Blue Hens Capitalize on Turnovers In 17-10 Senior Day Win over Stony Brook

Saturday, November 16

1 p.m.

University of Delaware

5-6 , 3-4

Stony Brook

5-6 , 2-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Stony Brook

Delaware

Photo by: Mikey Reeves

Blue Hens Capitalize on Turnovers In 17-10 Senior Day Win over Stony Brook

11/16/2019 5:00:00 PM | Football

Box Score

NEWARK, Del. – Playing at Delaware Stadium is an experience that is truly cherished by every student-athlete who puts on the Blue Hen uniform.

On Saturday, 23 student-athletes got to do that for the final time and went out on a high note as the University of Delaware football team forced three turnovers to lead a timely defensive effort in a 17-10 victory over Stony Brook on a chilly Saturday afternoon.

Senior Cam Kitchen had a team-high eight tackles, a batted pass and a critical QB hurry to lead a defense that had seven different players with at least seven tackles or more on the afternoon. Sophomores Johnny Buchanan and Noah Plack each had an INT, including Buchanan's return for Delaware's first defensive TD of the season.

Offensively, the 1-2 punch of Will Knight and DeJoun Lee continued, as the duo combined for 169 yards on 30 carries and a TD. Knight posted his fourth 100-plus yard performance of the year with 108 yards on 17 carries, including an eventual game-winning TD in the fourth quarter.

"We're really happy to be able to send our seniors out of here with a conference win. Another really tough battle, another very competitive CAA game," head coach Danny Rocco said. "Fortunately, here today we were able to come up with the win. I thought holistically, the defense had a solid performance out there today. We did enough of the right things to keep the point production down and make them earn their points."

The Blue Hens started with a bang. On just the third play from scrimmage, Kitchen got through SBU's line and forced an errant throw that was picked off by Buchanan and returned 33 yards for a TD and a 7-0 Delaware lead.

After Delaware's defense got a fourth down stop on the next possession, the Blue Hens drove into Seawolves territory, but QB Nolan Henderson was hurt and a field went just wide right as the game remained 7-0.

SBU would put up 10 unanswered to start the second quarter, but a 10-play, 71-yard drive, including two runs of 14 yards by Knight set up a 23-yard field goal from Jake Roth and a 10-10 halftime tie.

After the break, Delaware's defense would once again come up with a huge play. SBU put together a 14-play, 79 yard drive to inside the Blue Hen 10-yard line, but another pass rush forced a throw into the back of the end zone that was picked off by Plack.

Neither offense was able to get any points on the board until midway through the fourth quarter. Two huge 10-plus yard runs by Lee, set up a 21-yard TD run by Knight and a 17-10 advantage for the Blue Hens.

Both teams would trade empty offensive possessions, but a muffed punt by SBU was recovered by Andrew Pawlowski and allowed the Blue Hens to drain the clock to just over a minute and leave the Seawolves without a timeout.

Delaware's defense would hold strong, not allowing SBU to get momentum and run out the clock for the 17-10 win.

"We've had some tough, difficult, disappointing defeats here of late. It feels good, the taste of victory, the celebration in the locker room, and it gives us an opportunity to really have some excitement, energy, momentum here heading into the final game of the season," Rocco added.

What They Said

Up Next

Delaware wraps up the 2019 season next weekend when it travels to the yearly Battle of the Blue with Villanova. Game time at Villanova next Saturday is set for 1 p.m.