Teams with opposite offensive philosophies will tangle Wednesday night when Delaware faces Louisiana in the 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
Delaware (6-6, 4-4 CUSA) has a pass-first offense directed by quarterback Nick Minicucci. The Blue Hens averaged 302.2 passing yards per game, which was the best in Conference USA and ranked sixth nationally. Delaware also tied for the lead in Conference USA in points per game (29.8).
Minicucci’s top targets in the passing game are wide receivers Sean Wilson and Kyre Duplessis. Wilson finished the regular season ranked fourth among Conference USA receivers in catches (60) and third in receiving yards (796). Duplessis was tied for fifth in receptions (55) and fifth in receiving yards (755).
“They’re a little unique in that they’re going to throw it a little more — a lot more — than what we’ve seen this year,” Louisiana coach Michael Desormeaux said. “We’re going to need a big day from our defensive line and the edge players in the pass rush. In the back end, we have to play with really good eye discipline.”
Minicucci also rushed for 10 touchdowns this season.
Louisiana (6-6, 5-3 Sun Belt) is a ground-and-pound team that has the 29th-ranked rushing offense in the nation, averaging 189.8 yards per game. Running backs Bill Davis and Zylan Perry give the Rajin’ Cajuns a one-two punch in the backfield and have accounted for 1,407 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns this season.
Delaware, a perennial contender at the NCAA I-AA/FCS level over four decades including the 2003 national championship, joined the FBS this season and was technically ineligible for the postseason due to restrictions regarding teams transitioning from the FCS level. However, due to a lack of qualifying teams, Delaware was awarded a bowl berth after it completed the regular season on Nov. 29 with a 61-31 victory over Texas-El Paso to reach six wins.
“It’s very exciting,” Delaware coach Ryan Carty said. “I grew up a coach’s son. My brothers and I — we loved the bowl season. … I can sit and remember years and years literally watching every bowl game, just edge of my seat in those games. To be part of it is pretty special.
“We loved our FCS playoffs. We enjoyed being part of that as well. And so this has been really exciting, I think, mainly because it’s novel. It’s something new for us and I know our student-athletes are really excited about it and as a program and a department there’s a feeling around here that’s palpable.”
Louisiana is playing in a bowl game for the eighth consecutive season, and for the 13th time in 15 seasons. The Ragin’ Cajuns overcame a 2-6 start by winning their last four games, all by single digits.
Louisiana will be seeking its first bowl victory since 2021.
“Excited for our guys to earn this opportunity,” Desormeaux said. “(Losing in bowl games) is a taste we desperately want to get out of our mouths. We didn’t do all this work and come this far just to get here. We’re intent on going out there and finding a way to win this game. I expect them to play really well and pretty hard and get one more for the Cajuns.”
