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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
4-3 , 4-1
Delaware
4-3 , 2-2
Massachusetts Football Takes Down No. 18 Delaware, 26- 19
October 23, 1999 | Football
Oct. 23, 1999
NEWARK, Del. (AP) - Marcel Shipp rushed a stadium record 44 times for 176 yards and two touchdowns as Massachusetts overcame a 19-7 second quarter deficit to defeat Delaware, 26-19, Saturday in Atlantic 10 play.
The No. 24 ranked Minutemen, the defending national I-AA champion, won its third straight game to improve to 4-3 (4-1) with just its second victory in 12 games at Delaware Stadium.
Delaware, ranked No. 18, dropped its second straight game to fall to 4-3 (2-2). The back-to-back losses were the first for Delaware since 1994 and mark the first time the Hens have lost consecutive games at home since 1989.
Shipp, the nation's fourth leading rusher with 920 yards this season, went over the 100-yard mark for the 19th straight time. The Massachusetts defense, led by Kole Ayi who had 10 tackles and an interception, held Delaware to a season-low 247 yards and took advantage of three turnovers.
After Massachusetts opened the scoring on a one-yard Todd Bankhead dive with 7:53 left in the opening quarter, Delaware reeled off 19 straight points. Jamin Elliott scored on a nine-yard end around, fullback Steve Ricco scored on an 11-yard run up the middle, and Butter Pressey scored on a 20-yard run with 6:19 left before halftime.
The first two touchdowns were set up by interceptions from linebackers Dan Mulhern and Brian McKenna. But it was all Massachusetts after that. Shipp capped an 86-yard drive with a one-yard dive and Doug White hit a 34-yard field goal as the first half expired to cut the lead to 19-17.
Massachusetts, which held the Hens to just 80 second half yards, went up for a good at 20-19 on a 21-yard field goal by Matt Cherry on the first play of the fourth quarter and added some insurance when Shipp scored on a 23-yard run around the left end on his 36th carry of the day with 8:02 left.
The Hens never got closer than their own 32-yard line the rest of the way.
