The Delaware State football team will have to try to start a new winning streak next week.
The Hornets lost a 35-31 decision to FCS Independent Sacred Heart Saturday afternoon, snapping a three-game winning run, the longest for the program since the 2012 season.
Here are the key events of Saturday’s game.
Egregious Ejection
Delaware State grad transfer quarterback Kaiden Bennett took a snap right side for his eighth rushing touchdown of the season to give the Hornets (3-2) a 14-7 lead. Bennett then high-fived several fans near the end zone, drawing two flags for excessive celebration, the second coming when officials ruled Bennett didn’t hand one official the ball. The penalties disqualified Bennett from the game just nine minutes into the first quarter.
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Penalties continued to haunt DSU as they were flagged 10 times for 125 yards. All the infractions hurt the Hornets, but Bennett’s questionable ejection was absolutely the most critical.
Just passing by
Sacred Heart ran for 295 yards in defeating Norfolk State last weekend.
Saturday, they flipped the script, literally, passing for 298 yards against a Hornet secondary who has had trouble with the big play all season.
Pioneers QB Jack Snyder shrugged off four sacks to complete 28 of 36 passes with two touchdowns, both going to Jason Palmieri to account for the second half’s only points for either side. Snyder’s six-yard toss to Palmieri, and a two-point pass to Tyler Picinic with 6:44 left turned out to be the winning points.
Hornets’ hot offense goes cold in second half
Credit to reserve quarterback Jayden Sauray, who completed 12 of 18 passes for 207 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown to Ryan Pellum-Taylor, but the Hornets went silent in the second half.
DSU was shut out by Sacred Heart in the final 30 minutes, after scoring at least 30 points in a half for the first time since a 58-12 win over Lincoln (Pa.) on Sept. 14, 2019.
Delaware State actually outgained SHU 466 to 456, but the inability to finish drives in the second half hurt them.
Now the Hornets will try to start over next week at Coastal Athletic Association contender Monmouth.
