University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
7-6 , 4-4
Louisiana
6-7 , 5-3
Football Wins First-FBS Bowl Game with 20-13 Decision Over Louisiana in the 68 Ventures Bowl
12/17/2025 11:44:00 PM | Football
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of Delaware football team defeated Louisiana 20-13 at Hancock Whitney Stadium on Wednesday in the 68 Ventures Bowl. The Fightin' Blue Hens close their first FBS season at 7-6, 4-4 CUSA, while the Ragin' Cajuns end at 6-7, 5-3 SBC. Delaware became the second team all-time to win a bowl game in its first FBS season, joining Conference USA foe Jax State in 2023.
Delaware swept the game's MVP awards: RB Jo Silver (Overall MVP), QB Nick Minicucci (Offensive MVP), CB Nate Evans (Defensive MVP), and K Nate Reed (Special Teams MVP).
HEN HIGHLIGHTS
- Minicucci went 19-for-30, passing for 176 yards and a touchdown.
- Silver rushed 14 times for 116 yards and a touchdown, registering his second-career 100+ yard rushing game.
- WR Sean Wilson reeled in his third touchdown of the season, while recording a team-high eight catches for 81 yards.
- Evans tallied his third interception of the campaign.
- LB Anthony Crenshaw Jr. and LB Marje Mulumba secured their first-career fumble recoveries in the contest.
- LB Gavin Moul led the charge on defense with eight tackles.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Delaware came up with a redzone stop late in the opening frame thanks to an interception in the corner of the endzone by Evans. The Hens capitalized on the turnover with a 61-yard rushing touchdown by Silver to take a 7-0 lead.
- Louisiana got on the board with a 22-yard field goal halfway through the second quarter that capped a 16-play, 70-yard drive that ate up 8:13.
- Reed gave the Hens a 10-3 advantage after a 33-yard field goal with 28 ticks left in the opening half.
- Minicucci found Wilson on a 35-yard strike to open the scoring in the second half, putting the Hens up 17-3 early in the third.
- Reed's second field goal of the game put the Blue Hens up 20-3 with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter.
- The Ragin' Cajuns answered with a 39-yard field goal with 2:31 left in the third quarter to cut Delaware's lead to 14.
- After a Delaware field goal try was blocked, the Cajuns scored an eight-yard touchdown to cut it to a seven-point game with 7:49 left in the fourth.
- Mulumba recovered a mishandled snap on a Ragin' Cajuns rush attempt on fourth-and-five with 2:13 remaining in the final frame.
- LB Blake Matthews broke up a pass attempt at the goalline with no time remaining with Louisiana on the Delaware seven-yard line, sealing the victory for the Blue & Gold.
GAME NOTES
- Silver's 61-yard scamper is the third-longest run in 68 Ventures Bowl history. It was the sixth play of the season that the Hens gained at least 60 yards on, and was the fourth of those 60 yard plays to result in a touchdown.
- The three points allowed by Delaware in the opening half are tied for the fewest points given up by UD this season, matching the first half in the season-opening win over Delaware State.
- Teams leading at the half in the 68 Ventures Bowl are 20-4 all-time.
- The Blue & Gold moved to 23-0 under Ryan Carty when winning the turnover battle and 12-0 with no turnovers.
- The Hens moved to 23-6 under Carty and 6-3 this season when scoring first.
- The Blue Hens moved to 31-1 under Carty and 7-0 this season when leading after three quarters.
- UD moved to 20-0 under Carty and 2-0 this season when allowing 19 or fewer points.
- The Hens moved to 12-1 under Carty and 2-0 this season when having a 100-yard rusher.
- Delaware moved to 11-2 under Carty when wearing the traditional Blue & Gold uniforms.
- UD moved to 20-3 under Carty when leading after the first quarter.
- Minicucci's passing touchdown moved him into a tie for sixth all-time for passing touchdowns in a season with 23, matching QB Joe Flacco in 2007.
- Nate Reed recorded five touchbacks in the contest, bringing him to 47 on the season, tying his own record for most in a season which he set last year. Reed closes out his career holding the all-time program record at 101 touchbacks.
- Minicucci's 30 passing attempts brought him to 512 on the season, giving him the second-most attempts in a single season in program history behind Flacco (521, 2007).
- Minicucci's 19 completions now gives him 322 in 2025, putting him in second place all-time in a season behind Flacco (331, 2007).
- Minicucci places second in total yards in a season with 3,918, trailing Flacco (4,285, 2007).
- The signal-caller ranks second all-time in passing yards in a season with 3,683, trailing only Flacco (4,263, 2007).
- OL Fintan Brose and DT Jack Hall own a share of third place for the most games played all-time in a Blue & Gold uniform with 56.
- Evans' pass break-up in the first quarter made him the first Blue Hen since Justis Henley in 2022 to record at least eight PBUs in a season.
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Team Stats
UL 0, DEL 7
DEL - Silver,Jo 61 yd run (Reed,Nate kick), 5 plays, 80 yards, TOP 02:28
UL 3, DEL 7
UL - Sterner,Tony 22 yd field goal 16 plays, 70 yards, TOP 08:13
UL 3, DEL 10
DEL - Reed,Nate 33 yd field goal 12 plays, 49 yards, TOP 03:29
UL 3, DEL 17
DEL - Wilson,Sean 35 yd pass from Minicucci,Nick (Reed,Nate kick) 6 plays, 70 yards, TOP 02:15
UL 3, DEL 20
DEL - Reed,Nate 27 yd field goal 10 plays, 62 yards, TOP 04:19
UL 6, DEL 20
UL - Sterner,Tony 39 yd field goal 10 plays, 53 yards, TOP 04:28
UL 13, DEL 20
UL - Sampson Jr. ,Shelton 8 yd pass from Winfield,Lunch (Sterner,Tony kick) 10 plays, 46 yards, TOP 05:04
