Delaware Blue Hens
Conference USANewark, DEDelaware Stadium
2026: 2–4 (0–2 Conference USA). Last: lost at Middle Tennessee 33–30. Next: Missouri State, Tuesday, Oct 20, 7 p.m. ET.
- W 42–7Merrimack
- L 26–35at Vanderbilt
- W 22–14Coastal Carolina
- L 3–42at Virginia
- L 14–30Liberty
- L 30–33at Middle Tennessee
- Oct 20Missouri State
- Oct 27at Western Kentucky
- Nov 7at Kennesaw State
- Nov 14Florida International
- Nov 21at New Mexico State
- Nov 28Jacksonville State
- Outfitted by Adidas
- Live mascot: The Birdgade
Delaware has played football since 1889 and is officially 747–491–44; 389 of its 1,282 games are in our file. Their best finish in the final AP poll is No. 19, in 1946. They have won six Middle Atlantic Conference titles (the last in 1969), plus five Yankee Conference titles, three Atlantic 10 Conference titles, two Coastal Athletic Association titles, one Mason-Dixon Conference title, counting shared titles. Since 1971, the NFL Draft has taken 14 players from here in its first seven rounds, 1 of them in the first round. The College Football Hall of Fame holds 3 coaches from Delaware. The most-played rival is Villanova: 40 meetings, Villanova leads 26–13–1. This season, under Ryan Carty, they’re 2–4.
Résumé
- All-time record
- 747–491–44 official; 212–176–1 on file; how we count
- Postseason
- 2–1 bowls, title games, playoff
- AP No. 1 finishes
- 0
- Weeks at No. 1
- 0 of 2 ranked
- Elo now
- 1407 116th of 138 FBS
- Computer rankings
- Massey No. 125 · Composite No. 114 in FBS, Oct 17; down 3 since Oct 11. From Massey Ratings
- Conference titles
- 17 last in 2020
- Bowl record
- 9–3 official, bowls only
- Seasons
- 87 since 1903, 389 games
Identity
- Fight song
- The Delaware Fight Song
- Mascot
- YoUDee
- Live mascot
- The Birdgade (Blue hen)
- Student section
- The Cockpit
- Apparel
- Adidas deal through 2031
2026 season 2–4
RosterFull 2026 season| Date | Opponent | Result | Elo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 3 | vs Merrimack | W 42–7 | 85% |
| Sep 12 | at Vanderbilt | L 26–35 | 22% |
| Sep 19 | vs Coastal Carolina | W 22–14 | 58% |
| Sep 26 | at Virginia | L 3–42 | 29% |
| Oct 2 | vs Liberty | L 14–30 | 51% |
| Oct 13 | at Middle Tennessee | L 30–33 | 52% |
| Oct 20 | vs Missouri State | Preview | 59% |
| Oct 27 | at Western Kentucky | Preview | 33% |
| Nov 7 | at Kennesaw State | Preview | 41% |
| Nov 14 | vs Florida International | Preview | 49% |
| Nov 21 | at New Mexico State | Preview | 48% |
| Nov 28 | vs Jacksonville State | Preview | 39% |
Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.
This season, game by game
Future schedule
2027–33- 20274 games: 2 home, 2 away, non-conference only
- Long Island UniversitySept. 2
- at IllinoisSept. 11
- James MadisonSept. 18
- at UConnNov. 27
- 20284 games: 2 home, 2 away, non-conference only
- at James MadisonSept. 2
- at MarylandSept. 9
- Morgan StateSept. 16
- Western MichiganSept. 23
- 20294 games: 2 home, 2 away, non-conference only
- at PittsburghSept. 1
- BucknellSept. 8
- BuffaloSept. 15
- at Coastal CarolinaSept. 22
- 20302 games: 2 away, non-conference only
- at Western MichiganSept. 7
- at IndianaSept. 14
- 20312 games: 1 home, 1 away, non-conference only
- James MadisonSept. 13
- at BuffaloSept. 20
- 20322 games: 1 home, 1 away, non-conference only
- TempleSept. 2
- at James MadisonSept. 18
- 20331 game: 1 away, non-conference only
- at TempleSept. 1
Delaware’s announced games beyond the seasons on our schedule, as its Wikipedia article lists them (announced schedules as of July 15, 2026). Schedules change; a season shows only the games named so far, and many articles list non-conference games only. Future schedules: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Players
The 2026 rosterThe moneyOn the 2026 team
- Nick Minicucci838 passing yards, 5 TD (leads Delaware in passing yards)
- Colin Gallagher43 tackles, 3 sacks (leads Delaware in tackles)
- Blake Matthews38 tackles, 4 sacks (leads Delaware in sacks)
- Sean Wilson25 catches, 339 yards, 3 TD (leads Delaware in receiving yards)
- Da’Wain Lofton19 catches, 312 yards, 1 TD
- Gavin Moul38 tackles, 0.5 sacks
Program greats See all
Heisman finalists, College Football Hall of Famers, consensus All-Americans, national award winners and first-round picks, for what they did at Delaware.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licenses; credits on each player’s page.
Around the program
- Apparel
- Adidas · Official source
- University of Delaware Athletics; read 2026-10-10
- Mascot
- YoUDee · Official source
- University of Delaware; read 2026-10-10
- University of Delaware Athletics; read 2026-10-10
- Live mascot
- The Birdgade (Blue hen) · Official source
- University of Delaware Archives and Records Management; read 2026-10-10
- University of Delaware Athletics; read 2026-10-10
- College Sports Network; read 2026-10-10
- Student section
- The Cockpit · Official source
- University of Delaware Athletics; read 2026-10-10
- University of Delaware Athletics; read 2026-10-10
- Radio flagship
- WDSD · Single source
- Wikipedia; read 2026-10-10
Found by several AI researchers searching the web, then kept only where the page loads and says so in words naming the program; every quote is checked again each time the data is rebuilt. Official source: the school’s own page. All of them.
The apparel deal
Adidas, 2026 through 2031. Five-year extension starting 2026-27. The extension adds BSN Sports.
- University of Delaware Athletics, Jan 12, 2026: Five-year contract extension starting in 2026-27
Apparel deals: Field Drip. Terms as the outlets reported them; checked Oct 3, 2026.
Program strength since 1903
Best seasons everMore coverage
- Community news of Delaware County, delcotimes.com,
- Delaware announces $1.38 million in funding to recruit and retain doctors in rural communities, wdel.com,
- Ryan Gagliano's 4 TDs power Middle Tennessee past Delaware 33-30 in Conference USA showdown, kynt1450.com,
- Middle Tennessee emerges over Delaware, 33-30, in duel with seven lead changes, underdogdynasty.com,
Found through the GDELT Project, which indexes news sites worldwide. Each link opens the story on the outlet’s own site; each picture is that outlet’s own preview of its story, shown from its site and credited to it.
Podcasts
- Fightin' Words: Episode 5 - Greta Nauck & Rick Deadwyler, Fightin' Words, , 47 min
- Fightin' Words: Episode 4 - Tiana McIntyre & Dan Reeder, Fightin' Words, , 48 min
Found through Podcast Index, the open podcast directory. Each link opens the episode’s page.
Head coaches
| Coach | Years | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Carty | 2025–2026 | 9–10 |
Most-played series
All rivalries- Villanova
13–26–1 in 40
- 2015 L 21–28
- 2016 L 10–41
- 2017 L 7–28
- 2018 L 21–42
- 2019 L 33–55
- 2020 W 27–20
- 2021 L 13–21
- 2022 L 26–29
- 2023 L 7–35
- 2024 L 28–38
Lost the last four.
- William & Mary
15–8 in 23
- 2010 L 16–17
- 2011 W 21–0
- 2012 W 51–21
- 2013 L 10–24
- 2014 L 17–31
- 2015 W 24–23
- 2016 L 17–24
- 2017 W 17–0
- 2021 W 24–3
- 2022 L 21–27
Lost the last one.
- Richmond
7–11 in 18
- 2011 W 24–10
- 2012 L 17–23
- 2013 L 43–46
- 2016 L 17–31
- 2017 W 42–35
- 2018 W 43–28
- 2019 L 25–35
- 2021 L 27–51
- 2022 L 13–21
- 2024 L 9–28
Lost the last four.
| Opponent | Games | DEL record |
|---|---|---|
| Villanova | 40 | 13–26–1 |
| William & Mary | 23 | 15–8 |
| Richmond | 18 | 7–11 |
| Navy | 18 | 8–10 |
| Towson | 18 | 11–7 |
| Rutgers | 17 | 10–7 |
| Temple | 17 | 6–11 |
| Rhode Island | 15 | 11–4 |
Rivals the program names: James Madison, Lehigh, Delaware State, Villanova, William & Mary.
The trophy it holds: First State Cup (Delaware State). Who holds each comes from the games on file; the trophies from Wikipedia.
Every opponent (80)
Every program Delaware has played, A to Z, with Delaware’s record against it. Each links to the series, game by game.
- Akron 1–0
- Army 0–1
- Bradley 1–0
- Bryant 1–0
- Bucknell 2–1
- Buffalo 1–6
- Campbell 2–0
- Carlisle 1–0
- Coastal Carolina 1–0
- Colgate 4–0
- Colorado 0–1
- Cornell 2–0
- Delaware State 12–0
- Duquesne 2–0
- Elon 3–3
- Florida International 1–0
- Furman 0–1
- Georgetown 0–2
- Hampden Sydney 0–2
- Hampton 2–0
- Hofstra 5–1
- Holy Cross 1–0
- Indiana State 1–0
- Jacksonville 1–1
- Jacksonville State 1–1
- James Madison 5–9
- Lafayette 5–3
- Lehigh 5–1
- Liberty 0–2
- Louisiana 1–0
- Louisiana Tech 1–0
- Maine 7–6
- Maryland 0–4
- Massachusetts 4–3
- Merrimack 1–0
- Middle Tennessee 1–1
- Monmouth 3–0
- Montana 0–1
- Morgan State 1–0
- Navy 8–10
- New Hampshire 5–5
- North Carolina 0–1
- North Carolina A&T 2–0
- North Dakota State 0–2
- Northeastern 1–2
- Northern Iowa 1–0
- Ohio 1–0
- Old Dominion 1–1
- Penn State 0–1
- Pennsylvania 3–3
- Pittsburgh 0–2
- Princeton 1–0
- Rhode Island 11–4
- Rhodes 1–0
- Richmond 7–11
- Rutgers 10–7
- Sacred Heart 2–1
- Saint Francis 3–0
- Sam Houston 0–1
- South Dakota State 1–2
- Stony Brook 4–3
- Swarthmore 0–2
- Temple 6–11
- The Citadel 3–2
- Towson 11–7
- UAlbany 8–3
- UConn 1–0
- Utah Tech 1–0
- UTEP 1–0
- Vanderbilt 0–1
- Villanova 13–26–1
- Virginia 0–1
- Virginia Tech 0–1
- VMI 1–1
- Wagner 1–0
- Wake Forest 0–3
- Washington and Lee 1–3
- West Chester 9–0
- Western Kentucky 0–1
- William & Mary 15–8
Conference titles
17, counting shared titles- Mason-Dixon Conference 1
- 1946
As the program counts them in its Wikipedia article, shared titles included, and listed under each conference’s current name (a Western Conference title of the 1900s counts as a Big Ten title); season pages use the name the conference had that year. A title the article files under a conference the team wasn’t in that season is listed under the one it was. Division titles include years the team tied for its division.
Conferences
- Independent 1889–1942
- Mason-Dixon Conference 1946
- Independent 1947–1957
- Mid Atlantic Conference 1958–1969
- Independent 1970–1985
- Yankee Conference 1986–1996
- Atlantic 10 1997–2006
- CAA 2007–2024
- Conference USA since 2025
- 1997Joined the Atlantic 10 from the Yankee Conference in football. Source
- 2007Joined the CAA from the Atlantic 10 in football. Source
- 2025Joined Conference USA from the CAA in football, announced November 28, 2023. Source
Delaware’s football conferences by season, from CollegeFootballData.com’s memberships (renamed conferences keep the name of the time). The moves and their announcement dates from Wikipedia’s lists of NCAA Division I conference changes; the year is the first season in the new conference. Conference realignment: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
In the Hall of Fame
Every inductee- Players
- 0
- Coaches
- 3
| 2003 | Tubby Raymond coach, career 1966–2001 |
| 1987 | David M. Nelson coach, career 1946–1965 |
| 1974 | William D. Murray coach, career 1940–1965 |
In the NFL Draft
By college- Drafted, rounds 1–7
- 14 since 1971
- First-round picks
- 1
| 2008 | Joe Flacco QB | No. 18, Baltimore Ravens |
Who came and went in the 2026 transfer portal, and every portal year.
The school
University of Delaware- Enrollment
- 24,412 20,026 undergraduates, fall 2024
- Where
- Newark, Delaware
- Public or private
- Public Research 1
- Founded
- 1743
- Graduates’ median earnings
- $72,950 10 years after starting
Enrollment, place and Carnegie research tier from the National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS, public domain). Earnings from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard (CC BY 4.0): the median for students who received federal aid and were working, not in school. Founding year from Wikidata. Every school’s in the data.
Official accounts
- Football
- X @Delaware_FBInstagram @Delaware_FBFacebook DelawareFootball
- Athletics department
- X @UDBlueHensInstagram @UDBlueHensFacebook UDBlueHens
Official accounts: the schools’ athletics websites: the ones bluehens.com lists for its football program and athletics department, as of Oct 12, 2026.
Books
Books: Open Library (CC0), filed under the program’s Library of Congress subject heading; most-reissued first, each linked to its page there.
Season by season
National champions| Season | Record | Conf. | AP pre | AP final | Coach | Elo | SP+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2–4 | 0–2 | Ryan Carty | 1407 | -13.1 | ||
| 2025 | 7–6 | 4–4 | Ryan Carty | 1428 | -10.9 | ||
| 2024 | 9–2 | 1455 | |||||
| 2023 | 9–4 | 1428 | |||||
| 2022 | 8–5 | 4–4 | 1405 | ||||
| 2021 | 5–6 | 3–5 | 1323 | ||||
| 2020 | 7–1 | 1439 | |||||
| 2019 | 5–7 | 3–5 | 1284 | ||||
| 2018 | 7–5 | 5–4 | 1366 | ||||
| 2017 | 7–4 | 5–3 | 1364 | ||||
| 2016 | 4–7 | 2–6 | 1249 | ||||
| 2015 | 4–7 | 3–5 | 1247 | ||||
| 2014 | 6–6 | 4–4 | 1310 | ||||
| 2013 | 7–5 | 4–4 | 1341 | ||||
| 2012 | 4–6 | 2–6 | 1299 | ||||
| 2011 | 7–4 | 5–3 | 1439 | ||||
| 2010 | 8–2 | 4–2 | 1472 | ||||
| 2009 | 6–5 | 4–4 | 1377 | ||||
| 2008 | 4–8 | 2–6 | 1329 | ||||
| 2007 | 10–3 | 5–3 | 1523 | ||||
| 2006 | 6–6 | 4–5 | 1354 | ||||
| 2005 | 6–5 | 3–5 | 1378 | ||||
| 2004 | 9–3 | 7–2 | 1474 | ||||
| 2003 | 11–1 | 8–1 | 1441 | ||||
| 1996 | 0–1 | 1291 |
Every season back to 1903 (62 more)
| Season | Record | Conf. | AP pre | AP final | Coach | Elo | SP+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 0–1 | 1301 | |||||
| 1992 | 1–0 | 1333 | |||||
| 1991 | 1–0 | 1317 | |||||
| 1990 | 0–1 | 1296 | |||||
| 1989 | 1–0 | 1310 | |||||
| 1988 | 0–1 | 1305 | |||||
| 1987 | 0–1 | 1340 | |||||
| 1986 | 1–0 | 1410 | |||||
| 1985 | 2–0 | 1413 | |||||
| 1984 | 1–0 | 1406 | |||||
| 1983 | 1–1 | 1389 | |||||
| 1982 | 1–1 | 1418 | |||||
| 1981 | 3–0 | 1457 | |||||
| 1980 | 3–0 | 1380 | |||||
| 1979 | 3–1 | 1322 | |||||
| 1978 | 2–2 | 1273 | |||||
| 1977 | 2–2 | 1309 | |||||
| 1976 | 2–2–1 | 1265 | |||||
| 1975 | 4–1 | 1291 | |||||
| 1974 | 2–1 | 1279 | |||||
| 1973 | 0–3 | 1204 | |||||
| 1972 | 2–0 | 1286 | |||||
| 1971 | 2–1 | 1222 | |||||
| 1970 | 1–1 | 1143 | |||||
| 1969 | 1–1 | 1107 | |||||
| 1968 | 0–3 | 1033 | |||||
| 1967 | 0–3 | 1062 | |||||
| 1966 | 0–2 | 1119 | |||||
| 1965 | 2–1 | 1191 | |||||
| 1964 | 2–2 | 1244 | |||||
| 1963 | 4–0 | 1291 | |||||
| 1962 | 1–2 | 1115 | |||||
| 1961 | 0–1 | 1078 | |||||
| 1960 | 0–1 | 1120 | |||||
| 1959 | 1–0 | 1192 | |||||
| 1958 | 0–1 | 1182 | |||||
| 1957 | 1–0 | 1211 | |||||
| 1956 | 1–0 | 1197 | |||||
| 1955 | 1–0 | 1191 | |||||
| 1951 | 0–1 | 1138 | |||||
| 1950 | 0–2 | 1166 | |||||
| 1949 | 3–0 | 1227 | |||||
| 1948 | 0–2 | 1093 | |||||
| 1947 | 0–2 | 1109 | |||||
| 1946 | 1–0 | 19 | 1138 | ||||
| 1940 | 0–1 | 1076 | |||||
| 1939 | 0–1 | 1071 | |||||
| 1936 | 0–1 | 1088 | |||||
| 1933 | 0–1 | 1091 | |||||
| 1932 | 0–1 | 1090 | |||||
| 1931 | 0–1 | 1093 | |||||
| 1923 | 0–1 | 1092 | |||||
| 1921 | 0–2 | 1092 | |||||
| 1920 | 0–1 | 1098 | |||||
| 1919few games on file | 0–2 | 1102 | |||||
| 1917few games on file | 0–1 | 1113 | |||||
| 1915few games on file | 0–1 | 1126 | |||||
| 1914few games on file | 1–1 | 1149 | |||||
| 1912few games on file | 0–1 | 1070 | |||||
| 1908few games on file | 0–1 | 1081 | |||||
| 1904few games on file | 0–1 | 1084 | |||||
| 1903few games on file | 0–1 | 1087 |
Officially 747–491–44 since 1889 (per Wikipedia, rechecked weekly); game by game here, 212–176–1 (389 of its 1,282 games are on file). Our file starts in 1903; the program began in 1889. Some games are missing from our source.
No season on file for 1905–07, 1909–11, 1913, 1916, 1918, 1922, 1924–30, 1934–35, 1937–38, 1941–45, 1952–54, 1993–94, 1997–2002: the program may not have played, or our source may be missing them.
Records are computed from every game on file at CollegeFootballData.com, whose coverage of the earliest seasons can be incomplete. Elo is this site’s own rating; see how it works on the records page.