The 2025 Delaware State Hornets football team represents Delaware State University as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Hornets are led by first-year head coach DeSean Jackson and play at Alumni Stadium in Dover, Delaware.
Schedule
Game summaries
at Delaware (FBS, Route 1 Rivalry)
Statistics DSU DEL First downs 21 26 Plays–yards 67–349 70–409 Rushes–yards 41–200 26–137 Passing yards 149 272 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–26–2 31–44–0 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 31:53 28:07 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware State Passing Kaiden Bennett 11/23, 135 yards, TD, INT Rushing Marquis Gillis 17 carries, 123 yards Receiving 3 receptions, 46 yards, TD Delaware Passing Nick Minicucci 28/36, 251 yards, 3 TD Rushing 9 carries, 44 yards, TD Receiving Jake Thaw 7 receptions, 92 yards, TD
Albany
Statistics ALB DSU First downs 18 30 Total yards 431 548 Rushing yards 101 371 Passing yards 330 177 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–35–0 19–29–0 Time of possession 24:50 35:10 Team Category Player StatisticsAlbany Passing Jack Shields 21/35, 330 yards, 4 TD Rushing Jojo Uga 8 carries, 41 yards Receiving Tavahri Groves 3 receptions, 131 yards, TDDelaware State Passing Kaiden Bennett 17/26, 141 yards Rushing Marquis Gillis 23 carries, 123 yards, TD Receiving Nathan Stewart 3 receptions, 39 yards
Bowie State (DII)
Statistics BSU DSU First downs 20 21 Total yards 382 472 Rushing yards 206 278 Passing yards 176 194 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 28–46–0 18–35–0 Time of possession 29:59 30:01 Team Category Player StatisticsBowie State Passing Malakai Anthony 16/30, 114 yards, TD Rushing Micah Robinson 11 carries, 92 yards, TD Receiving Joseph Towler 9 receptions, 63 yardsDelaware State Passing Kaiden Bennett 17/29, 179 yards, 2 TD Rushing James Jones 8 carries, 100 yards Receiving Phillippe Wesley 6 receptions, 71 yards, TD
at Saint Francis (PA)
Statistics DSU SFPA First downs 23 16 Total yards 384 333 Rushing yards 292 62 Passing yards 92 271 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 8–21–1 26–36–2 Time of possession 32:04 27:16 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware State Passing Kaiden Bennett 8/21, 92 yards, INT Rushing James Jones 8 carries, 137 yards, 2 TD Receiving Kyree Benton 1 reception, 39 yardsSaint Francis (PA) Passing Nick Whitfield Jr. 26/36, 271 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing 6 carries, 28 yards Receiving Brenden Hodge 9 receptions, 131 yards
at Sacred Heart
Statistics DSU SHU First downs 16 29 Total yards 466 456 Rushing yards 253 158 Passing yards 213 298 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–19–0 28–36–0 Time of possession 23:09 36:40 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware State Passing Jayden Sauray 12/18, 207 yards, TD Rushing Marquis Gillis 13 carries, 123 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ryan Pellum Taylor 2 receptions, 85 yards, TDSacred Heart Passing Jack Snyder 28/36, 298 yards, 2 TD Rushing Mitchell Summers 20 carries, 74 yards, TD Receiving 4 receptions, 93 yards
at No. 14 Monmouth
Statistics DSU MONM First downs 26 30 Total yards 393 636 Rushing yards 281 252 Passing yards 112 384 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11-21-0 26-39-0 Time of possession 29:01 30:59 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware State Passing Kaiden Bennett 10/20, 94 yards Rushing Marquis Gillis 15 carries, 132 yards, TD Receiving Nathan Stewart 2 receptions, 27 yardsMonmouth Passing Derek Robertson 25/38, 351 yards, 4 TD Rushing Rodney Nelson 32 carries, 203 yards, 2 TD Receiving TJ Speight 7 receptions, 145 yards, TD
Southern Connecticut (DII)
Statistics SCSU DSU First downs 23 22 Total yards 314 781 Rushing yards 70 598 Passing yards 244 183 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–27–1 10–12–0 Time of possession 39:16 20:44 Team Category Player StatisticsSouthern Connecticut Passing John Giller 16/26, 244 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Kieran Falzon 25 carries, 101 yards, TD Receiving Divine Edwards 6 receptions, 93 yards, TDDelaware State Passing Kaiden Bennett 6/8, 93 yards Rushing James Jones 3 carries, 158 yards, 2 TD Receiving Nathan Stewart 4 receptions, 70 yards
at North Carolina Central
Statistics DSU NCCU First downs 23 22 Total yards 453 459 Rushing yards 241 105 Passing yards 212 354 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–16–1 22–33–1 Time of possession 32:35 27:25 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware State Passing Kaiden Bennett 9/15, 212 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Marquis Gillis 21 carries, 108 yards, 2 TD Receiving NyGhee Lolley 5 receptions, 124 yards, 3 TDNorth Carolina Central Passing Walker Harris 22/32, 354 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Chris Mosley 18 carries, 83 yards Receiving Chance Peterson 6 receptions, 134 yards
vs. Norfolk State
Statistics NORF DSU First downs 22 21 Total yards 356 364 Rushing yards 45 201 Passing yards 311 163 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22-34-1 17-22-0 Time of possession 27:32 32:28 Team Category Player StatisticsNorfolk State Passing Otto Kuhns 22/34, 311 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Kevon King 5 carries, 30 yards Receiving JJ Evans 5 receptions, 124 yards, 2 TDDelaware State Passing Kaiden Bennett 16/18, 158 yards, TD Rushing James Jones 10 carries, 109 yards, TD Receiving Nathan Stewart 4 receptions, 46 yards
at Morgan State
Statistics DSU MORG First downs 13 16 Total yards 283 285 Rushing yards 114 173 Passing yards 169 112 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–25–2 10–24–0 Time of possession 31:59 28:01 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware State Passing Kaiden Bennett 16/24, 169 yards, 2 INT Rushing James Jones 13 carries, 115 yards, TD Receiving Ryan Pellum Taylor 1 reception, 44 yardsMorgan State Passing Raymond Moore III 10/24, 112 yards Rushing Randall Nauden 7 carries, 104 yards, TD Receiving Joseph Kennerly Jr. 3 receptions, 40 yards
Howard
Statistics HOW DSU First downs 22 22 Total yards 295 374 Rushing yards 43 205 Passing yards 252 169 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21-39-2 10-16-0 Time of possession 25:27 34:33 Team Category Player StatisticsHoward Passing Tyriq Starks 21/39, 252 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Travis Kerney 8 carries, 30 yards Receiving Andre Cooper II 4 receptions, 117 yards, TDDelaware State Passing Jayden Sauray 7/13, 144 yards Rushing Marquis Gillis 16 carries, 92 yards Receiving Terrence Rone 3 receptions, 90 yards
South Carolina State
Statistics SCST DSU First downs 16 22 Total yards 406 526 Rushing yards 157 439 Passing yards 249 87 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14-24-0 15-33-4 Time of possession 28:40 31:20 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina State Passing William Atkins IV 14/24, 249 yards, 2 TD Rushing Josh Shaw 16 carries, 99 yards Receiving Nigel Johnson 2 receptions, 74 yardsDelaware State Passing Kaiden Bennett 8/20, 59 yards, 2 INT Rushing Marquis Gillis 14 carries, 159 yards, TD Receiving Kyree Benton 3 receptions, 37 yards
Offseason Transfers Outgoing Michel BergeronLSHowardBJ WagnerSArkansas StateKahleef JimmisonDBNorfolk StateErik SanchezRBSaint FrancisKristian TateWRTroyEbubedike NnabugwuOLUnknownLarrey Williams IIIDBUnknownMarquise BrunsonDLUnknownAmir AndersonDBUnknownChristian GarrettATHUnknownEj CoreTEUnknownMalcolm JefferiesTEUnknownJoseph Maxwell IIIOLHowardGeo FabianDBUnknownMarqui AdamsQBUnknownBrian Bates Jr.LBUnknownIsaiah CookOLWithdrawn
Incoming Quinten JohnsonEDGEUCFElijha PayneOLArizonaDerek BoydLBHawaiiRodney LeaksOLHouston ChristianKobe BoykinRBJackson StateAntonio Gates Jr.WRMichigan StateAlexander CobbsDESan Jose StateJason StoneWRThiel
References