Delaware loses Conference USA showdown at Jacksonville State. 5 takeaways

Delaware was among the top teams nationally in recent football seasons in turnover margin.

But that was at the FCS level.

Delaware’s move to Conference USA and the Football Bowl Subdivision means a faster, more physical game and now turnovers have cost the Blue Hens dearly in two straight losses, including the 38-25 defeat at Jacksonville State Oct. 15.

“We’re not a good enough team,” Delaware coach Ryan Carty told Blue Hens Radio after the game, “and we’re playing in too good of a conference and we’re on the road to spot somebody 14 points early with turnovers.”

That leads the five takeaways from Delaware’s loss in Alabama Wednesday night:

Turnovers tantamount

Two second-half turnovers doomed Delaware in its 27-24 loss to Western Kentucky Oct. 3.

This time they came early and helped put the Blue Hens in an early hole.

Tight end Elijah Sessoms fumbled on a 21-yard gain when he was hit hard and targeting was called, then called off after replay.

A 27-yard return put the Gamecocks 11 yards from the end zone and Cam Cook scored on a 6-yard run after a UD penalty.

Soon after, a fourth-and-4 Nick Minicucci pass from the UD 43 to Jake Thaw seemed to get the first down.

But JSU tore the ball away and Caleb Nix, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix’s brother, scurried 45 yards for a TD and a 14-0 lead.

“Those were tough plays,” Carty said. “One was targeting that got overturned and a really good shot that Elijah took.

“The other one was a fourth down that we converted. And the rules of engagement on a fourth down, you’re allowed to reach the ball out to make sure you got the first down, I think on the way down after forward progress or before forward progress. Who knows? I think both of them were really close calls.”

Penalties hurt Hens

Delaware had 18 penalties for 171 yards its first five games, fewest in CUSA.

The Hens had 10 for 83 yards at Jacksonville State though Carty suggested afterward that some of the calls may have been questionable.

“We’ve been one of the least penalized teams in the country and I thought we played similar to that tonight,” he said.

Third- and fourth-down struggles

Delaware was 4-for-14 on third downs and 1-for-5 on fourth downs, frequently unable to get first downs that certainly would have improved their chances.

One failure was especially critical as, behind 28-6 in the third quarter, Carty went for it on fourth-and-9 at the UD 35.

The Hens came up a yard short on Minicucci’s pass to Sessoms. The Gamecocks needed just three plays to score their final TD and go ahead 35-6.

On the run

Other than his 66-yard gallop, Cook was sometimes contained by Delaware’s defense. The nation’s leading rusher, Cook had 117 yards on 18 carries with three TDs.

Nine of those 18 carries netted two yards or less. He was averaging a best-in-the-nation 138 yards rushing entering the game.

Delaware managed just 34 rushing yards among its 456 total and averaged 1.5 yards per carry.

“I don’t think we ran the ball very well and I think they did a really nice job at having a plan to stop us up front,” Carty said.

“And, unfortunately, it took me a little too long to figure that out. We kind of got behind trying to be balanced.”

Long balls galore

Minicucci completed 31 of 49 passes for 410 yards and a TD but struggled early to hit timely pass plays that may have narrowed the gap sooner. That included several passes that were overthrown downfield in Delaware’s quest to cover ground. He actually completed 19 of his last 22.

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.