TOWSON, MD -- The University of Delaware?fs offensive attack entered Saturday night?fs key early season Colonial Athletic Association football meeting with Towson as clearly one of the nation?fs best.
But it was the Blue Hen defense that stole most of the thunder as Delaware held Towson to just 157 yards and 11 first downs on the way to a decisive 27-7 victory before a Johnny Unitas Stadium record crowd of 10,856.
All-American Omar Cuff led the Delaware offense as he rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Joe Flacco bombed away for 274 yards as the Blue Hens (4-0, 3-0 CAA) remained undefeated and defeated Towson (2-2, 0-2 CAA) for the first time since 2005. The Hens are off to their best start since the 2003 NCAA I-AA national championship squad started out 9-0 on the way to a 15-1 record.
Just a year ago at Delaware Stadium, Towson sliced through the Delaware defense for a 49-35 victory, producing 627 total yards, the highest regular season total and the third highest total allowed in school history. In that game, Tiger quarterback Sean Schaefer was nearly unstoppable as he threw for 435 yards and five touchdowns.
It was much different this time. Schaefer completed just 12 of 19 passes for 136 yards and threw an interception and the Delaware defense collected six sacks, including three by defensive end Matt Marcorelle.
Towson finished with -16 yards rushing for the night, their seventh lowest total in school history and the eighth lowest amount yielded in UD history. Delaware has now allowed 300 or less yards in three straight games for the first time since the 2004. The 157 yards was the lowest total allowed by the Hens since Towson netted just 152 yards against Delaware in a 21-17 UD victory in 2004.
?gThis was an absolutely incredible performance by our defense tonight,?h said Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler, who squad now has 15 sacks on the year, two more than all of last season. ?gPeople thought our defense would be our achilles heel but they have done a great job this season, especially tonight. We put pressure on the quarterback and held a great player (Schaefer) to his all-time low passing game. We made an important step for the rest of the season tonight.?h
Omar Cuff, the nation?fs second leading scorer and a Walter Payton Award candidate as the top offensive player in FCS, upped his season touchdown total to 15 as he rushed 27 times for 109 yards and three touchdowns to lead a ground game that picked up 142 yards on the night. Omar Cuff posted his 14th career 100-yard rushing game and increased his career total to 2,921.
Joe Flacco had another big day for the Blue Hens. After being intercepted on the Hens?f first play of the game, he came back to connect on 22 of 33 passes for 274 yards. He led an offense that collected 416 total yards as he surpassed the 200-yard mark for the ninth straight game, tying a school record set by Matt Nagy in 1998.
Junior wide receiver Aaron Love went over the 100-yard receiving mark for the second straight contest as he hauled in seven passes for 107 yards and registered his 100th career reception.
Delaware?fs defense continued its first half dominance against opponents as the Blue Hens held Towson scoreless in the first half and allowed just 54 total yards on the way to a 17-0 lead at intermission.
The Blue Hens, who allowed just five Towson first downs in the stanza, have now outscored opponents 93-5 in the first half and 58-0 in the second quarter and have held opponents scoreless on 23 straight scoring drives.
Things started out slowly for the Hens, who gave the ball up on their first play from scrimmage when Joe Flacco?fs pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and Drew Mack intercepted at the Delaware 47-yard line. But Delaware?fs defense held and set up the first score of the night as Omar Cuff capped a 12-play, 67-yard drive with a one-yard dive with 5:03 left in the opening quarter. Joe Flacco passes of 22 yards to Mark Mackey and 30 yards to Jon Heydt keyed the drive.
After Towson?fs Mark Bencivengo missed a 44-yard field goal late in the first quarter, the Hens took the ball at the 27-yard line and promptly drove 64 yards in 6:18 and went up 14-0 on a 26-yard field goal by Jon Striefsky with 10:19 left in the half.
The Hens then took a 17-0 lead into halftime on their next drive as this time they drove 76 yards on nine plays and capped the drive on 16-yard burst by Omar Cuff around the left end. A 27-yard pass from Joe Flacco to Aaron Love to the Towson 20-yard line, Love?fs 100th career reception, set up the score.
Towson came out strong to start the second half, moving 58 yards on five plays on the first drive of the stanza. Schaefer completed the drive with a 45-yard scoring bomb down the left sideline to Paul Perry, pulling the Tigers to within 17-7 with 12:40 left in the third quarter. But that was all the Blue Hens would allow the remainder of the night.
Delaware came back later in the half to up the lead to 24-7 when Omar Cuff scored on a 13-yard run with 4:40 left in the third quarter. Junior Marvin McKinnie set up the scoring drive with his first career interception. An 18-yard pass from Joe Flacco DVD to Love moved the ball to the 20-yard line and Omar Cuff scored two plays later.
The Hens upped the lead to 27-7 with 10:09 left as Striefsky converted his second field goal of the night, a 20-yarder that capped a 17-play, 82-yard drive. Striefsky has now hit on all 20 of his extra point attempts and is perfect on all five field goal attempts.
Delaware will look to improve to 5-0 next week as the Blue Hens host Monmouth, a first-time opponent, Saturday at 7 p.m. at Delaware Stadium.
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