No. 5/6 Football Returns Home for Big CAA Matchup with Elon

NEWARK, Del. – Two of the top teams in the CAA will face off against each other on Saturday afternoon when the University of Delaware football team hosts Elon for a crucial matchup at Delaware Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and the game will be broadcast simultaneously on both FloSports and the Delmarva Sports Network.

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ABOUT THE HENS

Delaware is now 7-1 on the season and atop the CAA with a 5-0 record in league play after a dominant 51-13 win at Towson last weekend.
The Blue Hens remained at No. 5 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll and No. 6 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. It is their highest ranking in the media poll since being ranked fifth ahead of the 2021 season opener.
The Blue Hens finished with 619 yards of total offense against Towson, the most by Delaware in the Ryan Carty era. It is the fourth time this season that Delaware's offense has surpassed the 500-yard mark.
Zach Marker connected on his first 16 pass attempts to set a UD record for completions to start a game. He finished 16-of-18 for 307 yards and two touchdowns in just one half of play.
Nate Reed connected on field goals from 29, 23 and 29 yards, becoming the first Blue Hen to make three field goals in a game since the 2020-21 spring season.
Marcus Yarns was named the CAA Co-Offensive Player of the Week after finishing with 168 all-purpose yards on a career-high 105 receiving yards and 63 rushing yards. He scored five total touchdowns with four of them coming on the ground.
Delaware's defense is allowing just 13.0 ppg in seven games against FCS opponents this season. he Blue Hens have 16 takeaways on the season, including 10 interceptions, both of which rank in the top-12 nationally.

ABOUT THE PHOENIX

Elon enters Saturday's game with a 4-4 overall record and a 4-1 mark in the CAA. The Phoenix are 1-1 in games against ranked opponents with a win over then-No. 5 William & Mary and a loss to then-No. 14 North Carolina Central.
The offense is averaging 20.5 ppg and 303.8 ypg of total offense, while the defense is allowing 23.1 ppg and 383.3 total yards to opponents.
Matthew Downing has completed 61 percent (79-130) of his passes for 1,021 yards and 10 touchdowns while also throwing four interceptions.
Jalen Hampton is among the CAA rushing leaders, averaging 84.3 yards per game on the ground, and has found the end zone five times.
Elon has three different receivers averaging more than 40 receiving yards per game, led by Jordan Bonner who has 29 catches for 348 yards and a team-high four touchdowns.
Caleb Curtain leads the defense with 60 tackles and is tied for the CAA lead with three interceptions. Marvin Pearson heads up a strong defensive front with 7.0 TFL and 4.5 sacks.

SERIES HISTORY

The Blue & Gold holds a 3-2 series advantage against Elon, but is looking to snap a two-game losing streak to the Phoenix.
Delaware has defeated Elon in both matchups at Delaware Stadium, coming away with a 28-16 victory in 2018 and a 34-24 win in 2014.
Last year, UD dropped a 27-7 decision on Elon's home field. Braden Brose caught a 12-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring, but the Blue Hens were only able to manage 265 yards of total offense.

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No. 5/6 Football Returns Home for Big CAA Matchup with Elon

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Braden Brose

Zach Marker

Nate Reed

Marcus Yarns

University of Delaware Athletics

No. 5/6 Football Returns Home for Big CAA Matchup with Elon

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Braden Brose

Zach Marker

Nate Reed

Marcus Yarns

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