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Saint Francis U Football Falls to No. 23 Delaware in First Round of FCS Playoffs

11/26/2022

Newark, DE  – The Saint Francis U football team fell in the first round of the FCS playoffs, 56-17, against No. 23 Delaware. Capturing the Northeast Conference's (NEC) regular season championship last weekend, the Red Flash finished the season with a 9-3 record and a .750 winning percentage, which marked best win rate in the program's Division I history.   

Freshman Makai Jackson, the NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year, finished with five receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown, while redshirt sophomore Dawson Snyder finished with two receptions for 60 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, redshirt sophomore Gregory Reddick finished with a team-high 14 tackles, including a game-high eight solo stops.

Delaware quarterback Nolan Henderson scored an early touchdown just over two minutes into the game and the Blue Hens took a 6-0 lead after a missed wo-point conversion attempt. Delaware had the game's next score with 7:19 remaining in the first to push ahead, 14-0.
 
After Delaware blocked a punt, redshirt junior Travell Cook forced a fumble at the Saint Francis U two-yard line and Donnell Brown, a redshirt sohomore who was tabbed the NEC Defensive Player of the Year, recovered it in the end zone for a touchback. On the ensuing drive, Saint Francis U was on the Delaware four-yard line and settled for a field goal to cut the deficit to 14-3.

In the second quarter, Delaware scored the only two touchdowns and took a 28-3 lead into halftime.
 
Out of the half, both teams traded third quarter touchdowns before the Blue Hens scored 21 straight points in the fourth and opened a 56-10 lead. Jackson scored a 45-yard touchdown with under four minutes remaining before Delaware clinched its 56-17 victory.
 
The nine wins marked the most in Saint Francis U's Division I program history. They were two victories more han the previous record of seven set in 2015 and 2016. The loss snapped Saint Francis U's nine-game winning streak, which was the longest in program history since 1971-72 and the third longest in the nation.
 
Jackson finished tied for third in single-season program history with 85 receptions, fourth with 991 receiving yards and tied for fifth with nine receiving touchdowns.