Could Delaware State Make Some Noise?

[G.S.Green]

No one is giving Delaware State a snowball’s chance in hell to beat Northwestern State this weekend. Belief that a big 0-2 Southland Conference team at home is still better than a lowly 2-0 MEAC team will be played out on the field. Wish this could be a neutral site but you can’t always have the playing field level. If I were in the States, I would have made the drive to see this one.

[henfan]

I'd be very surprised if DSU crapped the bed on this one. They'll make a game of it.

The Hornets have tremendous speed at the skill positions with better than average special teams. Marc, Winton and McBride are all very good football players.

The big unknown is the Hornet defense. They really haven't faced an offense as capable as NSU's. Of course, the Demons' youth could play a role as well.

This would be a nice statement game for DSU if they win but it's not critical. They really just need to focus on winning the MEAC.

[89Hen]

No one is giving Delaware State a snowball’s chance in hell to beat Northwestern State this weekend.
You must have skipped some of the comments from Hen fans. I said to watch out for DSU after week one and I really think they have a good chance to win the MEAC this year. This week's game will tell us a lot about the Hornets. :nod:

[LacesOut]

Dear Del State,
Please oh please keep playing well.
Please have a great game this Saturday.
Please avoid injuries to your key players.
And pretty pretty please make it to the playoffs!
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Laces

[bluehenbillk]

Nothing would end the UD-DSU banter quicker than a 40-0 or so pasting in the playoffs. Has a MEAC team won a playoff game since the 80's?

[GSUISBACK]

Nothing would end the UD-DSU banter quicker than a 40-0 or so pasting in the playoffs. Has a MEAC team won a playoff game since the 80's?
yes

[GaSouthern]

they dont have a chance because the NCAA is racist xlolx

[RabidRabbit]

Nothing would end the UD-DSU banter quicker than a 40-0 or so pasting in the playoffs. Has a MEAC team won a playoff game since the 80's?

yes, especially if DSU did the pasting! xlolx xlolx

Doggoneit, SDSU learned all about marshmellows coming up and biting back. As did Mt.St., SFA,..... : smh : : smh :

Not putting UNI into this category, as I suspect that UND's team will do well this year.

[McNeese72]

Wish this could be a neutral site but you can’t always have the playing field level.

Do I hear an excuse already being prepared if things don't go Delaware St.'s way??

Doc

[blukeys]

Henfan's analysis is correct. DelState has excellent speed at the skill positions. Their defensive front 7 is suspect. A big strong O-line can run on them (See last year's JMU game) If Del State gets turnovers and big plays they can in fact make some noise. I see them losing by 7-10 pts.

[BlueHenBoy]

They have been getting huge press in the DE.

[Dallas Demon]

No one is giving Delaware State a snowball’s chance in hell to beat Northwestern State this weekend. Belief that a big 0-2 Southland Conference team at home is still better than a lowly 2-0 MEAC team will be played out on the field. Wish this could be a neutral site but you can’t always have the playing field level. If I were in the States, I would have made the drive to see this one.

No doubt Delaware State is much better than the team we played a few years ago and beat handily both years. The Demons definitely have respect for the Hornets coming in to play Saturday night. What is a bit misleading, however, is that the Demons played both Kansas and Baylor much better than the final score indicated. The statistics against both teams was nearly identical with the exception of time of possession, of which the Demons had an advantage in both. The reason for the high scores was special team breakdowns and mistakes (interceptions, fumbles, penalties) leading to quick and easy scores. The Northwestern team is very youthful and these mistakes should be correctable as the season goes on.

Delaware State will have trouble with our offensive and defensive lines, who held their own with Big 12 Kansas and Baylor offensive and defensive lines.

Delaware State will be playing against a team hungry for a win and against a team that could develop into something very special by the end of the year as the youth develops.

I'm not sure what you mean by the level playing field comment. Let's play the game and let the better team win. :eyebrow:

[UAalum72]

Nothing would end the UD-DSU banter quicker than a 40-0 or so pasting in the playoffs. Has a MEAC team won a playoff game since the 80's?
NCA&T won one game and Florida A&M two in 1999, FA&M won one in 1998. No other playoff wins since 1982. Overall playoff record 8-19 (FA&M 5-6)

[HenHouse1]

Del State is going to win this one, I see this game being 28-10. They are the most improved team in the country. Their coaching staff has done a superb job of preparing this team.

[Ivytalk]

Del State is going to win this one, I see this game being 28-10. They are the most improved team in the country. Their coaching staff has done a superb job of preparing this team.

Hail, Hornets!
Hail, yes!:nod: :nod:

Actually, I pick NW State by 7, but it will be entertaining!

[blukeys]

Del State is going to win this one, I see this game being 28-10. They are the most improved team in the country. Their coaching staff has done a superb job of preparing this team.

The most improved team in the country????? That is a bit much. They beat FAMU who they had already beat last year and they blew out Sacred Heart which is hardly Umass or JMU.

This game will be their first REAL test.

I think Del State will be part of the upper tier in the MEAC but that's where they were last year.

With all due respect to Al Lavan, who I have met and is great guy, DelState's improvement is due to the fact that they finally started giving 63 scollies with the hiring of Lavan. Under Blacknall they were down to 40 scollies against the other MEAC teams who were giving the full 63. Once Delstate was competing on an even field they became competitive again as they were in the Puryzicki and Collick eras.

[JMU Duke Dog]

I thought Delaware State-James Madison was going to be a close game last year in 2005 but the Dukes ending up winning 65-7. JMU had a total of 599 offensive yards against the Hornets. Best wishes to both teams in their upcoming game.

[Mr. C]

Del State is going to win this one, I see this game being 28-10. They are the most improved team in the country. Their coaching staff has done a superb job of preparing this team.
All of this Blue Hen love for the Del Staters is surprising. People who have never been down to Natchitoches, don't realize what a tough place Turpin Stadium is to play. North Dakota State was the first non-conference team to win a game down there in years when they did it last season. App State took a pair of very talented squads down there in recent years and came home with losses. Del State will have a tough time on Saturday.

On another note, I talked to some MEAC folks while down at North Carolina A&T on Tuesday night and they had a lot of positive things to say about the Hornets. Most people around the MEAC seem to think that only Hampton and South Carolina State are better in the league this year and the Hornets get both of them in the friendly confines of Dover's Alumni Stadium.

[blukeys]

All of this Blue Hen love for the Del Staters is surprising. People who have never been down to Natchitoches, don't realize what a tough place Turpin Stadium is to play. North Dakota State was the first non-conference team to win a game down there in years when they did it last season. App State took a pair of very talented squads down there in recent years and came home with losses. Del State will have a tough time on Saturday.

On another note, I talked to some MEAC folks while down at North Carolina A&T on Tuesday night and they had a lot of positive things to say about the Hornets. Most people around the MEAC seem to think that only Hampton and South Carolina State are better in the league this year and the Hornets get both of them in the friendly confines of Dover's Alumni Stadium.

I seriously doubt that Henhouse1 has ever actually seen a DelState game. I don't see Delstate winning this game but barring any serious turnovers I see this as being a one or two touchdown game. I see this as being similar to the Richmond - Hampton playoff game with Northwestern playing the part of Richmond. Turnovers and big plays could give this to the Hornets but I don't see DelState's front 7 as being able to compete with Northwestern State.

[JALMOND]

I told myself I would not venture outside my comfort zone on the west but this is begging for me to add my two cents. Sure DSU is 2-0 and NW State is 0-2, but FAMU and St Francis of Pennsylvania are nowhere near the level of Kansas and Baylor, the Southland is still stronger than the MEAC, and DSU played at a neutral site and at home whereas NW State played on the road. Kudos to DSU for getting this game, but, in order to appeal to my betting side, I would need five touchdowns before I'd take DSU in this game.

[GGASU]

Del State is going to win this one, I see this game being 28-10. They are the most improved team in the country. Their coaching staff has done a superb job of preparing this team.


No disrespect but Dude you have lost it. D. State will lose this game in a laugher. But if you insist on your Del State team winning I will even give you 7 points for any amount up to 10k you would like to risk.

[Blue Hen Nation]

I'm more interested in seeing Del State play Hampton on Sept. 30th. Coupled with this weekend's game, this should give eveybody an idea of their talent level.

[ChickenMan]

Del St hads played NWST twice in recent years...


'02... 34-14 loss at home... Del St was 4-8 that year

'03... 43-6 loss at NWST... Del St was 1-10 in '03

I have no idea of how Del St will perform tomorrow but I do know that the Hornets are definately a better program now then they were in '02 and '03.

[henfan]

Delaware State will have trouble with our offensive and defensive lines, who held their own with Big 12 Kansas and Baylor offensive and defensive lines.

Excellent points, Demon. This game will be won & lost in the trenches. DSU can probably match or exceed NSU's talent at the skill positions and on special teams. DSU has swagger but NSU is hungry and is playing at home. Unless they plan on winning the Southland, NSU needs this game a lot more than DSU. It'll be an interesting barometer for both teams.

[OL FU]

Nothing would end the UD-DSU banter quicker than a 40-0 or so pasting in the playoffs. Has a MEAC team won a playoff game since the 80's?

yep, only one problem

Delaware has to make the playoffs:eek: :o

[G.S.Green]

Do I hear an excuse already being prepared if things don't go Delaware St.'s way??

Doc

No excuses. If they win, they win. If they lose, they lose. Good teams win in hostile environments; however, home field advantage is very real in the college game with these young kids. Why do you think biger schools insist on having you play on their field. It is not all about the money. It is also about reducing the probability of taking a loss.

[GannonFan]

Throwing my two cents in, sure, DSU is an improved team, but this is still the same group that got blasted at JMU last year - they might be able to challenge in the MEAC because they get Hampton and SC St at home this year, but they've not proven anything against a top I-AA team in the past. It's a long road trip against a team that is pretty good - if DSU keeps it within 3 TD's that would be something - I don't think they have a shot of winning this, though.

[blukeys]

I'm more interested in seeing Del State play Hampton on Sept. 30th. Coupled with this weekend's game, this should give eveybody an idea of their talent level.

If you are going to the game, you will miss the Delaware New Hampshire game. Both games are at night.

[[email protected]]

I'm pretty sure this is part of a home and home series. Delaware State approached Northwestern about playing again after the Demons had won the initial two games by large margins.

The administration at DSU said the only way their program would get better was to play some of the best I-AA programs.

[Dallas Demon]

I'm pretty sure this is part of a home and home series. Delaware State approached Northwestern about playing again after the Demons had won the initial two games by large margins.

The administration at DSU said the only way their program would get better was to play some of the best I-AA programs.

Kudos to the DSU administration for taking the route to upgrade their scheduling, same to some of the other MEAC programs. This will definitely pay off in the long run.

[YoUDeeMan]

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060916/SPORTS08/609160351/1002/SPORTS

OK, the News Journal goes overboard on Del State's offensive abilities.

"The Demons began with back-to-back losses to Big 12 teams Kansas and Baylor. Their home opener today is against Delaware State (2-0), one of the most powerful offensive attacks in NCAA Division I-AA."

Yeah, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

However, hype aside, DSU will give them a better game than most people think. Good luck to the Hornets.

[G.S.Green]

This game will be broadcast on the net. I look forward to listening to a great game.

[PantherRob82]

the game is on cstv at 10pm central. i set it to record. might watch a bit of the replay.

[TexasTerror]

For those who are not going to wait for CSTV...

Northwestern St is up 10-0 after the first quarter in Nacthitoches...