Fightin’ Blue Hen quarterback, Nick Minicucci, warming up before UD’s game against Missouri State on October 20. Photo Credit: Dave Reeder
The University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens (4-4, 2-2 CUSA) defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (3-5, 2-2 CUSA), 35-21, on October 27, ending their seven game road losing streak.
The University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers combined for 631 yards of total offense and 49 total points in the first half of their game, Tuesday night. The offensive totals would suggest the half’s most impactful plays were orchestrated by the offensive players, yet the most significant play came from Delaware defensive lineman Trace Scott III.
Hilltopper quarterback Brock Glenn dropped back to pass from the UD 32 yard line, following a Blue Hen touchdown that tied the game a possession earlier. Glenn surveyed the field on second and eight, looking to his right for a receiver to come open. Glenn never saw Scott coming from the left side. Scott sacked the redshirt junior for a loss of eight yards and followed that with another sack on the next play, forcing the Hilltoppers into the first punt of the game with just under three minutes remaining in the first half.
Scott’s defensive play broke a back and forth offensive flow and helped the Blue Hens defeat the Hilltoppers, 35-21, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It’s Delaware’s first win in Bowling Green since 1981.
The Blue Hen offense took over from their own ten yard line after the Scott defensive effort and embarked on the half’s final scoring drive.
Minicucci started the drive with a 12-yard completion to receiver Donovan Lewis and followed that with a pair of completions to running back Kaderris Roberts that put Minicucci atop the Delaware record book. Minicucci completed 18 straight passes to begin the game breaking UD’s former single game high of 16 set by former quarterback Zach Marker in 2023.
Minicucci’s first incompletion came on the next play on a throw to Lewis, but the senior signal caller didn’t let the incompletion bother him. He followed his only incompletion of the first half with two deep passes to junior receiver Sean Wilson totaling a combined 59 yards. The final play of the drive was a Minicucci shovel pass to running back Jo Silver who ran it eight-yards into the endzone for the go-ahead score.
“I was seeing everything very clear,” Minicucci said in a postgame interview with CBS Sports Network following the game. “I watched a ton of film, so I knew exactly what they were running and I mean we just executed. Shout out to the o-line, to all the boys for just doing their jobs because that’s what we preach everyday. Do your job.”
OMG Sean 🤯🤯
📺: CBSSN pic.twitter.com/iQN2oxgbsh
— Delaware Football (@Delaware_FB) October 28, 2026
Minicucci finished the first half with 301 passing yards, three touchdown passes, and a completion percentage over 95 percent. Wilson led the Blue Hens in receiving at the half with six catches for 113 yards and one of the Blue Hens’ three receiving touchdowns in the frame. Roberts hauled in the first touchdown on UD’s first offensive possession and Silver grabbed the go-ahead score that put UD ahead, 28-21, at halftime. Fellow backfield member Viron Ellison Jr. scored Delaware’s only rushing touchdown on a five-yard rush that tied the score with a little over seven minutes remaining in the second quarter.
The offensive fireworks gave way to the defenses in the second half.
The Western Kentucky defense stopped Delaware on its opening drive of the third quarter forcing the Blue Hens to punt for the first time in six quarters. The Blue Hen defense forced the Hilltopper offense off the field after three plays and WKU’s defense did the same to the Blue Hens on their ensuing possession.
The Hilltoppers drove into Blue Hen territory, but were held out of the red zone and attempted a 42-yard field goal which was no good.
The Blue Hen offense took over at their own 24 yard line after the missed field goal and moved the ball to the Western Kentucky 40 yard line in five plays. On the sixth play of the drive, Minicucci threw a deep pass down the right numbers to Wilson who was a step ahead of the Hilltopper defender. Wilson secured the catch and his momentum took him into the endzone for a 40-yard score.
Those were the only points scored in the second half.
The Hilltoppers had chances to cut into the Delaware lead, but failed to overcome the Blue Hen defense.
WKU drove into the red zone for the first time since the first half after Glenn completed a 29-yard pass to freshman receiver Jonathan Stafford Jr. to end the third quarter. On the first play of the fourth quarter, defensive end Brandon Gorham pressured Glenn forcing him out of the pocket. Gorham continued to pressure as Glenn ran toward the sideline and in an attempt to make a play for his team Glenn threw the ball toward his receiver. Sophomore safety AJ Graham saw the throw, jumped the pass and caught the first interception of his collegiate career, ending the Hilltopper threat.
🚨 AJ GRAHAM FIRST CAREER INTERCEPTION 🚨
📺: CBSSN pic.twitter.com/zfNWerBh27
— Delaware Football (@Delaware_FB) October 28, 2026
Delaware’s defense finished the second half allowing 187 yards of total offense and one conversion on third down rebounding from a first half in which they allowed 290 yards of total offense.
The Blue Hens also recorded three sacks for the first time since losing to Virginia on September 26. Scott set a career-high with his pair in the second quarter and fifth-year defensive lineman Dominick Brogna did the same with his sack. It’s the first time this season Delaware earned three sacks against a conference opponent.
The offense finished the game with 495 yards of total offense, 414 of which came from the right arm of Nick Minicucci. Minicucci’s 414 passing yards moved him into fourth place on Delaware’s career passing yards list and his four passing touchdowns put him only four away from becoming UD’s all-time career passing touchdowns leader. Wilson paced the receiver room with his nine catches, totaling 183 yards and two touchdowns. Silver led the Blue Hens with 49 rushing yards.
“Everyone on our team is just, we’re just fully bought in,” Minicucci said in the CBS Sports Network interview. “You love your culture and the people who lead and the people who talk and it’s just it’s an honor to play for this team and to play for coach Carty and to do it with my best friends, with my brothers. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
Delaware’s win breaks a seven game road losing streak that lasted over a calendar year — the Blue Hens last road win was against FIU on September 20, 2025 — and increases their conference record to 2-2.
The Blue Hens have four more Conference USA (CUSA) games remaining on their schedule and sit a game and a half behind Liberty and Jacksonville State in the CUSA standings. Delaware’s next two conference opponents — Kennesaw State and FIU — have a combined conference record of 1-5, meaning UD could pick-up a pair of crucial conference victories before facing New Mexico State (3-4 overall, 2-1 CUSA) and Jacksonville State (5-2 overall, 3-0 CUSA) to end their season.
UD’s game against Kennesaw State will be a road matchup on Saturday, November 7, at 3:00 p.m.
Ryan Colasanti joins Delaware Live following four years at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism, earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism. There he covered multiple sports for the school’s radio station as both a reporter and editor. Ryan is excited to return back to the state and cover all things Delaware sports.
