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Delaware QB Nick Minicucci Keeps Breaking Records As The Blue Hens Fly Past WKU, 35-21

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Football

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – QB Nick Minicucci set the program record for consecutive completions and consecutive completions to begin a game (18) as the University of Delaware football team downed Western Kentucky, 35-21, on Tuesday night at Houchens-Smith Stadium. The Fightin' Blue Hens have now won two-straight games, improving to 4-4, 2-2 CUSA, while the Hilltoppers drop to 3-5, 2-2 CUSA.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Blue & Gold defense shutout the Hilltoppers in the second half.
  • QB Nick Minicucci tied a career high with 32 completions, going 32-of-38 through the air, including completing his first 18 passes to start the game, for 414 yards and four touchdowns. It was the fourth game of Minicucci's career with at least four touchdown passes and the second such game in a row. Minicucci crossed the 400-yard passing mark for the second time in his career, falling just eight yards shy of his career mark.
  • WR Sean Wilson surpassed the 150-yard receiving mark for the second time this year and third time in his career, matching his career best with nine catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns.
  • RB Kaderris Roberts notched his sixth touchdown of the season, securing a career-high seven receptions with 43 receiving yards, and a receiving touchdown.
  • TE Elijah Sessoms hauled in a career-long catch of 35 yards, tallying two catches for 45 yards.
  • S AJ Graham and S Kevin Moore each tallied their first-career interceptions.
  • LB Jawarren Corbin forced a fumble for the second-straight week.
  • DT Trace Scott III recorded a career-best 2.0 sacks and 2.0 TFLs, while DT Dominick Brogna's 1.0 sack marks a new career high.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The two teams traded touchdowns on their opening possessions, leaving a 7-7 game halfway through the first quarter. WKU kicked off the scoring with a short touchdown pass, before Delaware answered with Minicucci to Roberts 17-yard connection to even the game. The Hilltoppers scored on the ensuing possession, running it in from one-yard out to retake a seven-point advantage. 
  • A 21-yard strike from Minicucci to Wilson tied the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter. Western Kentucky jumped back in front again, capitalizing on a long QB run that sparked the drive to make it 21-14. RB Viron Ellison Jr. scurried into the endzone for a five-yard touchdown run to knot the game at 21. The Hens took their first lead of the game with under one minute to play in the first half as Silver caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Minicucci to make it 28-21 at the break.
  • The Minicucci-Wilson duo found paydirt for the second time in the game with Wilson hauling in a 40-yard heave to make it 35-21 with 4:20 left in the third quarter.
  • Both teams were blanked in the fourth quarter, leaving a 35-21 final.

GAME NOTES

  • The win snapped a seven-game road losing skid for the Blue Hens.
  • Delaware moves to 31-4 under Ryan Carty when leading at the half.
  • UD jumps to 27-1 when winning the turnover battle under Carty.
  • Minicucci's completion percentage of .842 (32-38) ranks sixth in a single game in program history.
  • Minicucci's 414 passing yards in the game moves him to 6,459 for his career, passing Trent Hurley for fourth on the Delaware all-time career passing yards list.
  • Minicucci's four passing touchdowns in the game moves him to 52 for his career, four shy of a tie for second on the Delaware all-time career passing touchdowns list (Nolan Henderson).
  • Minicucci surpassed the 200-passing yard mark for the 17th time in his career, matching Nolan Henderson for third most by a Blue Hen.
  • Minicucci surpassed the 300-passing yard mark for the 10th time in his career, one shy of Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco for the program record (11).
  • Minicucci became the first Conference USA gunslinger to complete 18-consecutive passes to begin a game since MTSU's Brent Stockstill had 22 on September 3, 2016 and the first CUSA QB with 18-consecutive completions in a game since WKU's Bailey Zappe (19) on October 23, 2021.
  • Minicucci recorded 301 passing yards in the first half, becoming the first CUSA QB since WKU's Austin Reed with 300 yards in a half since the 2022 New Orleans Bowl on December 21, 2022.

UP NEXT
The Fightin' Blue Hens will head to Kennesaw State on Saturday, November 7 at 3 p.m. The game will air on ESPN+.