Hitting the middle of the season, Conference USA’s scheduling gets a little weird, to say the least. And the Delaware Blue Hens (3-2) will see part of that happen in Week 8, as they play a Wednesday night game on the road against the Jax State Gamecocks (3-3). Delaware comes out of a bye after losing a close contest to Western Kentucky in Week 6. Meanwhile, Jax State will be playing on a short week after pulling out a miracle win against Sam Houston in Week 7. With that in mind, let’s dive into this Delaware vs. Jax State 2025 preview.
Delaware Blue Hens vs. Jax State Gamecocks: Matchup History & Excerpts
This will only be the third time these two programs have played each other. The first matchup occurred in 1978 at Delaware Stadium, where the Blue Hens won 42-27. Meanwhile, the last matchup was at Jax State in 2000, where the Gamecocks suffered a 20-14 defeat to Delaware. Yet now conference rivals, we may see these two programs play much more frequently going forward.
In his weekly press conference, Delaware head coach Ryan Carty expressed how impressed he was with Jax State’s rushing attack.
“They’re going to put the ball on the ground, and they’re going to make sure that you can stop them or else they’re going to keep doing it. They’ve proven to be really good at it. They’ve proven they’re good up front, that their quarterbacks can both run, and their running back is special, NFL-caliber talent. They can make the big [plays], but they can also grind it out. The team is patient in their play calling … we have our work cut out for us.”
For Jax State, head coach Charles Kelly knows that it’s a big test against Delaware in Week 8. And, he made sure to give his props to the program ahead of their Wednesday night matchup.
“The tradition they’ve had over the years; they play very good football [and] are very sound at what they do … [Coach Carty] is about as impressive as anyone I’ve ever met for the first time … He’s a very good coach and he knows what he wants to do – and his team plays like that. They’ve been very good on both sides of the ball … I think Conference USA hit a home-run getting Delaware in this conference.”
Delaware vs. Jax State 2025 Preview: Keys to the Game
Key Players for Delaware
On offense, it’s hard not to bring up Nick Minicucci. While his turnovers may have cost the Blue Hens a victory in Week 6 against Western Kentucky, it’ll be interesting to see how the quarterback bounces back against another tough conference opponent. Outside of those turnovers, Minicucci performed at a high level against WKU. And, to be honest, has played at that level since taking over for Zach Marker in Week 1. With that in mind, seeing his confidence remain at a high level, while retaining his big-play ability will be key for Delaware in this game.
On defense, the front seven is going to play a major role in this game. There’s no secret that Jax State likes to run the ball. And in order for a victory to be secured, Delaware has to be able to stop the rushing attack of the Gamecocks. Specifically, linebacker Gavin Moul is a key player to make sure those gaps are secured, and rushing lanes close quickly. If Jax State can get into the second level consistently, it’ll be a long game for Delaware.
Key Players for Jax State
For Jacksonville State, all eyes are on running back Cam Cook. The running back leads the nation in rushing yards, and is an explosive playmaker for this offense. Cook 31 rushes of 10+ yards ranks first among running backs, as does his 13 rushes of 15+ yards. Yet Cook isn’t just explosive, he’s tough to take down, too.
Cook is averaging 4.18 yards after contact per attempt, which is an incredible number when put in perspective. Teams know that Jax State is going to run the ball. Those teams try to stack the box to negate the rushing attack, yet Cook is still able to churn out positive yardage. Yet, the running back can also be a threat as a receiver. Cook has 20 targets on the year, with 140 receiving yards. If he can get going, Jax State may walk away with a victory in this contest.
On defense, the key player in this matchup is safety Trevor Woods. Woods has shown to be a versatile playmaker for the Gamecocks defense this season. He’s stout against the run, and a sure tackler. The safety has the 12th-lowerst missed tackle percentage (3.3) among all safeties with at least 125 snaps played this season. Yet, Woods has also shown he is great in coverage, too.
The safety currently has one interception on the year. He also has the 47th-lowest passer rating against among 250 qualifying safeties. In essence, Woods is a great playmaker for the Gamecocks. And for Jax State to come out with a victory in Week 8, they need him to not just manipulate Nick Minicucci into making bad throws, but must also be a force in stopping the run.
2025 Game Preview: How Delaware Wins vs. Jax State in Week 8
In order for Delaware to win this game, a few things need to happen.
One of these things is not allowing Jax State to control the time of possession. The Gamecocks’ rushing attack likes to chew clock, control the football, and keep it out of the hands of their opponents. The Blue Hens need to stop this by playing sound run defense, while also forcing turnovers to shorten possessions. If Jax State is able to run rampant, Delaware will be forced to play with unnecessary urgency. The Blue Hens need to make Cam Cook a nonfactor in this matchup.
To win this game, Delaware also needs a good bounce-back performance from Nick Minicucci. The quarterback played well against WKU in Week 6, but his two turnovers were too much for the team to overcome. If he can protect the football while maintaining his aggressive mindset, it could allow Delaware to put up points in bunches – and turn this into a blowout on the road.
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