Game Five: Pitt (2-2) vs. Delaware (3-1)

Saturday, September 28 at 12:30 p.m.

Series Record: Pitt leads 1-0

Last Game: Pitt won 62-0 (2014)

After 3 of their first 4 games this season came against teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25, Pitt gets what on paper should be a bit of a breather this weekend when they play host to Delaware. The Blue Hens serve as Pitt’s annual FCS opponent this year, though the game comes a bit later than typical. Usually, these games are played opening weekend to serve as a bit of a tune-up since college football has no preseason. However, the ACC wanted marquee conference matchups to kick off their new network this year, so Pitt had to open against Virginia. While Pitt didn’t get a warm-up to open the season, they get to play this game just prior to ACC play and the real meat of the schedule opening up.

Delaware has come to Heinz Field once before, for the season opener during Paul Chryst’s last season as Panther Head Coach. The outcome of that game was never in doubt, as Pitt opened up a 42-0 lead by halftime and cruised to a 62-0 final. While blowouts of that proportion should rarely be expected, regardless of the quality of the opponent, it would be nice to see the Panthers build a sizeable halftime lead, as they did 5 years ago, so that they can rest their starters going into ACC play. This visit also continues something of a trend of Pitt bringing in their FCS opponents from the membership of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Other than Delaware, the Panthers have hosted or have on future schedules CAA members Villanova, New Hampshire, Maine, Albany, Richmond, and Rhode Island. Of those teams, Maine is the only one to really put up a fight, managing to lose by only 6 points in 2011 (the Todd Graham year).

Offense

Looking at this year’s edition of the Delaware Blue Hens, we see that there has already been a changing of the guard at Quarterback. Redshirt Senior Pat Kehoe started the season at the position, but was replaced midway through their third game by Redshirt Sophomore Nolan Henderson. Kehoe had looked ineffective against North Dakota State in that game, so was replaced. Henderson got his first collegiate start last week against Penn and led the Blue Hens to a comeback 28-27 victory. In that game he had an impressive statline of 20/29 for 260 yards, 3 Touchdowns, and no Interceptions. For the season Henderson has the better statistics, a 72.3% completion rate, 8.61 Yards/Attempt, 5 TDs, and 0 Ints compared with Kehoe’s 61.3% completion rate, 6.39 Yards/Attempt, 7 TDs, and 4 Ints. Henderson is also more of a spread Quarterback whereas Kehoe is more of a traditional pocket passer. It’s worth noting that Kehoe and Henderson had already been splitting time prior to the switch and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kehoe play this weekend, despite Henderson seeming to take over as starter.

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