Nate Reed’s game-winning field goal wasn’t even his most clutch play.
When Delaware needed its kicker to overcome the odds, Reed delivered in spectacular fashion. Trailing 24-16 to Louisiana Tech, the Fightin’ Blue Hens scored a touchdown with 34 seconds remaining as a hopeful Newark crowd eagerly awaited their team to tie the ballgame at 24 apiece. However, the 2-point attempt never materialized and Delaware remained down 24-22. Missing the 2-point attempt wound up beneficial in the long run because
of Reed.
Three games after successfully executing an onside kick against Jacksonville State, the kicker unleashed his special talent again. He faked the kick to the left and then targeted the right sideline. The ball bounced twice, and the second bounce was much more substantial than the first, flying several inches above the outstretched arms of Louisiana Tech linebacker Colton Deckard. Delaware wide receiver Ja’Carree Kelly swooped behind Deckard like a falcon chasing its prey, diving on the loose pigskin before it traveled out of bounds.
Delaware’s second onside kick recovery in less than a month’s span positioned the Fightin’ Blue Hens at the Louisiana Tech 40-yard line with 34 seconds remaining. The offense didn’t move far, obtaining six yards on three passes to set up a 51-yard field goal for Reed. The kicker delivered another clutch moment, sinking the career-long field goal with plenty of distance to hand Delaware a 25-24 victory in a back-and-forth thriller.
Delaware was in control for the majority of a low-scoring contest, holding to a 16-7 advantage when the fourth quarter arrived. Louisiana Tech sliced the deficit to one-score on an 8-minute, 35-second field goal drive, and then the Bulldogs’ vaunted defense stepped up to give the offense a shot at the lead. Guided by Evan Bullock (the third different quarterback Louisiana Tech utilized Saturday), the Bulldogs succeeded with the opportunity, finishing on a 13-yard Clay Thevenin touchdown run.
Things only went further south for Delaware at home when quarterback Nick Minicucci threw a 50-50 ball toward the sideline which landed into the hands of Louisiana Tech free safety Jacob Fields. With an open lane in front of him, Fields ran back a 38-yard score, finalizing a 17-0 Bulldog fourth quarter run and increasing the margin to 24-16.
Delaware ultimately won with a stellar special teams ending, and Reed did more than just last-minute heroics. The senior kicker sunk all four attempts vs. Louisiana Tech and was the lone contributor to the Blue Hens’ 9-7 halftime lead. Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech missed two field goals in the 1-point defeat, proving the value of special teams in the closely-contested finish.
Minicucci also starred for Delaware, generating his fifth 300-yard passing game of the season with 304 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, along with a team-high 55 rushing yards. Other Delaware standouts included wide receiver Sean Wilson (5 receptions, 107 yards) and middle linebacker Gavin Moul (11 tackles, 0.5 sacks).
Delaware (5-4, 3-3 CUSA) is back to plus-.500 territory after improving to 3-1 in one-score games. The Fightin’ Blue Hens would be one win away from bowl eligibility in a normal season, but since they are transitioning from the FCS level, they are ineligible for the conference championship and bowl games — unless there are not enough teams that qualify. Sam Houston and UTEP loom on the conference schedule, while a late non-conference clash with Wake Forest is sandwiched between those CUSA matchups.
Louisiana Tech (5-4, 3-3 CUSA) watched its CUSA title odds take a significant hit in Newark. The Bulldogs have lost three of their last four, including heartbreakers to WKU and Delaware by 1-point apiece — standing an overtime fourth down stop away from defeating WKU and an onside recovery away from defeating Delaware. Louisiana Tech has not reached six wins since 2019, and the team will have three opportunities to accomplish that goal — at Washington State, vs. Liberty, and at Missouri State.
