WILKES-BARRE (Pa.) – Delaware Valley University football clinched its fourth-straight Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championship and punched its ticket to the 2021 NCAA playoffs as it improved to 9-0 overall with a 30-0 MAC victory at Wilkes University.
The Aggies extended their conference win streak to 35 games dating back to October 28, 2016 and earned the MAC Championship and the conference's automatic qualifier to the NCAA playoffs for the fourth-straight year. The four consecutive MAC championships ties a program record as DelVal also claimed four-straight from 2008-2011.
COIN TOSS
- DelVal won the toss and elected to receive going right to left.
WHERE THEY STAND
- The Aggies came into today ranked 7th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll and 10th in the D3football.com top-25. DelVal was mentioned in the first NCAA Region I rankings released earlier in the week. The Aggies are the only undefeated team in their region; however, the first rankings were listed alphabetically and in no particular order.
- Wilkes fell to 6-3 overall and 5-3 in MAC play. It has one game remaining, a non-conference contest against King's next week.
FIRST QUARTER
- DelVal went 75 yards on 10 plays for an opening-drive touchdown. The Aggies ran the ball seven times for 50 yards and senior Donte Simmons punched in his first of the day from two yards out.
- Wilkes opening drive went backwards eight yards thanks to a sack by Yusuf Aladinov and Anthony Nobile.
- DelVal moved methodically down the field on its second drive as it took 4:22 to go 65 yards on nine plays en route to another touchdown. Casey Decker, in his first start at quarterback, started the drive with a 20-yard scramble, and finished it by finding Ryan Loughlin for a 15-yard touchdown strike. Jack Hughes' second PAT of the game made it 14-0 with 3:10 left in the first.
- The Colonels made their way into DelVal territory on their second drive that bled into the second quarter, thanks in large part to two personal fouls against the visitors.
- The Aggies had 140 yards on 20 plays in the first including 100 rush yards. Wilkes was held to 12 yards on 10 plays with -9 yards on the ground. DelVal led, 14-0, after one quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
- On the first play of the second, sophomore defensive back Damion Smith picked off Wilkes quarterback Jose Tabora at the DelVal 11-yard line and returned it nine yards. It was the first career pick for Smith.
- Facing 2nd & 20, Simmons broke off a 44-yard run to push the ball into Colonel territory. However, later in the drive with the Aggies inside the 10, Decker was pressured and fumbled the ball. Wilkes recovered and took over at its own 3-yard line. DelVal ate up 8:53 of game clock with the drive.
- On the Colonels' first snap of the ensuing drive, Tabora rolled out to his right and was chased down from behind by Aladinov who came flying around the edge from his defensive end position and sacked Tabora in the end zone for a safety. DelVal took a 16-0 lead with 5:58 left in the half.
- The two teams combined for negative yards the rest of the half and it remained a 16-point game.
- DelVal gained 101 yards on 24 plays in the second quarter including 57 rushing yards and 44 passing yards. Wilkes was pushed back for -8 yards on eight plays in the second. It was 0-for-4 through the air with an interception.
THIRD QUARTER
- The Colonels got the ball to start the second and went 15 yards on five plays, picking up just one first down.
- The Aggies were held to a rare 3-and-out on their first drive of the second half and Wilkes took over near midfield after the punt.
- Wilkes advanced into the red zone and had 1st-and-10 at the DelVal 18-yard line. With second string quarterback Xavier Powell in the game, junior corner back Jamir Prevard was able to jump a route near the sideline and take an interception 87 yards the other way for a pick-six. That gave the Aggies a 23-0 lead with 7:28 left in the third.
- The Colonels were back in the red zone on their next drive and facing a 4th-and-goal from the DelVal seven yard line when Anthony Nobile burst into the backfield to sack Tabora for a loss of 13 yards and a turnover on downs.
- The Aggies gained 69 yards on 11 plays with 54 yards on the ground. Wilkes had 36 yards on 19 plays and got another 36 yards via penalties.
FOURTH QUARTER
- Simmons polished off a 13 play, 80 yard scoring drive with his second rushing touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter to give DelVal a 30-0 lead with 12:05 left in regulation. The Aggies ran for 65 yard on the drive including Simmons' one-yard touchdown burst.
- The DelVal defense held the home team to just 26 yards the rest of the way and picked off Tabora two more times for the 30-0 final.
KEY STATS
(DVU) TEAM – 71 plays, 313 yards, 208 rush yards, 105 pass yards
(WILKES) TEAM – 46 plays, 66 yards, -9 rush yards, 75 pass yards
(DVU) Simmons – 17 carries, 141 yards, 8.3 avg., 2 TD
(DVU) Decker – 15-of-25, 105 yards, 1 TD, 7 carries, 47 yards
(DVU) Barksdale – 8 rec, 40 yards
(DVU) Morgan – 2 rec, 36 yards
(DVU) Laughlin – 1 rec, 15 yards, 1 TD
(DVU) A. Nobile – 6 tackles, 4 sacks, 3.5 TFL, 1 forced fumble
(DVU) Aladinov – 7 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 1 safety
(WILKES) Tabora – 5-for-16, 37 yards, 3 interceptions, 10 carries, -24 yards
(WILKES) Adoga – 13 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack
(WILKES) Walck – 12 tackles
Takeaways
DVU – 4 takeaways – 3 interceptions, 1 fumble
WILKES - 1 takeaway – 1 fumble
Time of Possession
DVU – 38:31
WILKES – 21:29
Notables
- Head Coach Duke Greco moved to 68-11 all-time, the most wins by any head coach in program history.
- Simmons eclipsed 100 yards and found pay dirt for the fourth-straight game. His 141 rushig yards today is a career-high.
- Ryan Loughlin caught a touchdown pass for the second-straight week.
- Michael Stout and Trent Fries picked up their first career interceptions.
- Prevard's interception was his team-leading sixth of the season, setting a new career-high and giving him 11 for his career.
- DelVal did not allow a touchdown for the third-straight game. It was the four time this year the defense held its opponent to negative rushing yards in a game.
UP NEXT
DelVal returns home for to close the regular season with its annual Keystone Cup Rivalry Game against Widener University. The Aggies look to cap a undefeated season and will celebrate its MAC Championship after the game. Before the game, DelVal football will honor its seniors with a special senior day ceremony.
