Football Spoils No. 19 Delaware’s Homecoming with a 35-25 Victory

Saturday, October 26

Newark, DE

1:00 PM

University of Richmond

4-4 , 3-1

Delaware

4-4 , 2-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Richmond

Delaware

Photo by: Mikey Reeves

Football Spoils No. 19 Delaware’s Homecoming with a 35-25 Victory

10/26/2019 | Football

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NEWARK, Del. – The University of Richmond football team used a fast start and strong special teams play Saturday afternoon as the Spiders played spoiler in Newark, Delaware as the Spiders defeated the No. 19 Delaware Blue Hens 35-25 at Delaware Stadium in the Blue Hens' homecoming. The victory improves the Spiders to 3-1 in Colonial Athletic Association play while the Blue Hens fall to 2-2 in league action. The win marked the Spiders' third-straight CAA victory, the first time Richmond has accomplished that since winning four in a row in 2016.

Redshirt freshman Aaron Dykes (Knoxville, Tenn.) was the spark the Spiders needed, becoming the first player in program history to return to kickoffs back for touchdowns in the same game. His two kickoff return touchdowns ties the NCAA FCS record for a single game. Dykes had a 100-yard return in the first quarter and an 88-yard return in the second quarter for scores. He finished with a program-record 226 kickoff return yards, breaking the previous record of 222 yards held by Justin Rogers in 2007 against New Hampshire. He became the fourth Spider in program history with a 100-yard return.

Redshirt junior quarterback Joe Mancuso (Blairsville, Ga) led the Spiders offense, accounting for 375 yards off total offense and accounting for three touchdowns. Mancuso finished Saturday's game 21-for-29 passing for 280 yards a touchdown and an interception. He also led the team on the ground, picking up 95 yards on 15 carries and two scores on the ground.

Graduate transfer wide receiver Keyston Fuller (Griffin, Ga.) led the air attack, grabbing eight passes for 161 yards, including a career-long 67 yarder on the first drive to set the Spiders up deep in Delaware territory.

Defensively, the linebacking corps of freshman Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.) and redshirt senior Billy Caughell (Apopka, Fla.) led the charge. Wheeler finished with 11 stops, seven solo and a pass breakup, with Caughell adding 10 tackles, 1.5 for loss and a sack. Senior captain Daniel Jones (Williamsburg, Va.) added eight tackles, one for loss and a pass breakup.

Richmond finished with five sacks on the day, attacking Delaware quarterback Pat Kehoe all game long. Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Kobie Turner (Clifton, Va.) led the way with two sacks on the day.

The Spiders led the entire game, taking the opening drive in four plays for the opening score. Mancuso connected with Fuller on a 67-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage setting up the score that was capped by a nine-yard run by Mancuso. The Spider defense held Delaware on its first possession and took its second drive 87 yards on 10 plays for their second touchdown. The ground attack covered 57 yards on the drive, including 42 yards by Mancuso, capping on a one-yard scamper by the quarterback for the 14-0 lead.

Delaware got on the board on the ensuing possession, using just four plays to drive 64 yards and taking 1:40 off the clock to cut the lead to 14-7. Dykes helped the Spiders respond with his first kick return touchdown of the afternoon, taking the consequential kick 100-yards for to push the Spider lead back to 14 points at 21-7. The 21 first quarter points are the most for the Spiders in an opening quarter since scoring 22 points in the opening quarter against Morgan State in 2014.

After Delaware got back on the board with a 32-yard field goal, Dykes and the kick return unit got all the momentum back on the Spider sideline, this time taking the kick off 88 yards to the end zone as the Spiders and Blue Hens went in to halftime with Richmond leading 28-10.

Delaware came out fast in the second half, using just 0:49 and two plays to get on the board, this time with a Will Knight 29-yard run. The two-point conversion attempt was good and cut the Spider lead down to 28-18. After a Spider punt gave Delaware the ball with 10:48 on the clock, the Blue Hens used a 16-play, 80-yard drive to score on a Pat Kehoe to Bryce De Maille 14-yard touchdown to cut the lead down to three at 28-25.

Richmond got the answer it needed on its very next possession. After Dykes took two carries for six and seven yards, respectively, the Spider offense got creative as it got Fuller matched up with a linebacker. Mancuso found him up the Spider sideline for a 63-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead back to 10 at 35-25.

After a Spider drive stalled inside the Delaware five, the Blue Hens drove the ball back out to midfield before the defense stepped up and forced a Delaware punt. Richmond took over with 7:43 remaining in the fourth quarter and refused to give the ball back as the Spiders used a 12-play 28-yard drive to run the clock down to 0:00 and secure the win.

The Spiders are back in action next week as they host the Stony Brook Seawolves at Robins Stadium on homecoming. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m.

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