No. 11/12 Football Set for FCS First Round Matchup with Lafayette

NEWARK, Del. – The No. 11/12 University of Delaware football team will host a playoff game for the second-straight season when it hosts No. 20/18 Lafayette in the first round of the 2023 FCS Championship. Kickoff at Delaware Stadium is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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ABOUT THE HENS

Delaware is making its 19th trip to the FCS Championship and enters the postseason with an 8-3 overall record after finishing 6-2 in the CAA
The Blue Hens sit at No. 11 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll and No. 12 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
Marcus Yarns ranks third nationally with 17 total touchdowns as well as fourth with 14 rushing touchdowns and 7.49 yards per carry.
His 14 rushing touchdowns are tied for the 10th-most in a single season in UD history and he needs 154 more rushing yards to become the 20th player in program history to reach 1,000 yards in a season.
Linebacker Jackson Taylor leads the defense with 97 total tackles and is second with 11.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks. He is three tackles away from becoming the 36th player in program history to reach 100 tackles in a season.
Delaware's offense ranks in the top 20 nationally in both scoring and total offense, ranking 16th with 32.4 ppg and 19th with 422.0 ypg.
The defense is 24th in the country allowing just 20.8 ppg and is in the top 20 in both interceptions (12) and turnovers gained (20).

ABOUT THE LEOPARDS

Lafayette enters the playoffs with a 9-2 overall record and won the Patriot League title with a 5-1 conference record, earning the league's automatic postseason bid.
The Leopards have won eight of their past nine games and are currently ranked No. 20 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll and No. 18 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
The offense is averaging 29.6 ppg and 366.0 ypg of total offense, while the defense is allowing 22.2 ppg and 339.6 ypg to opponents and ranks fifth in the country with 35 sacks on the season.
Dean DeNobile has passed for 1,833 yards and 18 touchdowns while throwing just five interceptions. He has also rushed for 173 yards and six scores.
Jamar Curtis leads the ground attack with 1,333 yards in 10 games this season and has found the end zone 13 total times.
Elijah Steward is averaging 58.7 receiving ypg and has combined with Chris Carasia for nine receiving touchdowns.
Billy Shaeffer leads the Lafayette defense with 75 total tackles, 20.5 TFLs and 10.0 sacks. Saiku White has 71 tackles and a team-high three interceptions.

SERIES HISTORY

Delaware and Lafayette have met 28 times before, dating back to the 1914 season. UD holds a 21-7 lead in the overall series, including a 10-4 mark at home, and has won each of the last 14 meetings.
The two programs previously met in the postseason in the first round of the 2004 playoffs, a 28-14 UD victory at Delaware Stadium.
The most recent matchup was a 37-0 Blue Hen victory at Delaware Stadium in 2018. Pat Kehoe threw three first-half touchdowns in that game, and Kani Kane and Khory Spruill each ran for second-half scores. Troy Reeder led the defense with eight tackles and a forced fumble, while Nasir Adderley and Johnny Buchanan each had an interception.
The Leopards were the first-ever opponent to enter Delaware Stadium on November 15, 1952. The Blue Hens came away with a 13-12 victory.

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No. 11/12 Football Set for FCS First Round Matchup with Lafayette

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Johnny Buchanan

Khory Spruill

Jackson Taylor

Marcus Yarns

University of Delaware Athletics

No. 11/12 Football Set for FCS First Round Matchup with Lafayette

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Johnny Buchanan

Khory Spruill

Jackson Taylor

Marcus Yarns

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