Delaware State and University of Delaware to Faceoff in Football

Celebrating the agreement for a series of football games between UD and Delaware State are (from left to right) UD Head Coach K.C. Keeler, UD President Patrick Harker, Gov. Jack Markell, DSU Acting President Claibourne Smith and DSU Head Coach Al Lavan.

The University of Delaware and Delaware State University announced Tuesday morning that they have reached a formal agreement that will result in the scheduling of four future football contests.

In a joint announcement made today by DSU acting President Claibourne D. Smith and UD President Patrick T. Harker, the two universities will play a series of games that will take place on Sept. 8, 2012, Sept. 7, 2013 and Sept. 6, 2014. All of the games will be played at the Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium on the UD campus in Newark.

In addition the two schools will play a scheduled game on Sept. 19, 2009 also at the UD campus in Newark

The DSU Hornets and the UD Blue Hens played for a historic first time in 2007 when both teams earned bids to play in the post-season Football Championship Series. However, the two football programs have never before scheduled a game against each other.

“The tremendous excitement that was generated when DSU and UD played in the 2007 college playoffs made it clear that this is a match-up that football fans in Delaware want to see regularly,” said Dr. Smith. “With this agreement, Delawareans will be able to look forward to an in-state collegiate rivalry and both football squads will have an outstanding game challenge for which they will prepare.”

UD President Patrick Harker and DSU Acting President Claibourne Smith shake hands during Tuesday's press conference announcing a football series between the two universities.

“This is a great day for two exceptional NCAA Football Championship Subdivision football programs, but more importantly for the players, for the student bodies, for the alumni, and for the citizens of the State of Delaware,” Dr. Harker said. “The Delaware-Delaware State game is a win-win for both universities, promising a great athletic contest and a great atmosphere, not to mention a competitive stimulus for both athletic programs with a game certain to sell out every time it is played.”

The historical significance of the agreement was not lost on Gov. Jack Markell, who also spoke at the press conference. “When I was sworn in as Governor last month, I said that we cannot let the historic challenges we face define us,” Gov. Markell said. “We must overcome the significant obstacles in our way and do great things for the state of Delaware. A football game between the University of Delaware and Delaware State University – the state’s two public four-year universities — will be one of those great things.”

Gov. Markell added that in the midst of trying time, the football contests between UD and DSU will bring Delawareans together “to celebrate the student-athletes, the spirit of competition and the sportsmanship of the two teams and the universities they represent.”

Both teams experienced tremendous successes in their 2007 football campaigns which led to the Hornets and the Blue Hen’s historic meeting in the opening round of FCS Playoffs. The following year however, both UD and DSU experienced off-years with records of 4-8 and 5-6, respectively.

UD’s optimism is high in 2009 as the Blue Hens return over 20 players with starting experience, including 14 back from a defense that ranked among the top units in the Colonial Athletic Association a year ago. Leading the group is senior defensive end/linebacker Matt Marcorelle, a two-time all-conference pick who earned All-American honors in 2007, and senior safety Charles Graves, who led the team with 78 tackles and earned second-team All-American honors by the Associated Press this past fall.

Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler will enter his eighth season at the helm of the Blue Hens with a record of 56-34. In 14 seasons as a college head coach, he is 144-55-1 and ranks among the top winning active coaches in NCAA Division I FCS.

“This game is an exciting thing not only for our football teams and our instititutions, but for all the fans in Delaware,” said Keeler. “I have the utmost respect for Coach Lavan and his program at Delaware State and we look forward to this year’s game and to all our future meetings. It’s always exciting to begin a new rivalry. We can’t wait for September.”

The University of Delaware has enjoyed outstanding football success during its 117 seasons since 1889. The Blue Hens have captured six national titles, including in 2003 when the team went 15-1 and defeated Colgate in the national title game. In addition, UD has finished as national runner-up four times (including 2007), won 15 conference titles, advanced to the NCAA Tournament 19 times, been named Lambert (Eastern) Cup champion 19 teams, and ECAC Team of the Year 11 times.

The DSU Hornets – who play in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) – will be put to the test in 2009. In addition to the Sept. 19 game against the Blue Hens, the Hornets will later take the field against the University of Michigan Wolverines on Oct. 17 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. DSU will open the season with a MEAC game on Sept. 5 at Florida A&M.

In five seasons at DSU, Head Coach Lavan has posted an overall record of 34-22, including a 29-10 mark in MEAC contests. He has led the team to winning records in three of the last four seasons. In the three years prior to his arrival, the Hornets were 10-24 overall and 6-17 in the league. Delaware State had just one winning season in the eight years before Lavan took the job.

“The scheduling of these games will establish an in-state regular season matchup that has been a long time in coming,” said Lavan. “It is a challenge that the Hornet team accepts and we look forward to the competition between these two great universities.”

As the State College for Colored Students in 1905, the school established its first football team. According to the existing win-loss records that date back to 1924, Delaware State has an all-time record of 328-357-11, with undefeated conference records in 1985, 1987 and 2007. The 2007 season was the top football campaign in the DSU’s history as it finished the year 8-0 in the MEAC and 10-2 overall, with its final game loss coming against UD in that historic playoff matchup.

While this is the first time that DSU and UD have included each other on their regular season football schedule, the two universities have competed previously in men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, women’s softball, women’s volleyball, tennis, cross country as well as track and field. For the first time in the fall 2009, the two schools’ women’s soccer teams will play a regular season match.