Although Delaware State couldn’t beat Hawaii, the Hornets exceeded all expectations in their season opener on Saturday night.
DSU, which was 40 points behind bottom of the table, equalized early in the second half before Hawaii celebrated a 35-14 victory in Honolulu with three touchdowns.
The game was played in high winds due to Tropical Storm Hone in front of 12,206 spectators at the Clarence TC Ching Athletic Complex and kicked off at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
After a 1-10 record in 2023, Delaware State was unlikely to challenge the Rainbow Warriors at the FBS level, especially after the travel issues.
Due to a bus breakdown, the team missed its nonstop flight from JFK airport on Tuesday. The traveling party was split into several flights that took everyone there on Wednesday and Thursday, disrupting game preparations.
HAWAII 34, DELAWARE STATE 14: Game Stats
But DSU got on the scoreboard with 12 seconds left in the first half. Sophomore quarterback Marqui Adams ran 10 yards for a touchdown, capping a nine-play, 77-yard march in which he threw five passes for 60 yards. DSU had previously rushed for just 24 yards in seven series.
Jaden Sutton’s 6-yard touchdown run then ended the first possession of the third quarter, and DSU tied the score at 14-14. The 8-play, 75-yard streak included Adams’ 46-yard pass to Ryan Lee.
Hawaii then took the lead: Quarterback Brayden Schager ran 15 yards for a touchdown, threw a 29-yard pass to Dekel Crowdus for six points and ended the scoring streak with a 1-yard run with 3:44 minutes left.
Schager, a third-year starter, completed 17 of 34 passes for 203 yards, scored two touchdowns and ran for two more.
HARDNESS TEST: DSU’s search for football improvement begins in Hawaii
Adams completed 17 of 28 passes for 156 yards and ran for 44 yards in the game.
Sutton’s 12 carries earned him 56 yards.
Hawaii ended up with 331 yards, DSU 260. There were no turnovers in the game.
Delaware State now faces a long trip home and a short break for Saturday’s game at Sacred Heart.
Contact Kevin Tresolini at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com. And our DE Game Day newsletter.
