VILLANOVA, PA -- The University of Delaware football team concluded its 2005 season with a 38-13 Atlantic 10 conference victory over Villanova University Saturday afternoon at Villanova Stadium.

Senior quarterback Sonny Riccio (right) rushed for a career-high 90 yards and four touchdowns in his final collegiate game. Riccio’s four touchdowns tie a Delaware record for rushing touchdowns in a game by a quarterback, a mark previously set twice by Bill Vergantino in the early 1990’s.

The win was Delaware’s second straight to finish the season, clinching Delaware’s 17th .500 or better season in 18 years. The Hens rushed for 228 yards, including 125 by Omar Cuff, and took advantage of three turnovers and a botched punt snap on the way to the victory.

“This is always a rivalry game so it’s very rewarding getting a win at their place today” said Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler, who improved to 3-1 against the Wildcats. “We really wanted to finish the season off in the right way and we won two big games on the road. We were really charged up to play today, and our kids really came through. This is a great way to finish the season and it gives us a nice springboard to next year.”

The Blue Hens (6-5, 3-5 Atlantic 10) took the lead on the Wildcats early on. After receiving the game’s opening kickoff, the Hens marched 74 yards in 11 plays for the games first score, a three-yard run by Cuff just 4:36 into the contest. The drive narrowly avoided disaster when at the end of an eight-yard catch and run, Mike Mailey was leveled, causing the ball to fly straight up into the air. Right tackle Rob Bergman, downfield looking to make a block, snagged the ball out of the air keeping the drive alive for the Hens. Six plays later Cuff took a handoff headed left, and after being stonewalled reversed his field back to the six yard line and sprinted right, reaching the inside of the front pylon to give Delaware the lead. The touchdown was only the third in the first quarter this season for Delaware, all scored by Cuff.

“Things really worked out great today” said Riccio, who finished his Delaware career 15-9 as the starting quarterback. “We did a great job running the option. We wanted to take the ball on the opening drive and go up 7-0 right away, and that’s what we did.”

The Wildcats (4-7, 2-6 Atlantic 10), who suffered their first losing season since 2000, drew even before the end of the first quarter, taking advantage of excellent field position following a Delaware drive that saw them backed up to their own two yard line. Villanova took over at the Delaware 35, and after gaining only six yards on three plays, Wildcat quarterback Frank Jankowski found J.J. Outlaw over the middle for a gain of 14 yards. Three plays later, DeQuese May found the endzone from two yards out to tie the score.

On the ensuing drive, the Blue Hens took the ball 77 yards in 10 plays to take the lead for good. Delaware used a pair of 14-yard completions, one to Danny Jones and one to Armand Cauthen, to move the Hens down the field. On a first down from the Villanova 23 yard line, Riccio rolled left on an option and kept the ball when the Wildcat defender went straight for Jones, the running back. Riccio outraced the Wildcat defenders to the endzone for his first touchdown of the day.

With only 52 seconds remaining in the first half, the Blue Hens took advantage of a Villanova miscue to extend their lead to 14 points. As the Wildcats lined up to punt from the Delware 48 yard line, the long snap sailed over the head of punter Adam James. When James recovered at his own 19, the Wildcats had lost 34 yards and Delaware was in position to score again. On second and goal from the six yard line, RIccio burrowed up the middle for his second touchdown of the game.

After receiving the second half kickoff Villanova marched 85 yards in only eight plays, capped by a two yard run by Matt Dicken to cut the Delaware lead to 21-13, following a missed extra point. Delaware then took advantage of a short field, and travelled 19 yards to the Villanova 17 to set up Zach Hobby’s season-long 34 yard field goal to restore the Hens’ double-digit lead. The field goal was Hobby’s seventh of the season, tying a school record by a freshman.

Early in the fourth quarter, freshman defensive end Matt Marcorelle forced a fumble by Jankowski that was recovered by Tom Parks, and the Hens in workmanlike fashion then went 19 yards, all on the ground to move ahead 31-13. On the scoring play, Riccio kept the ball on an option rollout right and coasted into the endzone for his third touchdown. On the next offensive play for Villanova, Jankowski tried to hit a receiver deep, but the ball was tipped up into the air by Rashaad Woodard and intercepted by Nicos Chavis.

After regaining possession of the ball, the Wildcats drove to the Delaware 22, where Jankowski was sacked by the Hens’ Stephen Purkey, causing another fumble. Marquez Davis came up with the recovery for Delaware, which then went 69 yards in only 5 plays, highlighted by a 54 yard run by Cuff. Riccio scored on the same play that yielded his third touchdown to produce the final margin.

Cuff’s 54 yard run vaulted him over the 100 yard plateau for the seventh time this season, and the 11th time in only 19 career games. Cuff’s season total of 1205 yards puts him eighth on the all-time single season list. Additionally, linebacker John Mulhern became the 13th player in UD history to record 300 tackles, finishing his career with 306. Woodard tied the school record for kickoff returns in a season (31) and set a new record for kickoff return yards in a season with 763. Marcorelle recorded half a sack to tie the school record for sacks by a freshman with four.

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