Five take-aways propel Delaware to FCS National Championship, 27-10

A.J. Pierce gains 186 yards in CFF.com landmark game

Newark, DE - For the second week in a row we traveled to the state of Delaware and watched a team take advantage of five turnovers to earn a spot in its respective divisional national championship game.  Like Wisconsin-Whitewater over Wesley College a week ago, the Fightin' Blue Hens (12-2)  took advantage of five turnovers by Georgia Southern (10-5) to gain a 27-10 semi-final win to earn a berth in the FCS Championship game against Eastern Washington (12-2)  on January 7 in Frisco, Texas.  Now all the Blue Hens have to do to truly emulate the Warhawks is go on to win the title game as did UW-W in a 31-21 win over Mt. Union this past Saturday.  Unlike the Warhawks, however, Delaware did them one better and never turned the ball over to GSU in their win to keep the Eagles vaunted triple option off the field.  The turnovers made the difference as offenses were almost even otherwise. GSU outgained UD 316 to 310 in total yards of offense.  Twice in the first half, potential Eagle scoring drives ended with fumbles in the red zone as Delaware enjoyed a 10-0 lead at the half.  For CollegeFootballFan.com, it was an exciting game, making our 400th game a very memorable one since we started keeping track back in 1979 !

     GSU started its first possession from their own 29, and their triple-option looked unstoppable to get them to the UD one.  However a mishandled snap from center by QB Jaybo Shaw ( 4 for 12, 53 yards, 1 INT) rolled into the end zone where UD DE Chris Morales scooped it up and ran it out to the 18.   The score was still deadlocked at the end of the first period with Delaware driving into Eagle territory.

    With five receivers spread at the GSU six, Tom Devlin (14 of 20, 137 yards, 2 TDs) found Mark Schenauer on a crossing pattern at the back of the end zone for the game's first score.  Mike Perry booted through the extra point for a 7-0 lead.  Later with 2:06 remaining before the half, Perry converted on his 21-yard FG attempt to give Delaware a 10-0 lead.  GSU got a big return by Laron Scott for 52 yards all the way to UD's 38 to give the Eagles some momentum before the half, but a big hit on FB Robert Brown resulted in a fumble recovered by Darryl Jones on the UD 10.  The Blue Hens ran out the clock with a tenuous lead. 

   Both school's had bands on hand, but neither performed at the half as both were at half-strength since many students from both schools had already left for Christmas breaks.  During the first half, an announcement was made prohibiting the use of artificial noisemakers in the stadium.  Someone didn't tell that to the Delaware Stadium designers who installed aluminum bleachers at both ends of the stadium. I sat with avid UD fans on the northern end, and the fans make a lot of artificial noise stomping on those bleachers.  It was hard to hear sitting in the middle of it all. We wonder how it sounds on the playing field?  The bands performed from the stands during the game with the aid of microphones for use over the PA system.

     Georgia Southern took the opening kickoff in Q3 and showed some spark.  A 53-yard run by Jerick McKinnon (12 carries for 101 yards)  got them to the UD 27, but they settled for Adrian Mora's 45-yard FG to get on the board to trail 10-3.  UD lost six yards on it next series, but even worse, WR Tommy Crosby was carried off the field strapped to a stretcher that delayed the game for about 15 minutes.  He waved his hand strapped to his chest as he was wheeled off the field . GSU seemed on the move again until on a third and nine at UD's 37, Shaw got sacked, fumbled, and Siddiq Haynes recovered for the Blue Hens on the 37.  UD drove to the 24 from which Devlin hooked up with Phil Thaxton on a slant toward the middle from his wide-out position where he took it up field untouched for the TD and a 17-3 Blue Hen lead.

    Georgia Southern converted a first down on a third and six from their 40 to begin the final period of play.  On a fourth and goal at the UD six, Head Coach Jeff Mocken called on Robert Brown to run it in from there and here barreled over a tackler near the goal line to keep the Eagles in striking distance with 7:37 remaining, trailing 17-10.  Freshman Jake Giusti helped gain back some momentum for the Blue Hens returning the ensuing kickoff to the GSU 40.  At the GSU seven,  David Haynes ran it right up the gut for the score and a 24-10 Delaware lead.  Southern's fortunes were not so good the next kickoff as Laron Scott touched the ball as it was on its way out of bounds near his own four.  That's where GSU started from.  An attempted pitch on the option by Shaw was bobbled right into the hands of Chris Morales for his second recovery of the day.  Delaware set up at the GSU 13.  With 3:32 left, Perry converted a 20-yard FG to extend the Delaware lead to 27-10.  GSU used up all their time-outs and on a fourth down attempt, Shaw's pass was intercepted with over two minutes remaining.   Delaware Head Coach  K.C. Keeler was doused with water from the Gatorade cooler, and the UD fans started to celebrate in the stands.  It was a thrilling, intense victory where Georgia Southern threatened to keep it close even in the final period, but turnovers thwarted their efforts in the end, and the Blue Hens savored a victory that would take them to the 2010 FCS National Championship.  It was a thrill for us to see such an intense and interesting game, especially since it was one by the team who started us on this great adventure back on September 8, 1979.  Thirty-one years and 400 games later, they are on their way to the national championship game again.  Back in 1979, they won the D-2 title.  Is this an omen that they will win it all again?

    Next up for us, two of the worst bowl match-ups of the year according to the odds makers: Nebraska vs. Washington in the Holiday Bowl and Oklahoma vs. Connecticut in the Fiesta.  We're awfully glad we got to see three games these past three weeks determining national championships at the FCS and D-3 levels.  This is what the FBS has to do - decide the championship on the field.

Extra points:  Signs posted around Delaware Stadium indicated there is a "Beast of the East Center" somewhere nearby.  After seeing what was supposed to be the best of the Big East play this year (UConn, WVU, and Pitt), Delaware is certainly more worthy of that title.

Mascot sighting:  we're talking a "real" one here.  An American Bald Eagle showed up with a handler along the GSU sideline during the game.  We rarely see that any more.  We see goats and mules an Navy and Army respectively and take them for granted now since we've seen them so many times.  Besides the goats this year, the Eagle is the only other one we remember.

As the first half drew to a close, someone yelled, "Scottie Brunner!"  He walked along the end zone from the UD sideline to the GSU sideline.  He looked up, smiled, and waved.  Scott Brunner was Delaware's starting QB back on that first game we attended back in 1979 when UD defeated Rhode Island 49-14.  He went on to play six years for the NY Giants.  A  teammate of his back in 1979 was starting LB K.C. Keeler, who got a dousing today near the end of the game.  Brunner is now a broadcaster of Delaware football games and a member of the NCAA D-2 Hall of Fame.