Mistakes mount up in Murfreesboro as the Blue Hens fall to the Blue Raiders

PHOTO CREDIT: @MT_FB

For the first time in the Ryan Carty era, and the first time since October 9th to the 23rd of 2021, Delaware has lost 3 straight games. Tonight penalties, a safety, blocked extra point and costly turnover doomed the Hens to a 33-30 loss to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Tuesday night in Murfreesboro Tennessee.

The Hens started freshman Tyler Bell at quarterback. Bell became the first true freshman QB to start for Delaware since 2001. The Hens signal called put together an impressive day going 22/36 for 306 yards and 2 passing TDs while adding a receiving TD.

Despite playing in a largely empty stadium, Delaware was called for 13 penalties for 101 yards in this game, including an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty which was pinned on Ryan Carty late in the 4th quarter.

Both teams traded field goals to start before later in the first, with 3:17 remaining, Tyler Bell was called with an intentional grounding in the Hens own endzone. That made the score 5-3 and gave the Blue Raiders a great start on their next drive which would extend into the 2nd quarter where, with 14:20 to go in the half, Roman Gagliano would keep it to punch in the game's first touchdown to make it 12-3.

That's when Bell and this Blue Hen offense awoke. With 7;20 left in the half, Kadaris Roberts ripped off an 11 yard score to cut the Blue Raider lead to 2. The with :20 left Bryson Graves threw a touchdown pass to Tyler Bell off a Ryan Carty trick play as the Hens would retake the lead before half 16-12. That score was set up by a key George Mullins interception; however the Hens would miss the extra point when the Blue Raiders blocked the kick to keep it a 4-point deficit.

Middle Tennessee would receiver to start the 2nd half and immediately Koraun Perdue would take a Roman Gagliano check down 80 yards for an instant score to put the Blue Raiders up 19-16.

That's when the seesaw would start. with 4:43 remaining in the 3rd, Bell would connect with Josh Humes for a 33-yard score. Then it would be Middle Tennessee's time to respond when Gagliano would find Neo Clifton for an 18 yard touchdown catch with 2:10 left in the 3rd frame 

With 9:57 left in the 4th, Bells 23-yard connection would swing the score back to UD 30-26, that's when the Blue Raiders would notch our final score in this back and forth affair when after the penalty on Ryan Carty, Gagliano would find Clifton again for 14 to make it 33-30 with 2:59 remaining in regulation.

On the Hens final drive Bell would try to get a play in before the 2-minute warning but his pass would be picked by Middle Tennessee, and the Blue Raiders would run the clock out to cap off their 3rd win of the season.

Despite the solid day for Bell, the Hens quarterback was sacked 6 times as Delaware now sits at 2-4. However, the Blue Hens head home next Tuesday October 20th when Delaware hosts a newcomer to Conference USA when Missouri State travels to Newark on short rest. The Bears play Kennesaw State Wednesday night as the mid-week slate for Conference USA play takes full swing.