FCS team of the week: Delaware won”t be denied

(STATS) – Delaware coach Danny Rocco called the No. 21 Blue Hens’ 40-36 rally past No. 10 Towson on Saturday a “building block.”

Quite simply, their season won’t be complete unless the Blue Hens put enough together to qualify for the FCS playoffs.

That used to be a normal occurrence, including a 2003 FCS championship and national runner-up finishes in 2007 and 2010, but the Blue Hens have been on the playoff sideline for an almost unfathomable seven consecutive seasons.

The scintillating win over Towson, a team led by quarterback Tom Flacco – the younger brother of one-time Delaware star-turned Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco – suggested the STATS FCS Team of the Week would reach their playoff goal, and then go from there. With their first four-game winning streak since 2002, the Blue Hens (6-2, 4-1) are part of a first-place logjam in CAA Football.

“I’m really proud of the way our team fought and responded tonight. I really did challenge them in the locker room at half and they did a great job responding in the second half,” said Rocco, whose team outscored Towson 34-18 in the second half after trailing 18-6 at halftime.

Lefty quarterback Pat Kehoe passed for a career-high 305 yards and four touchdowns, including a game-winning, 3-yard fade to Vinny Papale with 30 seconds remaining.

Delaware took its first lead earlier in the fourth quarter when Ray Jones’ interception deep in Towson territory set up Kani Kane for a 1-yard touchdown run, which put the Blue Hens ahead 33-28.

After Towson went back in front 36-33 with 2:01 remaining, DeJoun Lee returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards to the Tigers’ 36 to set up the Blue Hens’ winning score.

But it also took safety Nasir Adderley’s game-ending breakup of a Flacco pass in the Delaware end zone to preserve the most-important win of Rocco’s two seasons. Adderley’s 10 tackles joined linebacker Troy Reeder (12) in double figures.

“Heading into November, and in theory we’re in control of our destiny,” he said. “We have an opportunity to earn a conference championship.”