CAA Preview Week of 4/10/2021: Delaware at Delaware State

It was a slow week in the CAA last week. When Saturday rolled around, only one game was actually played in the conference. In that game, Villanova got back on track with a big win over Maine.

Albany and New Hampshire have opted out. Rhode Island has contracted Covid within their tier one which ended their season. That same thing happened to Elon as well. William and Mary reported a Covid positive in their tier one this morning. With the opt outs and Covid situations, the season is also over for Maine and Stony Brook.

This week there is only one CAA team playing. The league has four teams vying for most likely two but potentially three playoff spots depending on what happens around the country.

Before we look at the individual games, lets look at who is still alive for the playoffs in the CAA

Delaware – If the Blue Hens win out, they will make the playoffs. They would most likely receive the automatic bid if they wind up 4-0 in conference. It gets muddy if the Blue Hens lose to Villanova. They will put themselves on the bubble with a bunch of other one loss teams.

James Madison – The Dukes are 4-0 but have Richmond at home on April 17th. This is a reschedule from the Dukes covid shut down. At 5-0 the Dukes will be a lock for a seed and potentially the top seed. A loss probably puts them on the outside of the playoff picture.

Richmond –The Spiders will go to James Madison next week in a game they must win. 3-1 wont get the Spiders an at large. Richmond’s game with William & Mary for this week is cancelled.

Villanova – After a loss to Rhode Island there was no room for error for Villanova. They decided not to accept an opponent for this week after Albany’s opt out. A win over Delaware and a 3-1 record will put them on the bubble. But nothing is guaranteed for the Wildcats.

Delaware at Delaware State
TV: ESPN2, Streaming: ESPN+ (subscription req’d)

Delaware has been the most consistent team in the CAA this spring. The Blue Hens have win by 37, 28 and 14 and are outscoring opponents by an average of 34-8. The defense has always been a staple of Delaware football. This spring the Blue Hens are getting solid offense starting with quarterback Nolan Henderson and running back DeJoun Lee. Henderson is completing just shy of 70% of his passes and has six touchdowns against only two interceptions. Lee has run for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Delaware will be a tough out in the playoffs no matter who they face.

Delaware State is a MEAC team playing a limited schedule in the Spring. The Hornets have defeated Howard twice and lost to South Carolina State

Fearless Prediction: These teams have played nine times before. In all nine games, Delaware has defeated their in state “rival” by an average of 37-11. Theres no reason to think we wont see a similar result this week. Delaware 42, Delaware State 3.