University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
#6 Villanova (Military Appreciation Day/Hall of Fame Day)
No. 6 Villanova Spoils Blue Hen Comeback with Last Minute 35-28 CAA Football Victory
11/22/2014 2:57:00 PM | Football
NEWARK, Del. -- As far as the University of Delaware is concerned, these games with Villanova have to stop ending this way.
For the second straight season, Villanova spoiled the Blue Hens' hopes in the final minute as the No. 6 Wildcats rallied late and upended Delaware 35-28 on a 21-yard scoring pass from John Robertson to Kevin Gulyas with just 23 seconds remaining to come out on top in a Colonial Athletic Association football matchup at Delaware Stadium before 17,056 chilled, but spirited, fans.
Delaware (6-6, 4-4 CAA), which was looking to send its seniors out on a high note, seemed to have 
the game in hand when Jalen Randolph (#33 at left) scored his third touchdown of the half on a one-yard burst with 2:04 left to give the Hens their first lead of the day at 28-27.
But Robertson, a top candidate for the Walter Payton Award as the most outstanding player in the nation at the NCAA FCS level, worked his magic yet again as he led the Wildcats (10-2, 7-1 CAA) on a 68-yard drive that culminated in the touchdown by Gulyas down the left sideline. Robertson's two-point conversion pass to Poppy Livers provided the final margin.
Delaware got the ball back for one last drive but couldn't get past its own 25-yard line in three plays.
Dave BrockThe result denied the Blue Hens of an impressive comeback after they fell behind 20-0 in the first 16 
minutes of the game. But Delaware hung tough and scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to take back the lead.
Delaware, which fell to Villanova 35-34 last season in Chester, Pa. when the Wildcats rallied from a 34-12 deficit in the final eight minutes to win, has now lost eight of the last nine meetings in the Battle of the Blue Rivalry. Villanova has now won five straight games over the Hens at Delaware Stadium.
Villanova now readies for the upcoming NCAA Tournament and could receive a first-round bye in the 24-team field. The action begins on Nov. 29 at home sites.
Delaware senior quarterback Trent Hurley hit on 15 of 21 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns while senior wide receiver Michael Johnson caught five passes for 117 yards and upped his season total to 78, the second highest mark in UD history.
Sophomore running back Wes Hills (#31 at right) rushed for 99 yards while Randolph had 59 yards rushing and three touchdowns overall and senior tight end Nick Boyle hauled in a 10-yard touchdown pass in the first half for his 100th career reception.
Robertson, a junior, had another big day as he rushed 23 times for 117 yards and hit on 14 of 25 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner. Running back Kevin Monangai rushed for 71 yard and two scores and also caught a three-yard scoring pass from Robertson.
"They (Delaware) brought out the very best in us," said Villanova head coach Andy Talley. "Delaware played great but our defense came up with some big plays when we needed to. John (Robertson) is the best, he's the guy. That's what Walter Payton Award candidates do under duress."
It appeared that the Hens would never have a chance after the opening 16 minutes as Villanova 
leaped out to a 20-0 lead as Monangai scored on a two-yard run on Villanova's first drive of the day and than hauled in a three-yard shovel pass from Robertson with 5:44 left in the opening quarter for a 13-0 lead.
The Wildcats built the margin to 20-0 on a 42-yard pass from Robertson to Livers just 55 seconds into the second stanza.
But the Hens finally got on the board on the ensuing drive as they drove 75 yards culminating with Hurley hitting Boyle on a 10-yard scoring pass. Boyle caught the ball over the middle and dove into the end zone to open the scoring for Delaware.
Both teams gave up solid scoring opportunities in the second quarter. The Hens were stopped on fourth down at the Villanova 24-yard line with 3:32 left in the half and the Wildcats came up empty just before intermission when Dillon Lucas returned an interception 72 yards to the UD two-yard but the Hens held and came out unscathed when Blaine Woodson blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt by Steve Weyler.
Villanova came out in the second half and built the lead to 27-7 when Monangai scored his third touchdown of the game on a one-yard dive with 6:06 left in the third quarter, but that set off an impressive comeback by the Blue Hens.
While the Hen defense was finally stopping Robertson and his mates, the Delaware offensive attack got in gear thanks to Randolph, who scored three straight touchdowns to help UD gain the lead.
Randolph's three-yard scoring run with 2:42 left in the third stanza and his six-yard scoring pass from 
Hurley just five minutes into the final stanza pulled Delaware to within 27-21. The Hens made two more stops and eventually took the lead at 28-27 on Randolph's one-yard dive with 4:38 left.
That set the stage for Villanova's winning drive. After starting at their own 32, the Wildcats converted a fourth-and-15 to the 50-yard line to keep the drive alive and Robertson scampered 10 yards on a fourth-and-one to the UD 21-yard line. On the next play he hit Gulyas with the winning pass.
Ironically Villanova went 0 for 9 on third down conversions but came up big when it really counted, converting 3 of 4 fourth down attempts, including those two on the winning drive.
"It was great to see the way we came out in the second half," said Delaware senior defensive end Derrick Saulsberry (#90 above left), who led the Hens with eight tackles, including a sack and two other tackles for loss. "We fought and we battled and went blow for blow with one of the best teams in the country but we came up short. Short of winning the game, I couldn't be prouder."
HEN SCRATCHINGS
• Sophomore RB Wes Hills surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for his two-year career and now has 1,033
• Senior WR Michael Johnson finished the season with the third highest pass reception total in school history with 78. He also became just the fourth player in UD history to record 5,000 all-purpose yards (5,008) and finished his career ranking No. 5 all-time at Delaware in receptions (183) and receiving yardage (2,325)
• Senior LB Patrick Callaway recorded six tackles and became just the 18th player in UD history to finish with 300 career stops (303)
• Senior DE Laith Wallschleger (#46 above right) blocked an extra point in the first quarter, extending his school record to eight career blocked kicks
• Delaware has now posted a .500 or winning record five times in the last six seasons and 10 times in the last 13 seasons
• Delaware finished the year with just five interceptions (from five different players) for its lowest total since records have been kept (dating back to 1951).
