The 2025 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Conference USA (CUSA) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach Ryan Carty and played their home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.
The 2025 season was Delaware's first year in Conference USA since transitioning from the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Although initially declared ineligible for postseason play due to FCS-to-FBS transition rules, they participated in the 68 Ventures Bowl because there were not enough six-win teams eligible for the 42 FBS bowl games.
The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens drew an average home attendance of 16,751, the highest of all American football teams from Delaware.
Offseason Transfers Outgoing Jalyn WitcherWRArkansas–Pine BluffDaniel LipovskiQBLafayetteMelkart Abou JaoudeDLNorth CarolinaTyler DavisSTempleJoJo BermudezWRTemplePete MelleDENew Haven
Incoming Kahlil AliSBoston CollegeKeontae JenkinsDBCoastal CarolinaKyre DuplessisWRCoastal CarolinaJawarren CorbinLBIowa Central CCNoah MatthewsDEKentuckyBrenden LachPMichigan TechThomas AmankwaaWRRutgersNoah RosahacOLSyracuseViron Ellison Jr.RBTulsaRiley TrujilloQBUCFPatrick MethlieOLWest ChesterBrandon RehmannWRWest Virginia
Schedule
Game summaries Delaware State (FCS, 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 Marquis Gillis 3 receptions, 46 yards, TD Delaware Passing Nick Minicucci 28/36, 251 yards, 3 TD Rushing Nick Minicucci 9 carries, 44 yards, TD Receiving Jake Thaw 7 receptions, 92 yards, TD
at Colorado
Statistics DELCOLO First downs 19 21 Plays–yards 66–396 70–398 Rushes–yards 30–84 39–131 Passing yards 312 267 Passing: comp–att–int 18–36–1 22–31–0 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 27:03 32:57 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 18/36, 312 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jo Silver 11 carries, 47 yards Receiving Jake Thaw 4 receptions, 85 yardsColorado Passing Ryan Staub 7/10, 157 yards, 2 TD Rushing Simeon Price 9 carries, 56 yards Receiving Sincere Brown 4 receptions, 120 yards, TD
UConn
Statistics CONN DEL First downs 29 29 Plays–yards 71–521 79–512 Rushes–yards 32–175 45–247 Passing yards 346 265 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 28-39-0 23-34-0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 27:35 32:25 Team Category Player StatisticsUConn Passing Joe Fagnano 28/38, 346 yards, 2 TD Rushing Cam Edwards 23 carries, 116 yards, 2 TD Receiving Skyler Bell 7 receptions, 92 yardsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 23/34, 265 yards, TD Rushing Jo Silver 15 carries, 179 yards, 2 TD Receiving Kyre Duplessis 9 receptions, 161 yards, TD
at FIU
Statistics DEL FIU First downs 24 14 Plays–yards 66–358 69–363 Rushes–yards 31–140 34–160 Passing yards 218 203 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–35–1 22–35–2 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 30:31 29:29 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 23/35, 218 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Jo Silver 13 carries, 66 yards, TD Receiving Sean Wilson 7 receptions, 78 yardsFIU Passing Keyone Jenkins 22/34, 203 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Kejon Owens 15 carries, 74 yards Receiving Alex Perry 5 receptions, 84 yards, TD
Western Kentucky
Statistics WKUDEL First downs 16 27 Plays–yards 57–338 80–435 Rushes–yards 26–108 34–121 Passing yards 230 314 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23-31-0 28-46-1 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 27:26 32:34 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 23/31, 230 yds, TD Rushing Maverick McIvor 6 carries, 36 yards Receiving Matthew Henry 4 receptions, 99 yardsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 28/45, 314 yds, INT Rushing Nick Minicucci 12 carries, 55 yards, 3 TD Receiving 2 Tied 55 yards
at Jacksonville State
Statistics DEL JVST First downs 22 24 Plays–yards 72–456 66–388 Rushes–yards 22–34 50–255 Passing yards 422 133 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 32–50–0 16–24–0 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 26:38 33:22 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 32/50, 422 yards, TD Rushing Viron Ellison Jr. 8 carries, 15 yards, 3 TD Receiving Kyre Duplessis 6 receptions, 90 yardsJacksonville State Passing Caden Creel 14/21, 116 yards, TD Rushing Cam Cook 18 carries, 117 yards, 3 TD Receiving Brock Rechsteiner 3 receptions, 48 yards, TD
Middle Tennessee
Statistics MTSU DEL First downs 24 27 Plays–yards 72–384 80–360 Rushes–yards 22–103 36–79 Passing yards 281 281 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 31–50–1 28–44–1 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 27:05 32:55 Team Category Player StatisticsMiddle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiato 31/48, 281 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Jekail Middlebrook 11 carries, 68 yards, TD Receiving Hunter Tipton 5 receptions, 56 yards, TDDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 27/42, 276 yards, 4 TD Rushing Jo Silver 14 carries, 51 yards Receiving Kyre Duplessis 7 receptions, 65 yards, 2 TD
at Liberty
Statistics DEL LIB First downs 18 25 Plays–yards 75–420 64–561 Rushes–yards 26–76 41–282 Passing yards 344 279 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 29–49–1 16–23–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 28:30 31:30 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 29/49, 344 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Nick Minicucci 8 carries, 37 yards, TD Receiving Sean Wilson 5 receptions, 109 yardsLiberty Passing Ethan Vasko 14/20, 221 yards, 2 TD Rushing Evan Dickens 22 carries, 217 yards, 4 TD Receiving Donte Lee Jr. 5 receptions, 92 yards, TD
Louisiana Tech
Statistics LT DEL First downs 22 21 Plays–yards 59–333 76–399 Rushes–yards 34–131 24–95 Passing yards 202 304 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–25–1 26–52–2 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 30:03 29:57 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Tech Passing Evan Bullock 11/15, 95 yards, INT Rushing Clay Thevenin 10 carries, 64 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jalem Mickens 4 receptions, 42 yardsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 26/52, 304 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Nick Minicucci 9 carries, 55 yards Receiving Sean Wilson 5 receptions, 107 yards
at Sam Houston
Statistics DEL SHSU First downs 25 20 Plays–yards 75–433 68–352 Rushes–yards 39–95 29–139 Passing yards 338 213 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–36–1 16–39–0 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 32:06 27:54 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 24/36, 338 yards, TD, INT Rushing Viron Ellison Jr. 19 carries, 97 yards, TD Receiving Sean Wilson 9 receptions, 162 yardsSam Houston Passing Landyn Locke 16/38, 213 yards Rushing Landan Brown 10 carries, 109 yards, 2 TD Receiving Chris Reed 2 receptions, 66 yards
at Wake Forest
Statistics DELWAKE First downs 19 21 Plays–yards 76–300 60–577 Rushes–yards 29–67 34–263 Passing yards 233 314 Passing: comp–att–int 32–47–0 16–26–2 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 33:03 26:57 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 21/30, 140 yards, TD Rushing Viron Ellison Jr. 9 carries, 34 yards Receiving Viron Ellison Jr. 7 receptions, 60 yards, TDWake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 15/22, 292 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Chris Barnes 1 carry, 78 yards Receiving Carlos Hernandez 5 receptions, 197 yards, 2 TD
UTEP
Statistics UTEP DEL First downs 18 22 Plays–yards 74–370 74–527 Rushes–yards 33–26 37–216 Passing yards 344 311 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–41–5 24–37–0 Turnovers 6 1 Time of possession 26:55 33:05 Team Category Player StatisticsUTEP Passing Skyler Locklear 22/39, 338 yards, 4 TD, 5 INT Rushing Ashten Emory 12 carries, 29 yards Receiving Wondame Davis Jr. 3 receptions, 112 yards, TDDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 24/37, 311 yards, 3 TD Rushing Jo Silver 7 carries, 64 yards, TD Receiving Kyre Duplessis 4 receptions, 104 yards
vs. Louisiana (68 Ventures Bowl)
Statistics LADEL First downs 20 16 Plays–yards 77–335 60–334 Rushes–yards 39–104 30–158 Passing yards 231 176 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–38–1 19–30–0 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 33:55 26:05 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Lunch Winfield 21/36, 231, TD, INT Rushing Lunch Winfield 14 carries, 40 yards Receiving Caden Jensen 4 receptions, 72 yardsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 19/30, 176 yards, TD Rushing Jo Silver 14 carries, 116 yards, TD Receiving Sean Wilson 8 receptions, 81 yards, TD
References