Delaware State’s football team completes a grueling three game season-opening gauntlet Saturday, when it visits the number one team in the NCAA FCS ranks, North Dakota State.
After back-to-back blow-out losses to Delaware (42-21) and 4th ranked Towson (49-7), the Hornets try to avoid an 0-3 start in Fargo against the two-time defending national champs.
DSU head coach Kermit Blount says its no surprise Del State is struggling in the face of this challenging early stretch of games.
“We knew it and our players knew it before we started. We’re a really, really young football team and this is going to be a great learning experience for our young guys," said Blount. "It may not benefit us right now, but its going to benefit us down the road. It’s going to have our guys grow up a lot quicker than we expected them to.”
Adding to the challenge Saturday, the game is receiving national attention as ESPN brings its College GameDay show to North Dakota State. It’s only the fourth time College GameDay has taken its show to a non-major college campus.
Blount says he’s trying to keep the hoopla from distracting his team.
“For us, it’s another ballgame. We’re approaching it as if we were playing just another team," said Blount. "The GameDay activities are for everybody else but us, but we do enjoy and we do welcome the attention Delaware State is going to receive from it.”
North Dakota State is off to a 2-0 start, including a win over the Big 12's Kansas State.
The Hornets and Bison kick-off at 3:30 Saturday in Fargo. It’s the first meeting ever between the two schools and Del State’s first game against the number one team in the nation since a 49-0 loss to Southern Illinois in 2004.
Tomorrow’s local college football schedule also finds UD at home looking to rebound from its loss to Navy when it entertains Wagner at 6pm at Delaware Stadium.
Wesley College, ranked 5th in Division Three, is in Texas for a showdown with 4th ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor at 7 pm.