Degree of difficulty: Sizing up unbeaten Blue Hens’ remaining 5 CAA football games

After its dominant back-to-back residence wins, Delaware’s path to a possible Colonial Athletic Affiliation soccer title now faces some extreme street checks.

The Blue Hens (5-0 general, 3-0 CAA) journey to William & Mary on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. showdown between Prime 25 groups.

CAA STANDINGS: Hens, UNH tied atop league

Delaware then has an open date and Oct. 22 nonconference Homecoming date with Morgan State earlier than an Oct. 29 journey to Elon, which enhanced its Prime 25 standing Saturday with a double-overtime win over Richmond.

“Hopefully we’ll proceed to get higher and be prepared,” coach Ryan Carty stated Monday. “We received a little bit little bit of a stretch right here the place we received a bunch of fine opponents. … We’re fearful about this one proper now and, hopefully, we will go all the way down to William & Mary and put together very well this week.”

There are actually 13 CAA soccer members, with everybody taking part in an eight-game league schedule. The NCAA Soccer Championship Subdivision playoffs embrace 24 qualifiers.

The CAA can usually rely upon sending three or 4 groups to the playoffs, although that quantity has been as little as two and as excessive as six within the final 10 years. The following two months will decide who will get the chance to play for a nationwide title, which is the aim and expectation of each Delaware group, and who doesn’t.

Previous to the CAA opener at Rhode Island, we ranked the potential significance and problem of every of Delaware’s eight Colonial matchups. We now replace that checklist each Monday with Delaware’s remaining league video games:

HISTORY LESSON: Delaware win over Towson optimistic harbinger for 2022 season

1. Elon (4-1; away, Oct. 29)

Elon stays on the prime of the checklist, following its comeback win at William & Mary Sept. 24 and Saturday’s 30-27 double-overtime conquest of visiting Richmond. The reminiscence of Nolan Henderson getting his helmet – and thank goodness not his head additionally – taken off on a first-quarter concentrating on infraction throughout Delaware’s final journey right here in 2019 additionally raises warning about this endeavor. Delaware misplaced that sport 42-7, nonetheless the second-most lopsided defeat within the Hens’ 37 years as a Yankee Convention/Atlantic 10/CAA members. Elon was aggressive with Vanderbilt in a 42-31 loss, blasted Wofford 26-0 and nipped Gardner-Webb 30-24 earlier than rallying previous the Tribe 35-31. Elon Quarterback Matthew McKay, a former starter at North Carolina State and Montana State, has thrown for 12 TDs with only one interception. He was 20-for-35 with three TDs towards Richmond and Elon additionally received 93 yards dashing from Jalen Hampton in addition to a stable defensive effort towards the Spiders.

2. Richmond (3-2; residence, Nov. 12)

The Spiders’ loss at Elon was its first in a CAA sport this 12 months however they continue to be a championship-worthy outfit. Quarterback Reece Udinski, who threw for a VMI report 7,877 profession yards earlier than taking part in final fall at Maryland, has accomplished an astounding 77 % of his passes this 12 months with 13 TDs and only one interception. He threw 58 passes at Elon, finishing 42 for 383 yards and two touchdowns with Jakob Herres catching 12 for 174 yards. Richmond additionally received 102 yards on 19 carries from Aaron Dykes. Delaware has painful reminiscences of its 51-27 loss at Richmond final 12 months and can relish the rematch on residence turf, however this shall be a really, very tough problem.

3. William & Mary (4-1; away, Oct. 8)

William & Mary nonetheless shapes up as a really powerful street encounter for Delaware this week. The Tribe bounced again from its loss to Elon the week earlier than to beat Stony Brook 27-10 Saturday however did path at halftime earlier than outscoring the hosts 21-0 within the second half. Malachi Imoh rushed for 128 yards and QB Darius Wilson had a 48-yard run. That is the Blue Hens’ first journey to Williamsburg since 2016, when a mistake-filled loss led to Dave Brock’s firing as coach the subsequent day. Mike London, the previous Richmond, Virginia and Howard coach who succeeded Jimmye Laycock in 2019, has the Tribe again in playoff competition. It didn’t actually present in final 12 months’s journey to Delaware, a 24-3 UD rout that exemplified the Hens’ defensive firepower. William & Mary, which has a win over FBS Charlotte this season, leads the CAA with 241 dashing yards per sport and Delaware’s protection, the most effective statistically within the CAA, will relish the problem.

4. Monmouth (3-2; residence, Nov. 5)

Monmouth had no hassle with nonconference foe Lehigh in a 35-7 rout Saturday following its 49-42 triumph at Villanova the earlier week. In that sport. Jaden Shirden rushed for 211 yards, the primary plus-200 effort towards Villanova since 1995. He’s by far the league chief with 154 dashing yards per sport. The Hawks function preseason All-CAA quarterback Tony Muskett, who has thrown for 1,269 yards and 10 TDs.

5. Villanova (3-2; away, Nov. 19)

Villanova performed its finest all-around sport of the 12 months in Saturday’s 45-20 rout at Maine, the place it scored on its first six possessions and gained 466 yards. Villanova incorporates a sinister floor sport that’s averaging 5.8 yards per carry and is led by Jalen Jackson (83.5 ypg). It has been properly complemented by QB Connor Watkins’ operating and passing. Actually, a lot is commonly driving on Delaware’s annual season-ending Battle of the Blue matchup with the rival Wildcats, who’ve received 9 of the final 10 and 14 of the final 16 over the Hens. What occurs earlier than although will decide precisely what this final result will imply.

Have an thought for a compelling native sports activities story or is there a problem that wants public scrutiny? Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and observe on Twitter @kevintresolini. Help native journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com.