University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
1-0 , 0-0
Bryant
0-1 , 0-0
Football Rolls Past Bryant 48-17 in Season Opener
8/29/2024 10:42:00 PM | Football
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware football team opened the season in style on Thursday night, scoring touchdowns on five-consecutive possessions in the first half to defeat Bryant 48-17 in front of 17,244 fans at Delaware Stadium. With the win, the Blue Hens won their sixth-straight season opener to improve to 1-0, while the Bulldogs fell to 0-1. The game was delayed for 75 minutes due to weather at the beginning of the second half.
HENS HIGHLIGHTS
- Ryan O'Connor completed 29-of-41 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns.
- Marcus Yarns accounted for 96 total yards and two touchdowns as he rushed 12 times for 62 yards and a score, while catching four passes for 34 yards and a touchdown.
- Nine different receivers caught a pass, led by JoJo Bermudez who had seven grabs for 50 yards.
- Jalyn Witcher and Nicholas Laboy each caught their first touchdown pass of their UD careers and Phil Lutz also had a scoring grab.
- Dillon Trainer and Tyron Herring each had five tackles to lead the defense while Keyshawn Hunter had a pair of sacks and KT Seay had a big interception.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams had quick first possessions before Bryant took the lead with a 23-yard field goal midway through the first quarter.
- The Blue Hens responded right away with a long nine-play drive that ended with a 16-yard touchdown pass from O'Connor to Lutz that gave UD the lead for good.
- Three plays later, Seay picked off a tipped pass near the 40-yard line and returned it to the 1-yard line where Yarns ran it in on the next play for a 14-3 lead.
- Early in the second quarter, Yarns caught a short three-yard pass for a touchdown for his second score of the half.
- After a Bryant touchdown, Jo'Nathan Silver ran for 57 yards on the ensuing drive, capping off a 14-play drive with a 1-yard plunge to make it 27-10.
- Laboy broke free for an 11-yard touchdown catch right before the half to make it 34-10 at the break.
- Midway through the third quarter, UD marched on a 12-play, 96-yard drive that culminated in an 8-yard scoring grab by Witcher.
- Saeed St. Fleur added a fourth-quarter touchdown run before Bryant found the end zone late to wrap up the scoring.
GAME NOTES
- The game was delayed for 75 minutes due to weather at the beginning of the second half.
- Yarns recorded his first multiple touchdown game of the season after recording six last season. He had three games in 2023 with at least one receiving and one rushing score.
- O'Connor passed for multiple touchdowns for the first time this season after recording five such performances last year.
- Jake Thaw had a 16-yard catch for his first collegiate grab.
UP NEXT
Delaware will have a bye week before traveling to North Carolina A&T on Saturday, September 14. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
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Team Stats
BRY 3, DEL 0
BRY - Soli,Bryce 23 yd field goal 11 plays, 58 yards, TOP 05:20
BRY 3, DEL 7
DEL - Lutz,Phil 16 yd pass from O'Connor,Ryan (Reed,Nate kick) 9 plays, 78 yards, TOP 03:36
BRY 3, DEL 14
DEL - Yarns,Marcus 1 yd run (Reed,Nate kick), 1 plays, 1 yards, TOP 00:03
BRY 3, DEL 21
DEL - Yarns,Marcus 3 yd pass from O'Connor,Ryan (Reed,Nate kick) 6 plays, 56 yards, TOP 01:33
BRY 10, DEL 21
BRY - Taglieri Jr.,Marc 4 yd pass from Guest,Jarrett (Soli,Bryce kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:13
BRY 10, DEL 27
DEL - Silver,Jo'Nathan 1 yd run (), 14 plays, 72 yards, TOP 05:59
BRY 10, DEL 34
DEL - Laboy,Nicholas 11 yd pass from O'Connor,Ryan (Reed,Nate kick) 6 plays, 35 yards, TOP 01:37
BRY 10, DEL 41
DEL - Witcher,Jalyn 8 yd pass from O'Connor,Ryan (Reed,Nate kick) 12 plays, 96 yards, TOP 05:28
BRY 10, DEL 48
DEL - St. Fleur,Saeed 25 yd run (Reed,Nate kick), 7 plays, 74 yards, TOP 02:30
BRY 17, DEL 48
BRY - Cockrell,Markiel 7 yd run (Soli,Bryce kick), 3 plays, 77 yards, TOP 01:49
