESPN3 (RE-BROADCAST ON APR. 18 - ESPNU)
Live Audio - HSRN.com (DSU broadcast) or XM 386 / XM app Channel 982
THE GAME
Delaware State (2-2) wraps up its spring '21 schedule with a meeting against long-time rival South Carolina State. A win over the Bulldogs would give DSU a 3-2 record this spring, the program's first winning mark since going 6-5 in 2013. The Hornets, playing for the third straight Saturday, are trying to bounce back from a 34-14 home setback to FCS #8 Delaware last week, DSU's 10th loss in 10 meeting against the Hens. It also marked the first contest between the teams at Alumni Stadium. The Hornets were plagued by four turnovers vs. Delaware, including three interceptions. DSU trailed 31-0 before using two punt blocks to get on the board and make the final score more respectable.
Daniel Douglas blocked the first UD punt that was recovered in the end zone by
Trey Gross for a touchdown. Gross blocked the second punt that Daniels recovered at the Delaware 10. Two plays later, quarterback
Jared Lewis ran seven yards to the end zone for the Hornets' second touchdown. Lewis has started the last three games at quarterback after coming off the bench in the opener. For the season, he has completed 3 of 69 passes (47.8%) for 398 yards, with four touchdowns and four interceptions. Gross is DSU's leading receiver with 14 catches for 196 yards (14.0 ypr) with three touchdowns. Freshman
Sy'veon Wilkerson and sophomore
Thomas Bertrand-Hudon are a close 1-2 on the team in rushing. Wilkerson is DSU's top rusher with 167 yards (4.8 ypc), while Bertrand-Hudon is second with 160 yards (4.3 ypc). Defensively, linebacker
Kamari Jackson (r-jr.) leads the team with 21 total tackles, Cornerback
Esaias Guthrie (so.) has 20 tackles, an interception returned for a touchdown and a fumble recovery this spring.
SC State (2-1) has been idle since a 14-7 win at Alabama State of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) on Apr. 3. The Bulldogs scored the winning touchdown on a 17-yard pass from Corey Fields to Shaquan Davis with 1:17 left to play to cap off a seven-play, 59-yard drive. SC State's defense held Alabama State to just 288 total yards, while also forcing three turnovers in the contest.
THE SERIES (SC State leads 31-17)
This is the 49th meeting in the series that began when the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference was formed in 1971. South Carolina State has won nine of the last 11 contests to lead 31-17 in the series. The Bulldogs have also won the last three games between the teams, including a 17-9 victory earlier in the this abbreviated spring season on Mar. 13 in Orangeburg, S.C. The Hornets led 9-7 before SC State kicked a field goal just before halftime to hold 10-9 lead at the break. The Bulldogs scored the only second half touchdown on an 11-yard pass from Tyrece Nick to Corey Fields with 3:19 left to play. The Hornets advanced to the SC State 35 on their last possession, but failed to convert on a fourth down pass.
The last time the teams met at Alumni Stadium, the Bulldogs posted a 38-24 victory in 2019. The Hornets never recovered after falling behind 17-0 in the contest. After a slow start, DSU quarterback
Tylik Bethea passed for a career-high 198 yards vs. SC State the last time the teams played at DSU. SC State's Tyrece Nick completed 16-of-28 passes for 253 yards and five touchdowns, and rushed for 105 yards (long 49) in the 2019 meeting vs. Delaware State.
