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Sept. 2, 2000 KINGSTON, RI -- The University of Delaware used a swarming defensive attack to hold the Rhode Island offense to just 92 yards in total offense en route to a 29-7 win in Atlantic 10 football action in front of a crowd of 3,036 at Meade Stadium. The Blue Hens won their sixth straight opener and 11th in the last 12 years. The 92 yards was the lowest total by a Delaware opponent in 18 years. The last time a Blue Hen opponent failed to gain 100 yards was when Western Kentucky was held to just 81 yards Sept. 11, 1982 at Delaware Stadium.
The Rams, who have not scored an offensive touchdown in the last eight quarters against Delaware, gained just 33 yards in the first half and picked up just two first downs in the first 30 minutes. Delaware has beaten Rhode Island 10 straight times and 15 of the 20 meetings between the two. The Rams have not beaten the Blue Hens since 1988. Delaware got on the board with 3:06 remaining in the first quarter when Craig Cummings scored on a one-yard touchdown dive. The score was set-up by an interception by defensive tackle Joe Minucci. Scott Collins, a transfer from Penn State making his first appearance as a Blue Hen, connected on his first of three PATs on the day to give Delaware a 7-0 lead. The lead stretched to 9-0 on the ensuing possession. After Rhode Island went three-and-out, Bashawn Dixon blocked the punt through the endzone for a safety. The Blue Hens extended the lead to 16-0 before half when junior running back Butter Pressey scored his first of two touchdown on the day. Pressey, a native of Newark, DE, caught a 12-yard scoring pass from quarterback Matt Nagy (14-24 for 170 yards) 3:25 into the second quarter. That touchdown was also set up by a Vince Nedimyer interception. Nedimyer, who finished 7 of 16 for 60 yards, was intercepted this time by senior safety Mike Furline. It was Furline's fifth career pickoff. Pressey scored again when he ran the second half kickoff back 90 yards for a touchdown. The kickoff return for a touchdown was the first of Pressey's collegiate career and marked the second straight year that a Blue Hen ran back a kickoff for a touchdown on opening day. Last year, Brett Veach ran a kick back 99 yards for a touchdown in Delaware's overtime win over William & Mary. The two-point conversion failed and Delaware led, 22-0. The Blue Hens extended that lead on an 11-yard touchdown run by Veach just over four minutes later for a 29-0 lead. Rhode Island avoided being shutout by Delaware for the second straight season when backup quarterback Sam Postlethwait fumbled and Paul Picciotti raced 12 yards with the recovery for a touchdown with 4:50 remaining in the fourth quarter. The game was halted by a severe thunderstorm with 2:08 remaining and was not resumed. Delaware will face The Citadel in its home opener next Saturday night. The 7 p.m. kickoff will be the first under the new permanent lights at Delaware Stadium.
AGATE SCORING DELAWARE………..9…7…13…0…- 29 RHODE ISLAND……0…0…0…7…- 7 First quarter UD - Cummings 1 run (Collins kick), 3:06
remaining Second quarter UD - Pressey 12 pass from Nagy (Collins kick), 11:35 Third quarter UD - Pressey 90 kick return (run failed),
14:44 Fourth quarter URI - Picciotti 12 funble recovery (R. Szczesniak kick), 4:50
TEAM
STATS……………….UD………URI *NOTE: Game halted with 2:08 remaining by thunderstorm.
INDIVIDUAL STATS RUSHING - DELAWARE: O'Neal 14-41, Pressey 10-36, Cummings 8-34, Jenkins 3-12, Veach 1-11, Patrick 1-4, Bennett 1-1, Mieczkowski 1-1, Nagy 8-(-8), Postlethwait 5-(-21). RHODE ISLAND: Jamison 11-33, Green 2-3, Ellis 1-1, Williams 1-1, Nedimyer 18-(-2), Poitier 2-(-4). PASSING - DELAWARE: Nagy 14-24-0-170, Postlethwait 0-1-0-0. RHODE ISLAND: Nedimyer 7-16-2-60. RECEIVING - DELAWARE: Veach 5-55, Elliott 3-57, Pressey 3-36, Cummings 2-18, O'Neal 1-4. RHODE ISLAND: Ray 4-33, Poitier 1-15, Williams 1-11, Green 1-1. ATT - 3,036
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