No. 11/12 Football Completes Comeback to Top Lafayette 36-34

Saturday, November 25

2 p.m.

University of Delaware

9-3 , 6-2

Lafayette

9-3 , 5-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Lafayette

Delaware

Photo by: Mikey Reeves

No. 11/12 Football Completes Comeback to Top Lafayette 36-34

11/25/2023 7:50:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

NEWARK, Del. – Trailing 28-7 in the second quarter, the No. 11/12 University of Delaware football team mounted an improbable comeback to defeat Lafayette 36-34 in an FCS Championship First Round contest at Delaware Stadium on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Blue Hens improve to 9-3 on the season, while the Leopards conclude their season with a 9-3 record.

HENS HIGHLIGHTS

Nick Minicucci made his first career start and finished 16-of-25 passing for 198 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 46 yards.
The Blue Hens ran for 203 yards on the ground, led by 76 yards on seven carries by Jo'Nathan Silver.
Quincy Watson rushed 12 times for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Joshua Youngblood had team-highs of six catches for 79 yards and a touchdown.
Braden Brose hauled in three passes for 39 yards and a pair of scores.
Jackson Taylor led the defense with eight tackles and also had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Dillon Trainer finished with seven tackles and Chase McGowan had 2.0 of UD's 3.0 sacks.
Delaware's defense allowed just 90 total yards in the second half and forced three fumbles.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Lafayette opened the scoring with a touchdown on its first possession.
Jourdan Townsend returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards to the 2-yard line to set up a Marcus Yarns' rushing score two plays later that evened the score at 7-7.
Lafayette forced three-straight turnovers that all led to touchdowns as the Leopards took a 28-7 lead early in the second quarter.
Minicucci dropped in a 36-yard touchdown pass to Youngblood with just 38 seconds remaining in the half to make it a 28-13 game at the midway point.
Halfway through the third quarter, Silver broke free on a 41-yard run to bring the ball into Lafayette territory. Three plays later, Watson found the end zone from six yards out to cut the deficit to 28-19.
The defense forced a three-and-out to give the ball right back to the offense, which went on a seven-play, 61-yard drive that was capped by a seven-yard touchdown grab by Brose to make it a 28-26 game on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Jack Hall recorded a strip-sack to give the ball right back to UD. Minicucci again found Brose for the touchdown, this time from 18 yards out to give the Blue Hens the 33-28 lead.
Lafayette responded with a touchdown to regain the 34-33 advantage, but Hall made a big stop on the 2-point conversion attempt to keep it a one-point game.
Delaware marched down the field on a 13-play drive that took nearly six minutes. Watson accounted for 40 yards on the drive that set up a 23-yard Alex Schmoke field goal to put UD back on top 36-33 with just 1:37 remaining.
The defense came up with another big stop as Taylor forced a fumble on a short pass that was recovered by Christian Pierce to end any chance of a Lafayette comeback.

GAME NOTES

Yarns' first-quarter touchdown was his 15th of the season, which is ninth in a single season in program history.
Taylor reached the 100-tackle mark for the season for the first time in his career.

UP NEXT
The Blue Hens advance to the second round of the FCS Championship for the second-consecutive season and will travel to take on No. 2 Montana next Saturday, December 2. Kickoff in Missoula, Montana is set for 9 p.m. ET.

FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware football, follow the Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.