Football Defeats Merrimack, 42-7, For Season-Opening Win

Thursday, September 3

Newark, Del.

7 PM

University of Delaware

1-0 , 0-0

Merrimack

0-2 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Merrimack	0	0	7	0	7
Delaware	7	14	21	0	42

Photo by: Ethan Heddinger

Football Defeats Merrimack, 42-7, For Season-Opening Win

9/3/2026 10:29:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

Press Conference | Photo Gallery

NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware football team began the 2026 season with a 42-7 win over the Merrimack Warriors Thursday night in Delaware Stadium. It marks the eighth-consecutive season that Delaware has started the year 1-0.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS

QB Nick Minicucci completed 20-of-36 passes for 330 yards with three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing).
RB Viron Ellison Jr. recorded two touchdowns, including his first-career passing touchdown of 75 yards.
S George Mullins tallied his first-career interception in his UD debut to go with two tackles.
S Noah Jefferson paced the team in tackles with a career-high eight.
Ten different receivers caught a pass in today's game, led by WR Sean Wilson with six receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown.
WR Nick Tyree caught his first-career touchdown pass.
RB Kaderris Roberts caught a career-long 75 yard touchdown pass from Ellison Jr. on a double pass.
The Delaware defense registered three sacks on the day, with five players contributing.
UD won the turnover margin to move to 24-0 under head coach Ryan Carty when doing so.
The Fightin' Blue Hens outgained the Warriors 547 to 244 and averaged 7.5 yards per play. The 547 yards of total offense are the most in a game for Delaware since accruing 607 at Monmouth on October 5, 2024.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Delaware used a nine-play, 50-yard drive to begin the scoring on the team's opening possession, capped off by an 11-yard rushing touchdown by Ellison Jr.
With 5:43 left in the second quarter, Mullins intercepted Merrimack in the endzone for his first-career pick. On the ensuing Delaware possession, the Hens drove 80 yards down the field in 1:48 as Minicucci ran it in from 12 yards out to make it 14-0. After Moore forced a Merrimack fumble in its own territory, Minicucci connected with Wilson in the corner of the endzone to go up 21-0 at the half.
Roberts found paydirt on a run up the middle to extend the lead to 28-0 early in the third quarter. On a trick play on the next possession, Ellison Jr. found Roberts wide open down the sideline, scoring his second touchdown of the quarter to extend the lead to 35-0.
Merrimack scored a touchdown before the end of the third quarter to get on the board.
To begin the fourth, Tyree scored his first-career touchdown, extending Delaware's lead to 42-7.

GAME NOTES

Roberts' multi-touchdown game was the second of his collegiate career. He scored two rushing touchdowns on Sept. 2, 2023 while a member of Stetson's program against St. Thomas (FL).
Roberts became the first Delaware player with a rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown in the same game since Marcus Yarns did so against Villanova on November 29, 2024.
Minicucci recorded his eighth career 300-yard passing game.
Minicucci became the first Delaware quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in a season opener since Ryan O'Connor threw for 346 yards on August 31, 2023.
Minicucci moved into sixth place in program history in career completions (470), eighth place in career passing yards (5,312), and eighth in career passing touchdowns with 40.
Three players made their first-collegiate start: OL Chandler Telfaire, LB Colin Gallagher, and S George Mullins.
Fifteen players made their Delaware debuts: WR Bryson Graves, WR Da'Wain Lofton, OL Mustafa Kanneh, Mullins, Roberts, CB Jaquise Alexander, TE Josh Humes, DE James Steel, S Kevin Moore, BAN Jalen Bell, K Tucker Smack, OL Wahkeem Roman, DE Sam Siafa, CB Jaylen Mack, and DT Dylan Mann.
Fourteen players played in their first collegiate game: Telfaire, DE Yamdry Hernandez, LB Demarco Daniels, S Dannell Jester Jr., WR Tae'Sean Robinson, Moore, CB Trent Gummer, S Dorian Rutledge, CB Azir Lee, RB NaKeem Powell, LB Wayne Cunningham Jr., WR Calvin Thomas, DT Christian Corbin, and K Kason Mullis.
Delaware's seven points allowed was its fewest in a season opener since also allowing seven against Navy on Sept. 3, 2022.
Delaware's 35-point win was its largest in the first game of the season since defeating Maine 37-0 on March 6, 2020.
The 547 total yards by Delaware is its most in a season opener since having 559 against Stony Brook on August 31, 2023.

UP NEXT
The Fightin' Blue Hens will travel to Nashville, Tennessee for a clash with the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday, September 12 at 4:15 p.m. ET. The game will air nationally on the SEC Network.

TICKET INFORMATION
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