Football Falters Against Liberty

Friday, October 2

Newark, Del.

7 PM

University of Delaware

2-3 , 0-1

Liberty

4-1 , 1-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Liberty	6	14	3	7	30
Delaware	0	0	0	14	14

Game Notes

Photo by: Mikey Reeves

10/2/2026 10:10:00 PM | Football

Box Score Delaware Press Conference Photo Gallery

NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware football team lost to the Liberty Flames, 30-14, on Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd for Parents & Family Weekend at Delaware Stadium. The Fightin' Blue Hens drop to 2-3, while the Flames rise to 4-1.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS

QB EJ Archield Jr. completed 10-of-19 passes for 137 yards in his first-career game.
QB Braden Streeter entered in relief of Archield Jr., tossing a 58-yard touchdown to WR Donovan Lewis for UD's first score. The 58 yards marked a career-long pass for Streeter and a career-long catch for Lewis.
QB Tyler Bell made his collegiate debut in the fourth quarter, leading the team in rushing with 32 yards, while throwing for 42 yards and his first-career touchdown pass.
WR Matthew McKinley-Daniels was on the receiving end of Bell's touchdown pass, scoring his first-career touchdown on the play as well. The junior wideout finished with two catches for 36 yards to go with the score.
S Kahlil Ali recorded a career-best eight tackles, while adding a TFL.
P Josh Cupitt punted five times with a 43.4 yard average, including a 52-yard punt that pinned the Flames at their own two-yard line.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Liberty got on the board first with a 47-yard field goal to make it 3-0 six minutes into the contest. The Flames knocked another field goal in from 30-yards out to go up 6-0 late in the first.
The visitors found paydirt for the first time in the game on a 56-yard scamper to increase their lead to 13-0 with 7:35 to play in the opening half. Liberty would add another score before the break to leave a 20-0 score at the half.
LU tacked on 10 points in the second half before Delaware found the endzone on a 58-yard strike from Streeter to Lewis in the fourth quarter to get on the board.
With time winding down in the fourth quarter, Bell threw off his backfoot to find McKinley-Daniels in the corner of the endzone for a juggling grab. Bell would tack on a two-point conversion with his legs to make it a 30-14 final.

GAME NOTES

Delaware's fourth-quarter touchdown was the first points allowed by Liberty in the final frame on the campaign. Coming into the game, the Flames were the only team in the country to not allow fourth-quarter points this season.
Delaware is tied for third in the country in sacks behind LSU and Tennessee's 18, after UD's two sacks put the Hens total at 17.
The Blue & Gold's six players to throw a pass this season leads the country.
The attendance of 19,182 is the largest home crowd for Delaware since it had 19,209 on October 13, 2018 against Elon.
Archield Jr. made his first-career start in his first-career appearance. It marked the first time a Delaware quarterback made his collegiate debut in his first-career start since September 4, 2015, when Blake Rankin made his debut as the Blue Hens' starting QB.
CB Shawn Church Jr. made his career debut.
OL Wahkeem Roman made his first appearance at guard after previously only playing tackle.

UP NEXT
The Fightin' Blue Hens will travel to Middle Tennessee for Weekday CUSA play on Tuesday, October 13 at 7 p.m. The game will air nationally on CBS Sports Network.

TICKET INFORMATION
Get your 2026 Delaware football tickets now by visiting bluehens.com/fbtickets.

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