UAlbany Looks for Fresh Start in Delaware

Timing can be everything and the UAlbany Great Danes Football team needed the week 4 bye in their schedule. The Danes started the season September 4th by visiting the reigning national champion North Dakota State, then came home to lose to CAA rival Rhode Island because of special teams and traveled east on I-90 to get kicked by Syracuse. It was the perfect time for Coach Gattuso and the team to reset.

You can't deny that the Rhode Island game hurt UAlbany. The two teams are extremely close talent wise and they recruit against each other constantly. That stung. North Dakota State? The Great Danes picked up a nice check to go out there and the same goes for Syracuse. You never want to lose but the fact of the matter is FCS programs often survive on playing one or two such games every year. Yes, UAlbany has to play up in talent and resources but the student-athletes gain valuable experiences and the guarantees help fund their programs.

This week the UAlbany Great Danes travel to face CAA opponent Delaware for a 3pm kickoff. The Blue Hens enter the weekend ranked No. 9 in the STATS Perform FCS Top 25 Poll. Delaware was voted to finish second in the CAA Preseason Poll by the head coaches and media. Saturday marks Delaware’s second CAA conference game of the season after the Blue Hens defeated Maine in the season opener, 34-24 in Orono. The victory extended Delaware’s win streak in CAA contests to five straight. The Blue Hens hold a five-game winning streak at Delaware Stadium, dating back to Nov. 16, 2019. Delaware was a perfect 3-0 at home last season and defeated Saint Francis 24-10 in the home opener this fall on September 11. Delaware is coming off its bye week and, under Head Coach Danny Rocco, is 3-2 in games when the Blue Hens did not play the week prior (excluding season openers).

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This will be no easy task for the Great Danes but talent wise, UAlbany can win this football game. It will be difficult but it's winnable. The Danes believe they are a playoff team again in 2021. A victory on Saturday would go a long way to putting them back on track. The game can be heard on 103.9 FM, The Breeze with Rodger Wyland and Eric Hannmann.