NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware came within 19 seconds of its first shutout since 2003 and junior Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes and ran for another in his debut as the 15th ranked Blue Hens opened the 2006 season with a 30-7 football victory over West Chester at Delaware Stadium Saturday night.

Flacco, in his first year of eligibility at Delaware since transferring from the University of Pittsburgh, connected on scoring passes of 16 yards to freshman Jared Bradley(top right) and 50 yards to fellow Pitt transfer Robbie Agnone and also scored on a short touchdown run as the Hens (1-0) built a 27-0 halftime lead and never looked back. The game was played before a sellout crowd of 22,329, the 13th straight sellout at Delaware Stadium since the 2004 season.

Zach Hobby (bottom right) added a school-record tying three field goals, including a career-long 45-yarder, and Bradley rushed for a game-high 91 yards in his collegiate debut to lead the Blue Hens, who downed the NCAA Division I Rams (0-2) for the 13th straight time. West Chester has advanced to the NCAA II Tournament each of the past two seasons.

Delaware held West Chester to 252 total yards and took advantage of four Ram turnovers but just barely missed posting its first shutout since downing Colgate 40-0 in the 2003 NCAA I-AA championship game and its first season-opening shutout since downing West Chester by a 28-0 score in 1991. West Chester defensive back Maurice Garlic scooped up a fumble by backup Delaware running back Matt Ruggiero and raced 83 yards for a touchdown with just 19 seconds remaining to spoil the Hens’ shutout bid.

“It was a sloppy first game and I was disappointed that we didn’t finish it (shutout) off,” said Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler, who improved to 13-1 all-time in season openers, including a 4-1 mark at Delaware. “Great teams do that. But we saw some good things and we will enjoy every single win. We have a lot to work on but we’ll get back to practice this week and see if we can get better.”

Flacco completed 9 of 18 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns but threw an interception, lost two fumbles, and was sacked three times. Bradley rushed 20 times for 91 yards while All-American Omar Cuff gained 59 yards on 12 carries before leaving the game with leg cramps early in the second half.

West Chester, which turned the ball over four times itself, managed just 250 total yards with Osagie Osunde gaining 48 yards rushing on 13 carries. Bill Zwaan hit on 6 of 15 passes for 35 yards while Matt Burdalski hit on 4 of 8 for 42 yards.

Hobby opened the scoring with a 45-yard field goal with 5:28 left in the opening quarter and Flacco made it 10-0 when he scored on a four-yard burst after Aaron Hicks returned an interception 31 yards to the WCU eight-yard line. Bradley made it 17-0 with 31 seconds left in the opening quarter as he scored a touchdown on a 16-yard screen pass from Flacco on the first touch of his college career.

The lead increased to 27-0 at the half as Flacco hit Agnone on a 50-yard bomb down the left sideline early in the second half and Hobby hit a 29-yard field goal with 22 seconds left in the half. The field goal was set up when Bubba Jespersen recovered a Zwaan fumble at the WCU 32-yard line.

Boxscore