Football Falls to Villanova in 2024 Finale

Saturday, November 23

Villanova, PA

1 PM

University of Delaware

9-2 , 6-2

Villanova

9-3 , 6-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Delaware

Villanova

Photo by: Mikey Reeves

11/23/2024 5:21:00 PM | Football

Box Score

VILLANOVA, Pa. – The University of Delaware football team saw its successful 2024 season come to an end on Saturday with a 38-28 setback at Villanova. With the loss, the Blue Hens finish the season at 9-2 overall and 6-2 in CAA play, while the Wildcats move to 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the conference.

HENS HIGHLIGHTS

Nick Minicucci passed for 198 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 48 yards.
Marcus Yarns ran for 100 yards and also caught three passes for 74 yards, scoring two total touchdowns.
JoJo Bermudez and Jo'Nathan Silver both also scored touchdowns.
Dillon Trainer made nine tackles to lead the defense, while Gavin Moul added eight and 1.5 TFLs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Wildcats scored on their first possession and doubled the lead to 14-0 with a defensive score.
Another score early in the second quarter made it 21-0.
A short field allowed the Hens to respond as Jake Thaw hit Minicucci for a 15-yard pass on a trick play before Bermudez scored on a 14-yard end-around rush to cut the deficit to 21-7.
The momentum stayed on UD's side as the defense forced a three-and-out before Yarns used a 19-yard run to set up his own one-yard score to make it a 21-14 game with 1:13 left in the second quarter.
Tyron Herring intercepted a pass on Villanova's ensuing drive and Minicucci quickly found Yarns down the right sideline for a 65-yard touchdown pass to tie the game with 32 seconds remaining before halftime.
Villanova regained the lead with a touchdown to start the third quarter.
The Blue Hens answered with a methodical 10-play drive. Silver converted on third-and-seven with a 23-yard run, before catching a six-yard touchdown pass to even things back up at 28.
In the fourth quarter, a pair of UD turnovers led to 10 points for Villanova as the Wildcats held on for the 38-28 victory.

GAME NOTES

Yarns became the 24th player in program history to surpass 3,000 career all-purpose yards.
Yarns 100-yard performance was his fourth-consecutive game with at least 100 yards, the longest streak since Andrew Pierce did it in 2010. Saturday was Yarns' ninth career game with 100 rushing yards and fifth this season.
It was Yarns' 10th-career game with multiple touchdowns and seventh with at least one rushing and one receiving score.
Silver's touchdown reception was the first of his career.