University of Delaware Athletics

Photo by: Mikey Reeves
Football Holds On For Exciting 24-21 Win Over Rhode Island
11/9/2024 4:07:00 PM | Football
NEWARK, Del. -Â Marcus Yarns had a career day, and the University of Delaware football team remained undefeated at home with a 24-21 victory over Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon in front of 17,326 fans at Delaware Stadium. With the win, the Blue Hens improve to 8-1 on the season and 5-1 in CAA play, while the Rams fall to 8-2 overall and 5-1 in conference action.
HENS HIGHLIGHTS
- Nick Minicucci set career-highs with 25 completions on 34 pass attempts for 187 yards. He passed for one touchdown and ran for another.
- Marcus Yarns ran for a career-high 174 yards on a personal-best 23 carries and a touchdown.
- Phil Lutz caught five passes for 89 yards, while Jake Thaw also had five catches and a score.
- Delaware's defense held Rhode Island to 300 total yards and just seven points after halftime.
- Dillon Trainer led the defense with eight tackles and tied a personal best with 2.0 TFLs.
- Gavin Moul had four tackles, a TFL and sealed the victory with a late interception.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A 44-yard run by Yarns on Delaware's first drive set up Minicucci for an easy one-yard rushing touchdown to put the Hens up 7-0.
- Rhode Island responded with a pair of quick touchdowns off of two turnovers to take a 14-7 lead after one quarter.
- Early in the second quarter, Yarns took a direct snap and tiptoed his way into the end zone for a 27-yard score to tie the game 14-14.
- A 24-yard reverse run by Jojo Bermudez set up a 25-yard field goal by Nate Reed to give the Blue Hens the lead at halftime.
- Late in the third quarter, Delaware capped a 12-play drive as Minicucci lobbed a fourth-down pass from the 7-yard line that Thaw made a diving catch in the corner of the end zone to extend UD's lead to 24-14.
- Rhode Island cut the lead to three with a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
- Josh Cupitt pinned the Rams on their own 11-yard line with just 59 seconds remaining and, four plays later, Moul put a stop to the drive with his second interception of the season to seal the 24-21 victory.
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GAME NOTES
- Minicucci's touchdown run in the first quarter was the first of his career.
- Yarns became the 18th player in program history to rush for 2,000 career yards, surpassing the mark on his 27-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
- Saturday was Yarns' seventh-career 100-yard rushing game, and third this season.
- Delaware now has at least eight wins in three-straight years, the first time accomplishing the feat since the 1995-97 seasons.
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UP NEXT
The Blue Hens will play their final home game of the 2024 season when they host Campbell on Saturday, November 16. Kickoff at Delaware Stadium is set for 1 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on FloFootball. Delaware will recognize the program's seniors prior to the game.
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