"Battle Of The Blue" On Saturday As Villanova Takes On Delaware
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It will be the regular season finale for Delaware and Villanova as the two longtime rivals meet in Chester on Saturday in the latest match-up in the "Battle of the Blue".
Delaware is 7-4 heading into this one and on a two-game losing streak. Last week, the Blue Hens lost a shootout to Richmond, 46-43. They really need a win in this game to firm up their case for making the FCS playoffs.
"If we end up with eight wins," Delaware head coach Dave Brock tells KYW Newsradio. "I think our resume certainly will look good to the committee. We'll have a win over what by then may be a top-five or top-six team in America in Towson, on the road."
Villanova is 5-5 and coming off a bye week that head coach Andy Talley says was welcomed.
"It did help us," Talley tells KYW Newsradio. "(Wide receiver) Joe Price will be back this week and so we're happy about that. So it gave a lot of our guys with bumps and bruises (time) to (heal) up and be ready to go."
Talley says his team will have its hands full with a Delaware squad that averages nearly 33 points a game.
"They are very exciting," Talley says. "They have a lot of talent. Trent Hurley, their quarterback, is outstanding. Andrew Pierce, their running back, has been there for four years. He's a mainstay in the CAA. And they have a great group of players and coaches."
Andy Talley Interview
When it comes to getting ready for Villanova, Brock says it all starts with trying to contain the Wildcats outstanding sophomore quarterback John Robertson. He has rushed for 1,240 yards and 19 touchdowns while throwing for 1,705 yards and ten more scores.
"Any play just about that they call, can end up being a John Robertson run if the original thought doesn't work out," Brock says. "He's such a dangerous player. It's hard to stop him when he runs the ball when you know he's running the ball, and then he'll drop back to throw, the play will breakdown, he'll move, and the next thing you know it's a running play, it's almost like a punt return or a screen he is such a good runner. He is a fierce competitor, he's physically challenging in terms of being strong and fast. He's a great athlete."
Dave Brock Interview
This will be the 47th time these two rivals have met and both coaches say their squads are looking forward to this year's match-up.
"Both schools are so close to each other," Talley says. "So a lot of the players and coaches know each other."
"I know the players realize it's a huge rivalry game," Brock says. "I know the players realize there's an awful lot at stake. These are games you want to play in November and we have to find a way to win one and we're going to give it our best shot on Saturday."
Last year, Villanova beat Delaware 41-10.
Saturday's game in Chester will kick-off at 3:30pm.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
