Fast Start Sends Blue Hens to Final Four After 20-14 Win over JSU

Sunday, May 2

Jacksonville, AL

3 p.m.

University of Delaware

7-0

#4 Jacksonville State

10-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

DELAWARE

Jacksonville State

Photo by: Ryan Griffith

Fast Start Sends Blue Hens to Final Four After 20-14 Win over JSU

5/2/2021 7:16:00 PM | Football

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The University of Delaware football team used a pair of touchdowns on its first two possessions to take down No. 4 Jacksonville State, 20-14, Saturday afternoon at Burgess-Snow Field to advance to the FCS Semifinals.

"I'm just really proud of our football team," said head coach Danny Rocco. "To be able to come down here on the road, in this round, and find a way to win and advance shows this football team can win in a lot of different ways."

Redshirt junior quarterback Nolan Henderson was 18-of-28, throwing for 239 yards, finding senior Gene Coleman II on 10 occasions for a career-best 129 yards. Coleman's 10 grabs are one shy of the program record for receptions in a playoff game.

The defense was dominant again, forcing a pair of interceptions, held JSU to a season-low 200 yards of total offense, and sacked the quarterback five times. Both redshirt senior Nijuel Hill and redshirt sophomore Noah Plack picked up interceptions.

Redshirt junior Colby Reeder led the way with seven tackles and the Blue Hens won the first downs battle, 24-8, and held the Gamecocks to just 1-for-12 on third downs.

Delaware went right down the field on its opening drive, highlighted by a third-and-long rush by Henderson, picking up the first down and taking a late hit to tack on 15 more yards. Redshirt sophomore Anthony Paoletti capped-off the eight-play, 75-yard drive with a two-yard score.

Redshirt junior Artis Hemmingway picked up a sack on Jacksonville State's brief opening drive to get the Blue Hens the ball back quickly, wasting no time again. Henderson was big on another third-and-long, connecting with redshirt freshman Brett Buckman for a 27-yard pick up.

Back-to-back completions to redshirt junior Thyrick Pitts and Coleman set up a redshirt senior Dejoun Lee touchdown run to make it 14-0 in the first quarter.

The Gamecocks were only able to pick up 42 yards of offense in the first quarter, and a scoreless second frame kept it 14-0 at the break. They came out of the locker room quickly, breaking off a 74-yard run on the first play of the third quarter to set up a touchdown on the next play.

Delaware would answer, putting together a drive of its own started by a 23-yard run by Paoletti before Henderson connected with junior Bryce De Maille for 24 yards to get into Gamecock territory. However, the drive would stall and sophomore Ryan Coe would connect from 23 yards.

De Maille matched his career highs in both receptions and yards with five grabs for 69 yards.

Plack would get his interception on Jacksonville State's first play of the drive, making it at least one forced turnover by the Delaware defense in each game this season. However, the Blue Hens would not be able to capitalize and the score would stay at 17-7 heading into the fourth.

Sophomore Chase McGowan started the final frame with a third-down sack to end the Gamecocks' drive and Hill would get his interception on the following JSU possession.

That turnover help set up another field goal by Coe, this time from 47 yards to make it 20-7 in favor of the Blue Hens. Coe has connected on his last seven field goal attempts.

The Gamecocks would be able to get within a score, finding the end zone with just 41 seconds left, but the Blue Hens would recover the onside kick and get into victory formation.

Redshirt sophomore Zach Gwynn did have to give Henderson a spell in the second quarter, connecting on both of his pass attempts for 27 yards as the Blue Hens used seven different pass-catchers in the game.

Redshirt freshman Nick Coomer made a career-high five tackles while the quartet of Plack, McGowan, and juniors Johnny Buchanan and Kedrick Whitehead each had four stops apiece.

Delaware will await the winner of the No. 1 South Dakota State, Southern Illinois game for its final-four matchup on Saturday.

For the latest on the Delaware football program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter @DelawareFB and Instagram @DelawareFootball, and like "Delaware Football" on Facebook.