Hens defeat Wofford 24-9, advance to I-AA Final

The University of Delaware Fighting Blue Hens defeated the Wafford Terriers 24-9 in NCAA Division I-AA semi-final action this afternoon at Delaware Stadium in Newark, DE. The win sends the Hens to Chattanooga, TN to play for the national title against Colgate on Friday. This is the first time Delaware has advanced to the final since 1982, where they lost to Eastern Kentucky 17-14.

Kickoff for Friday’s national title game is 7 PM ET. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.

Here’s a game recap from the Associated Press:

(3) Delaware 24, (2) Wofford 9

Preview - Box Score - Recap

By DAVID GINSBURG, AP Sports Writer
December 13, 2003
NEWARK, Del. (AP) — Delaware pulled away from Wofford in the second half behind the running of Germaine Bennett and earned a berth in the Division I-AA championship game with a 24-9 victory Saturday.

Bennett amassed a career-high 186 yards on 31 carries and scored three touchdowns, all in the second half. He also set a school single-season record for yards rushing (1,583).

The Blue Hens (14-1) will play for the title Friday night in Chattanooga, Tenn., against Colgate or Florida Atlantic, who met in Saturday’s other semifinal game.

Delaware, which set a school record for wins in a season, is seeking its first I-AA title. The second-seeded Blue Hens have outscored the opposition 109-26 in their three playoff games, all at home.

Wofford (12-2), participating in the I-AA playoffs for the first time, had a 12-game winning streak snapped.

Despite receiving another outstanding performance from its defense, Delaware was locked in a 3-all tie until Bennett scored on 2-yard run late in the third quarter.

The senior running back made it 17-3 with 6:41 left, capping an 89-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, then clinched the victory by scoring from the 15 with 2:42 remaining.

Delaware fans stormed the field with three seconds left, then were herded together on the sideline before Wofford scored on the final play.

The fans then returned to begin working on toppling the goal post, and the game was called before a conversion could be attempted.

It was Wofford’s first loss since a 49-0 defeat at Air Force on Aug. 30. The Terriers won two straight playoff games at home before flying to Delaware — only the sixth time in the 114-year history of the program that Wofford traveled by air to a game.

The flight back to South Carolina was likely a quiet one.

The Terriers made a game of it for three quarters with their defense. The Blue Hens reached Wofford territory on each of their first five possessions but could manage only a field goal.

Delaware finally ended the trend in the third quarter, when Bennett accounted for all but 15 yards in a 52-yard drive that ended with the first of his two touchdowns.