Delaware was a middle-of-the-pack program in 2022, finishing the year at 4-4 in the CAA and 8-5 overall, but the Blue Hens did end the regular season ranked No. 23 in the Stats Perform FCS Poll.

The Blue Hens received an at-large bid into the FCS Playoffs and took advantage of the opportunity, downing Saint Francis (Pennsylvania) in the opening round, 56-17.

After the memorable win, ‌momentum swung in the other direction, and Delaware’s season came to an end a week later at the hands of top-ranked South Dakota State, 42-6.

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Delaware’s last national championship came in 2003.

CAA Football returns eight programs that finished with winning records in 2022. That includes William & Mary, who went 11-2 overall, and tied with New Hampshire atop ‌the CAA standings with a 7-1 record. 

CAA football action will be streamed live on FloFootball and the FloSports app, including all of Delaware’s CAA games.

Here’s What To Know About Delaware Football:

What Year Did Delaware Start Playing Football?

Known as Delaware College at the time, the school’s first official football game was played in 1889. 

However, the start of the “modern era” of Delaware football was marked by the hiring of Bill Murray in 1940. He served as the head football coach until 1950, before embarking on a successful career at Duke. 

What Is The Delaware Football All-Time Record?

The Delaware football team is 723-479-44 all-time.

How Many National Titles Does Delaware Football Have?

The Blue Hens have won six national championships. 

The first came on the heels of a 10-0 regular season in 1946 (after a three-year hiatus due to World War II), as the team was voted the Associated Press national small-college champion.

Delaware earned the same honor in 1963, 1971 and 1972, before the NCAA introduced a playoff system for lower-division schools.

Delaware was classified as a Division II team from 1974-1979, when it moved to the recently added Division I-AA. The Blue Hens went out in style, however, winning the 1979 Division II national title.

After several close calls in the decades that followed, Delaware won its first Division I-AA title in 2003 with a 40-0 win over Colgate.

When Did Delaware Join Division I College Football? 

The Blue Hens became a Division I-AA college football program in 1980 and now are classified as a Division I FCS program. 

How Many Times Has Delaware Football Made It To The FCS Playoffs?

The Blue Hens have reached the FCS Playoffs 18 times and have a 25-17 playoff record, including a 17-4 mark at home.

When Did Delaware Football Join The CAA?

CAA Football officially came to be in 2007, though the history of the teams and their road through other conferences and affiliations makes for a storied collective foundation, before the formal CAA Football banner.

CAA Football had 13 teams in 2022 and will add Campbell and North Carolina A&T in 2023.

How Has Delaware Performed In CAA Football Play?

In CAA play since 2007, Delaware has a 61-63 conference record and a pair of conference titles (2010 and 2020-2021). 

The best CAA season the Blue Hens have had was in 2010, when the team tied for the top spot in the standings with William & Mary at 6-2.

Where Do The Delaware Blue Hens Play Football?

The Blue Hens play their football at Delaware Stadium, which was built in 1952 and renovated four times since, making room for more than 20,000 fans. It’s the largest venue in the CAA and one of the largest in FCS football.

Who Is The Delaware Football Coach?

Ryan Carty made his debut as the head football coach at Delaware in 2022.

He is a Delaware alum and was a member of the national championship team in 2003.

Prior to taking the helm with the Blue Hens, Carty spent four years as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Sam Houston State University in Texas.

He helped the Bearkats to a 55-11 record, including a 10-0 regular-season mark (11-1 overall) in 2021.

Before landing at Delaware, Carty gained familiarity with the CAA during an 11-year coaching stint at New Hampshire.

In 2022, Carty became the first Delaware head coach to bring the team to the FCS Playoffs in his first season.  

Carty graduated from Delaware in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in management.

Blue Hens Earned Accolades In 2022, Too

In all, 10 Delaware players earned All-CAA honors in 2022, including three members of the defense getting first-team nods.

How Is 2023 Looking For The Delaware Blue Hens? 

After what turned out to be a successful 2022 season, the Blue Hens enter 2023 on the radar for two national preseason polls.

Delaware is No. 25 in ‌Athlon Sports’ FCS Preseason Top 25 and received votes in the HERO Sports Preseason Top 25 poll.

The Blue Hens were ranked throughout the 2022 season and reached as high as No. 6 after a 5-0 start. The run included wins over Navy, Delaware State, Rhode Island, Hampton and Towson and came to an end with a 27-21 loss to eventual co-CAA champion, William & Mary.

Where Is The University Of Delaware?

The University of Delaware is in Newark, Delaware.

The school was established as a private academy in 1743 (in New London, Pennsylvania), and the first class included three men who later signed the Declaration of Independence—Thomas McKean, George Read and James Smith.

The institution moved to Newark in 1765 and received a charter as the Academy of Newark in 1769. As more pieces fell into place, another transition took place. 

In 1834, the school became known as Newark College. In 1843, the name was changed to Delaware College. In 1921, the name was changed to the University of Delaware. In 1945, it merged with the Women’s College of Delaware and officially became coed.

Notable Delaware Alumni Include President Joe Biden

Notable alumni include: President Joe Biden (1965), First Lady Jill Biden (1976), Bob Carpenter Jr. (former owner of Philadelphia Phillies), Chris Christie (former New Jersey governor), Bryan Gordon (Emmy-nominated director of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Page Kennedy (actress),  Susan Stroman (Tony Award winner), Marna Whittington (director of Macy’s).

Football: Joe Flacco (Super Bowl champion and MVP), Gino Gradkowski (Super Bowl champion), Rich Gannon (Super Bowl appearance), Mike Adams (Super Bowl appearance), Marcus Burley (Super Bowl appearance), Paul Worrilow (Super Bowl appearance).

Delaware Football Schedule 2023 

• Aug. 31: at Stony Brook, 7 p.m. EST, FloSports
• Sept. 9: at Penn State, noon EST
• Sept. 16: Saint Francis (Pennsylvania), 6 p.m. EST, FloSports
• Sept. 23: New Hampshire, 6 p.m. EST, FloSports
• Oct. 7: Duquesne, 3 p.m. EST, FloSports
• Oct. 14: North Carolina A&T, 3 p.m. EST, FloSports
• Oct. 21: at Hampton, 2 p.m. EST, FloSports
• Oct. 28: at Towson, 4 p.m. EST, FloSports
• Nov. 4: Elon, 1 p.m. EST, FloSports
• Nov. 11: at Campbell, 1 p.m. EST, FloSports
• Nov. 18: Villanova, 1 p.m. EST, FloSports

How To Watch Delaware Football In 2023?

All CAA football games will stream on FloFootball and the FloSports app this fall. Some non-conference games may not be available on FloSports.