Delaware holds off Middle Tennessee in Blackout Game, 31-28

In a night that saw an unveiling of new uniforms for the Delaware Blue Hens, the team came away with a tight victory over Middle Tennessee in their Wednesday night matchup. Delaware and the offense was humming early, while MTSU refused to be put away. In all, it made for an epic midweek showdown in Conference USA. Let’s dive into the Delaware vs. Middle Tennessee 2025 recap and break down this exciting contest.

Delaware vs. Middle Tennessee 2025 Game Recap

There was a lot of hype entering this contest for the Delaware Blue Hens. Their “Midnight Collection” uniforms made waves across social media, and the play on the field didn’t disappoint, either.

Money Minicucci

Quarterback Nick Minicucci has been playing at an elite level this season. Since taking over for Zach Marker in Week 1, the Blue Hens quarterback has led Delaware to one of the most exciting – and best – offenses in Conference USA. And against Middle Tennessee, it was no different.

The quarterback had four passing touchdowns with 276 and a 64.0 completion percentage. He was electric in the first half for Delaware, consistently making plays on third down and in critical situations. The program already leads the conference in third-down conversion rate, and the team hit a 47.6-percent rate on Wednesday night.

However, it shouldn’t be ignored what Minicucci is doing for Delaware. Most backup quarterbacks do not succeed when asked to start. In fact, they only win about 25-percent of the games they play in. Yet what’s even more impressive is that the quarterback is doing it with a big step up in competition, too. Some may forget that it’s Delaware’s first year in the FBS. And so far, Minicucci has shown that he, and the rest of the Blue Hens, clearly belong.

Breakout Continues for Duplessis

It’s weird to think that in his first game of the season, wide receiver Kyre Duplessis broke his career-best numbers. Now with Week 9 past us, it’s clear the wideout is undergoing a full-on breakout season in 2025.

Pacing the wideouts, Duplessis had a strong night once again for Delaware. He recorded his first two-touchdown game, with seven receptions for 65 yards. With Jake Thaw being banged up this season, Duplessis has stepped up in a major way. Not only as a receiver, but as a returner for the team, too. And, he’s seeing his hard work pay off on the field. As a graduate student, Duplessis is making his season count – and could find himself playing in an all-star game after the end of the season.

Turnovers Still a Problem

A few weeks ago, Delaware was first in the conference in turnover margin. However, that has started to fall off after games with multiple turnovers. And, Wednesday night saw the turnover monster rear it’s ugly head once again.

With Delaware set to run away with the game early, a fumble would bring Middle Tennessee right back into relevance. Credit for MTSU for never giving up, because they ended up making it a close game. Yet, the turnover is what helped spark the Blue Raiders into fighting for a victory in this contest.

Going forward, Delaware needs to clean up the turnovers. Middle Tennessee is a one-win team; the Blue Hens won’t be as lucky against better competition.

Vattiato Kept Blue Raiders Competitive

Despite the fumble that gave MTSU a short field, something has to be said about the play of quarterback Nicholas Vattiato. The quarterback had three touchdowns and 281 yards, constantly navigating a pocket that was collapsing faster than it should have. His interception was on a tipped pass, but ultimately didn’t hurt the Blue Raiders in the game.

While playing from behind throughout the contest, the run game was effective, but sparingly used. That meant the burden was on Vattiato to keep MTSU in the game. And, he didn’t disappoint.

Countless times, the quarterback maneuvered the pocket and hit an open receiver on a critical third down or long down and distance. He was smart about where to go with the football. Against a Delaware defense that does great job confusing quarterbacks pre-snap to post-snap, Vattiato looked composed and decisive with the football. With Delaware taking away many deep shot opportunities, the quarterback picked his spots carefully, and kept the Blue Raiders in the contest.

Delaware vs. Middle Tennessee 2025 Recap: Other Notes

The Black uniforms have done well for Delaware, as the team remains undefeated when sporting their midnight look. And, under head coach Ryan Carty, Delaware remains undefeated when scoring at least 30 points. It’s been an impressive start for the Blue Hens in their FBS tenure.

For the Blue Hens defense, Gavin Moul and KT Seay continue to have great seasons. Seay is actually the “green dot” on the defense, which is rare to see for a safety – and impressive. If they continue to anchor the unit, Delaware will consistently be a tough out.

For Middle Tennessee, Jekail Middlebrook continues to impress. The running back had 11 rushes for 68 yards and a touchdown, while adding five receptions for 53 yards. Only a redshirt sophomore, it would be surprising to see him continue his career at MTSU. That’s not a shot at the program, just shows how talented the running back is. He was a safety valve all night for the Blue Raiders, and incredibly productive.

What’s Next?

In Week 10, Delaware gets a few extra days rest before traveling to take on a Liberty.

For Middle Tennessee, they will look to rebound in Week 10 against Jacksonville State on another Wednesday night game.