Delaware State Announces 2023 Football Home Kickoff Times
COURTESY OF DSU HORNETS
Dover, Del. — Delaware State has announced kickoff times for the Hornets’ 2023 home games at Alumni Stadium. The ’23 season opener at home against Bowie State on Sep. 2 and the Sep. 30 contest against Virginia University of Lynchburg are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The remaining 2023 home games, including the Oct. 21 homecoming contest against South Carolina State are set for 12:00 p.m. The Oct. 28 battle against Howard and home finale against Norfolk State are also scheduled for 12:00 p.m. starts.
Two college top-level schools, a 2022 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff second round team and five home games highlight Delaware State’s football schedule for the 2023 season, the first under new head coach Lee Hull.
Delaware State holds a 4-1 series lead against Bowie State. The teams last met in the 2021 season opener, with the Hornets coming out on top 32-24 at Alumni Stadium.
Delaware State is on the road for the next three games, beginning with a first-time meeting against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Army on Sep. 9 in West Point, N.Y. The Black Knights won their last three games, including a thrilling 20-17 victory over arch-rival Navy, to post a 6-6 overall record during the 2022 season.
The following week, the Hornets will travel to Richmond University to take on the Spiders of the Colonial Athletic Association for the first time on Sep. 16. Richmond was 9-4 overall, and reached the second round of the FCS Playoffs in 2022. The Spiders routed Davidson 41-0 in the opening round before falling to Sacramento State 38-31 on the road in the second round of last year’s playoff.
The Hornets will wrap up the road swing with a trip to Miami (OH) of the FBS Mid-America Conference (MAC), another first-time opponent, on Sep. 23. The RedHawks were 6-7 overall and 4-4 in the MAC in 2022.
Delaware State will Virginia University of Lynchburg for the fourth time in the last five seasons. The Hornets are 3-0 all-time vs. Dragons, including a 35-19 victory last season.
A first-time visit to Central Connecticut State on Oct. 7 is next on Delaware State’s 2023 schedule. This will be the second meeting between the Hornets and Blue Devils. Central Connecticut won the first contest 28-10 in 2008 in Dover, Del.
After an off week, Delaware State kicks off Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play at Alumni Stadium against South Carolina State in the annual homecoming contest. The Hornets snapped a five-game losing streak against the Bulldogs with a 27-24 overtime victory on the road in 2022, although SC State leads the series 33-18.
Delaware State remains home for the next game against defending MEAC co-champ Howard on Oct. 28. The Hornets and Bison will be meeting for the 66th straight year, and 81st time overall. Howard won last year’s meeting 35-17 in Washington, D.C., although the Hornets hold a 40-39-1 lead in the all-time series. Hull was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Bison prior to accepting the Delaware State head coach position in Dec. 2022.
The Hornets will play their first MEAC road game the following Saturday at Morgan State in Baltimore on Nov. 4. Delaware State will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak to the Bears, who won last year’s meeting 37-7 at Delaware State, and lead the all-time series 40-25.
The Hornets will play their final 2023 home game on Nov. 11 against Norfolk State. Delaware State defeated the Spartans 28-7 in Norfolk, Va., last season, and holds an 18-9 lead in the series.
Delaware State wraps up the 2023 regular season on the road at defending HBCU National Champ North Carolina Central in a MEAC contest on Nov. 18. The Eagles saved their season with a come-from-behind 28-21 victory over the Hornets, highlighted by a late red-zone defensive stop, last season. NCCU leads the all-time series 21-7. The Hornets have not won at North Carolina Central since 1977.
Delaware State 2023 football schedule link:
https://allhbcufootball.com/calendar/2023-delaware-state-schedule
Ticket office link:
https://dsuhornets.universitytickets.com/