North Dakota State continued a trend of scheduling strong FCS schools with the announcement Wednesday of a home and home series with the University of Delaware in 2018 and 2019. The Bison will host the Fighting Blue Hens September 1st, 2018, with a trip to Newark on September 14, 2019. This will mark the first meetings between the perennial FCS powers.
Delaware rose to prominence under now Sam Houston head coach KC Keeler, leading the Hens to the national title in 2003, beating Colgate. They received even more attention in 2007, thanks to a quarterback named Joe Flacco. Flacco had a tremendous senior season, capped off by a great playoff run. I actually was visiting with Bison head coach Chris Klieman about him the other day, Klieman of course was the defensive coordinator for Northern Iowa in 2007, when Delaware went to Cedar Falls and beat UNI 39-27 in the quarterfinals. Flacco went 25-45 for 312 yards and two touchdowns in the win, Klieman told me, “We just couldn’t stop him.”
The Blue Hens also were part of the first FCS championship game in Frisco in 2010, falling to Eastern Washington. That game stands out as the Hens led 19-0 only to see EWU rally to beat them 20-19.
Since then though, times have been tough for Delaware. They have not made the playoffs since losing to Eastern, registering seven wins in a season just twice. Dave Brock replaced Keeler who was fired in 2012, struggling to a 4-7 record a year ago. They have been supplanted by Richmond, New Hampshire and James Madison as the powerhouse of the CAA.
For NDSU, this marks another solid home and home schedule agreement. Montana started things in 2014-15, Eastern Washington continues that in 16-17 and then Delaware the following two years. This also marks the first game for the Bison in non-conference play for 2018, NDSU will look to play another home game and then an FBS opponent. As for 2019, the Bison now have three non-conference games, starting with home games against Butler and North Dakota before the trip to Delaware. This is a season with 12 games, so the Bison are in the market for an FBS game that season too, likely for September 21st.
