University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
3-1 , 1-0
FIU
2-2 , 0-1
Football Earns First-Ever Conference USA Victory Over FIU, 38-16
9/20/2025 9:42:00 PM | Football
MIAMI – The University of Delaware football team earned a win in its first-ever Conference USA contest over the FIU Panthers, 38-16, on Saturday night at Pitbull Stadium. The Fightin' Blue Hens improved to 3-1, 1-0 CUSA, while the Panthers fall to 2-2, 0-1 CUSA. The win moved Delaware's record to 9-1 in night games under Ryan Carty.
HEN HIGHLIGHTS
- QB Nick Minicucci went 23-of-35 for 218 yards with three touchdowns. He completed a pass to eight different receivers in the first half and nine for the game.
- S Mysonne Pollard tallied his first-career game with two interceptions. It was the first time a Blue Hen recorded two interceptions in the same game since Khalil Dawsey had two at Campbell on November 11, 2023.
- WR Nick Laboy notched his first-career multi-touchdown receiving game with both of his catches going for scores.
- WR Kyre Duplessis ripped off a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown. It was the first of his career and the first by a Blue Hen since Jourdan Townsend did so at Hampton on October 21, 2023.
- RB Jo Silver had 13 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown, while adding one catch for five receiving yards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UD got on the board on its first drive of the game as K Nate Reed knocked in a 24-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead early on.
- The Blue Hens got the ball back thanks to a pick in the end zone by S Mysonne Pollard to halt the Panthers' opening possession.
- FIU took a 7-3 lead following a two-yard rushing touchdown by QB Keyone Jenkins for a 7-3 lead after the first frame.
- Pollard picked off Jenkins for the second time in the first half with 14:11 to go in the second quarter.
- The Blue Hens took a 10-7 lead on a 14-yard rushing touchdown by Silver with 11:55 to go in the opening half.
- Minicucci found Laboy for a touchdown from two yards out, after a play action that fooled the defense, increasing the Delaware lead to 17-7 with 4:26 left in the second quarter.
- After a sack by DT Keyshawn Hunter on third down, FIU punted the ball to Duplessis, who took it back 68 yards to the house to make it 24-7 in favor of the Hens in the first half.
- The Panthers opened the second half with a 35-yard field goal, cutting it to 24-10.
- Laboy found paydirt for the second time on the receiving end of a Minicucci pass, where the receiver scarped his foot in the back corner of the end zone, to increase the Blue & Gold's lead to 31-10 with 2:47 to go in the third.
- FIU clapped back with a touchdown to cut it to 31-16 with 12:22 left in the game after a failed two-point conversion.
- RB Viron Ellison Jr. was on the receiving end of Minicucci's third touchdown pass of the game to increase the Hens lead to 38-16 with 4:45 to play.
GAME NOTES
- LB Anthony Crenshaw Jr. made his first-career start.
- LB Julius Puryear made his collegiate debut on his birthday in his home state of Florida.
- WR Matthew McKinley-Daniels made his season debut.
- Delaware improved to 24-1 under Carty when leading at halftime.
- UD advanced to 19-3 when scoring first under Carty.
UP NEXT
Following a bye week, the Blue Hens will host WKU for Parents & Family Weekend on Friday, October 3 at 7 p.m. The game will air nationally on CBS Sports Network and will be the first CUSA home game at Delaware Stadium..
TICKET INFORMATION
Don't miss your chance to be part of the action at Delaware Stadium this fall. Get your single-game tickets for the 2025 Delaware home football season today!
Season tickets offer the best seats at the best price for every home game and come with great benefits, such as ticket priority for away games and invites to exclusive member-only events. Partial Plans offer fans flexible options and price savings over individual games.
For more information or to secure your seats, visit BlueHens.com/fbtickets.
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Team Stats
DEL 3, FIU 0
DEL - Reed,Nate 24 yd field goal 12 plays, 68 yards, TOP 05:29
DEL 3, FIU 7
FIU - Jenkins,Keyone 2 yd run (Czeremcha,Robert kick), 3 plays, 54 yards, TOP 00:45
DEL 10, FIU 7
DEL - Silver,Jo 14 yd run (Reed,Nate kick), 5 plays, 55 yards, TOP 02:13
DEL 17, FIU 7
DEL - Laboy,Nick 2 yd pass from Minicucci,Nick (Reed,Nate kick) 8 plays, 77 yards, TOP 03:01
DEL 24, FIU 7
DEL - Duplessis,Kyre 68 yd punt return (Reed,Nate kick)
DEL 24, FIU 10
FIU - Czeremcha,Robert 35 yd field goal 13 plays, 59 yards, TOP 05:27
DEL 31, FIU 10
DEL - Laboy,Nick 14 yd pass from Minicucci,Nick (Reed,Nate kick) 12 plays, 79 yards, TOP 06:33
DEL 31, FIU 16
FIU - Perry,Alex 5 yd pass from Jenkins,Keyone () 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:31
DEL 38, FIU 16
DEL - Ellison Jr.,Viron 9 yd pass from Minicucci,Nick (Reed,Nate kick) 15 plays, 81 yards, TOP 07:31
