2019 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 5
DELAWARE STATE “HORNETS” (1-3/0-2 MEAC)
VS.
SO. CAROLINA STATE “BULLDOGS” (2-1 / 0-0 MEAC)
SAT., OCT. 5, 2019 (7:00 p.m.)
ALUMNI STADIUM (6,800) - DOVER, DEL.
Live Stream - ESPN3
Live Audio - HSRN.com (DSU broadcast)/ XM 386 / XM app Channel 982
THE GAME
Delaware State returns home to take on South Carolina State in a MEAC contest. It's also the lone night game on the Hornets' 2019 schedule. DSU has dropped its last two contests, including a 37-0 loss to defending MEAC champ North Carolina A&T on Sep. 26. The Hornets were outgained 432-100 vs. NCA&T and have scored just nine points in the last two games. South Carolina State is playing its 2019 MEAC opener. The Bulldogs are 2-1 overall this season. SC State suffered its lone defeat vs. FBS South Florida (55-16) in its last outing on Sep. 14.
THE HORNETS
Freshman quarterback Tylik Bethea has started the last three games, although game one starter Shayne Smith has returned to practice. Smith suffered a (non-throwing) hand injury in the Hornets' season opener at Delaware on Aug. 31. Bethea enters the weekend ranked seventh in the MEAC in passing average at 127.5 yards per game. Under heavy pressure the last two games, he has completed just 20-of-53 passes (37.7%) for 192 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in losses to Howard and NCA&T. The Hornets have also allowed seven sacks in their last two contests. Bryant Dallas (sr.) is DSU's top rusher with 170 yards (42.5 ypg) to rank 10th in the MEAC. Wide receiver Kwannah Kollie (jr.) has emerged as one of the MEAC's top pass catchers this season. Kollie is fourth in the league in receptions (5.0 pg), sixth in receiving yards (65.0 7 pg) and tied for second in touchdown catches (3). Wide receiver Bizzett Woodley (fr.) has two touchdown grabs this season. Defensively, Delaware State is allowing 326.2 yards per game to rank third in the MEAC. Linebacker Brian Cavicante (sr.) is tops on the team and seventh in the MEAC in tackles at 7.2 per game (29 total). Fellow linebacker Brooks Parker (so.) is tied for 12th in the league in tackles at 6.2 per game (25 total). The Hornet defense also includes two of the MEAC's sack leaders. Brandon Carswell (gr.) has three sacks to rank fourth in the MEAC at 0.83 per contest, while Christian Johnson (gr.) has two sacks in the Hornets' three games to tie for ninth in the league (0.67 pg). Carswell is also tops in the MEAC and tied for first among all FCS players with two blocked kicks.
THE BULLDOGS
South Carolina State has been idle since a 55-16 loss to FBS South Florida on Sep. 14. The Bulldogs opened the season with an impressive 28-13 win over (then) FCS #8 Wofford on Aug. 31. SC State also has a 34-0 win over Div. II Lane College to its record this season. As usual, the Bulldogs are led by a tough defense. SC State is No. 2 in the MEAC in total defense (315.3 ypg), passing defense (166.3 ypg) and scoring defense (22.7 ppg) this season. Linebacker B.J. Davis (r-fr.) is the team leader with 17 tackles, including six behind the line of scrimmage, and an interception. Quarterback Corey Fields (r-fr.) is ninth in the MEAC in passing (105.7 ypg) and eighth in passing efficiency (112.3 rating). Fields has completed 19 of 40 passes ((47.5%) for 317 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
THE SERIES (SCSU leads 29-17)
This is the 47th meeting in the series that began when the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference was formed in 1971. South Carolina State has won seven of the last nine contests to lead 29-17 in the series, but Delaware State was victorious the last time the teams met at DSU. The Hornets snapped an overall 17-game losing streak with a 17-14 victory over the Bulldogs in the 2017 contest in Dover, Del. DSU kicked the go-ahead field goal with 10 minutes left to play and the Hornet defense highlighted a strong effort with two fourth quarter interceptions to seal the win. South Carolina State avenged the loss with a 30-19 victory in Orangeburg, S.C. in 2018.
