#20 Blue Hens Gut Out 28-27 Comeback Victory

Saturday, September 21

1 p.m.

University of Delaware

3-1

Penn

0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Penn

Delaware

Photo by: Mark Campbell

9/21/2019 5:07:00 PM | Football

Box Score

NEWARK, Del. – The No. 20 Delaware football team had an unusual test Saturday afternoon at Delaware Stadium with Penn playing its season opener after the Blue Hens were coming off back-to-back grueling battles in the previous two weeks.

Again, the Blue Hens found themselves down two-scores at the half, but found a way to pull out a 28-27 decision on the back of 21-unasnwered points in the second half and a two-point conversion denial in the game's final moments.

"There's a lot of things to go back and dissect and look at. Yet, the big news is that we won. The big news is another game where we were trailing significantly, down two scores, we were able to come back and find a way to win," said Delaware head coach Danny Rocco. "That's a real statement about the character of your kids and your program and the commitment level of your student-athletes.

The Blue Hens' offense looked sharp early, something it has struggled to do in the first four games of the season. Delaware went 72 yards on the first possession of the game as redshirt sophomore quarterback Nolan Henderson connected on all four of his passes in his first career start, including the 29-yard touchdown to classmate Thyrick Pitts.

It was a stagnant second quarter however for Delaware as Penn scored 14-unanswered points to head into halftime with a 14-7 advantage.

The Quakers looked sharp out of the locker room, going 75 yards in eight plays to take a two-touchdown advantage in the early goings of the third quarter before the Blue Hens came alive.

After going over 30 minutes of game action without a point, Delaware erupted for 21-unanswered in the second half. It got started when junior Gene Coleman II reeled in an 11-yard pass to cap-off a six-play, 75-yard drive to bring the Blue Hens within a touchdown.

A 23-yard third-down conversion from redshirt freshman Will Knight set up sophomore Bryce De Maille's 17-yard score and a the defense continued its second-half prowess when sophomore Drew Nickles made the big fourth-down stop.

Henderson and Pitts connected once more on the next possession, this time a 45-yard strike down the sideline that would eventually set up a six-yard Knight touchdown run to put Delaware in front, 28-21 with 7:36 to play.

The Delaware defense allowed just 45 yards of offense for the Quakers in the fourth quarter and forced a three-and-out to give the Blue Hens the ball back with 5:41 5o play. After picking up a first down, the Quaker defense held and Delaware was forced to punt with 2:41 on the clock.

Penn's Isaiah Malcome picked up a block and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown to bring the Quakers within an extra point, but the visitors opted to go for two and the Delaware defense applied pressure and forced an awry throw to hold on for the victory.

Henderson was efficient through the air, going 20-for-29 with 260 yards and three scores, connecting with Pitts on five occasions for 128 yards and a touchdown.

Knight led the way on the ground with 61 yards on 12 touches with a touchdown and Nickles made two stops with an interception and sophomore Kedrick Whitehead had a career-high 14 stops.

Senior Cam Kitchen was a force on the defensive front with a season-high seven tackles and redshirt freshman Noah Plack had five stops and a forced fumble.

Delaware turns its focus to an FBS opponent in Pittsburgh, traveling to the Steel City for a 12:30 p.m. kick-off with the Panthers Sept. 28.