DELAWARE PUTS UP OVER 500 YARDS OF OFFENSE LOPSIDED WIN OVER KENNESAW STATE
Kelsay accounts for four touchdowns as Hens move to 9-0
Saturday October 24, 2026 | Delaware Stadium – Newark, Delaware | 1:00 PM
Newark, Delaware - Delaware’s remarkable season rolled on Saturday with a resounding 38–0 road win over Kennesaw State, pushing the Blue Hens to 9–0 and further cementing their place as one of the most intriguing stories in college football.
What was billed as a potential trap game against a scrappy Owls squad turned into a showcase of just how far the FCS's newest team has come in their short tenure.
From the opening drive, Delaware imposed its will. Darrion Dupree’s one yard plunge midway through the first quarter gave the Hens an early lead, and they never looked back.
The second quarter turned into a clinic. Skyler Sholder nailed a 34 yard field goal to extend the margin, then quarterback Mason Kelsay took over, first bulldozing into the end zone himself from four yards out and then, with just 12 seconds left in the half, hitting Yannick Smith for a 16 yard touchdown that sent Delaware into the locker room up 24–0.
Any hope Kennesaw State had of clawing back evaporated.
If the first half belonged to Delaware’s balanced offense, the second half was about finishing the job.
Kelsay found Jake Bredell for a 12 yard score in the third quarter before linking up with Smith again for a 31 yard strike early in the fourth to cap the scoring.
By then, the Blue Hens’ defense had turned the game into a rout, suffocating the Owls to the tune of just 63 total yards on 40 plays, an anemic 1.6 yards per snap, and only three first downs all afternoon.
Kelsay was once again at the center of it all, throwing for 316 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score of his own.
Dupree, who was largely held in check, set the tone early with tough running while Yannick Smith’s two touchdown grabs highlighted the increasingly diverse passing attack Delaware has developed as the season has progressed.
Meanwhile, the defense continued its steady dominance, forcing a turnover, allowing only 18 rushing yards on 22 attempts, and completely erasing Kennesaw State’s downfield passing game.
It was the kind of performance championship contenders produce in October, clinical, relentless, and businesslike.
Delaware’s players and coaches have been careful not to get ahead of themselves, but at 9–0 and now ranked in the Top 25, this is no longer just a feel good story. The Blue Hens are playing like a team with bigger goals in mind, and Saturday’s shutout was their loudest statement yet.
“We left some stuff out there,” Offensive coordinator DJ Porter said. “Three fumbles and five sacks, that’s not good enough. We got away with it today because our defense was lights out, but we’ve got to be sharper. We’ve got too many playmakers to be putting the ball on the ground or letting Mason take hits like that.”
Kelsay echoed those concerns.“I’m proud of the way we executed most of the game, but we’ve got to clean up the protection stuff,” he said. “I’ve got to get the ball out faster too. The standard we’re setting here means not being satisfied with just the scoreboard.”
Head coach Tony Sanchez praised the team’s focus but emphasized the bigger picture. “You don’t get to 9–0 by accident,” Sanchez said. “This group comes to work. But we’ve got more to do. Nobody in our locker room is popping champagne—this is just one more step.”
Delaware now turns its attention to the final stretch of the regular season, with a potential conference title and playoff berth in sight. And if Saturday’s performance is any indication, the Blue Hens have no plans to slow down.
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
(DEL) Darrion Dupree 1-yard run (Skyler Sholder kick), 5:01
Second Quarter
(DEL) Skyler Sholder 34-yard FG, 5:59
(DEL) Mason Kelsay 4-yard run (Skyler Sholder kick), 1:21
(DEL) Yannick Smith 16-yard pass from Mason Kelsay (Skyler Sholder kick), 0:12
Third Quarter
(DEL) Jake Bredell 12-yard pass from Mason Kelsay (Skyler Sholder kick), 3:46
Fourth Quarter
(DEL) Yannick Smith 31-yard pass from Mason Kelsay (Skyler Sholder kick), 5:21
Delaware Stat Leaders
Passing
M. Kelsay – 19/31 269 Yds 3 TD 1 Int
B. Brown – 3/5 47 Yds
Rushing
L. Brown – 11 Car 74 Yds 6.7 Avg
D. Dupree – 23 Car 67 Yds 2.9 Avg 1 TD
M. Kelsay – 12 Car 65 Yds 5.4 Avg 1 TD
Receiving
T. Amankwaa - 7 Rec 106 Yds 15.1 Avg
Y. Smith – 6 Rec 81 Yds 13.5 Avg 2 TD
J. Kelly – 2 Rec 37 Yds 18.5 Avg
D. Lewis – 2 Rec 35 Yds 17.5 Avg
J. Bredell – 1 Rec 12 Yds 12.0 Avg 1 TD
Defense
C. Gill – 6 Tkl 1 Int
G. Moul – 4 Tkl
F. Brewu – 4 Tkl 2 TFL 1.5 Sck
B. Jenkins – 3 Tkl 2 TFL 1.0 Sck
H. Manning Jr – 2 Tkl 1 TFL 0.5 Sck
Kennesaw State Stat Leaders
Passing
S. Williams – 3/7 25 Yds
A. Odom – 2/11 20 Yds 1 Int
Rushing
R. Brown – 10 Car 19 Yds 1.9 Avg
G. Lamur – 6 Car 10 Yds 1.6 Avg
Receiving
K. LeBeau – 2 Rec 20 Yds 10.0 Avg
Z. Tolliver – 1 Rec 12 Yds 12.0 Avg
Defense
D. Johnson – 13 Tkl 5 TFL 4.0 Sck 1 FF
I. Paul – 12 Tkl 1 TFL
J. Kimble – 10 Tkl 1 TFL 1 FF
D. Westmoreland – 4 Tkl 1.0 Sck 1 FF
T. Rawlings – 3 Tkl 1 Int
Team Stats Comparison
| Category | Delaware | Kennesaw State |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 38 | 0 |
| First Downs | 29 | 3 |
| Total Offense | 509 | 63 |
| Total Plays | 84 | 40 |
| Yards Per Play | 6.1 | 1.6 |
| Rush|Yards|TD | 48|193|2 | 22|18|0 |
| Yards Per Rush | 4.0 | 0.8 |
| Comp|Att|TD | 22|36|3 | 5|18|0 |
| Yards Per Pass | 8.8 | 2.5 |
| Passing Yards | 316 | 45 |
| 3rd Down Conv. | 5|14 (35%) | 0|10 (0%) |
| 4th Down Conv. | 3|7 (42%) | 1|2 (50%) |
| 2 Pt Conv. | 0|0 (0%) | 0|0 (0%) |
| Red Zone TD|FG|% | 4|1|83% | 0|0|0% |
| Turnovers | 2 (-1) | 1 (+1) |
| Fumbles Lost | 1 | 0 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 1 |
| PR Yards | 36 | 0 |
| KR Yards | 28 | 141 |
| Total Yards | 573 | 204 |
