2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

Last updated

2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
I-AA National Championship Game
1234Total
Colgate00000
Delaware13714640
DateDecember 19, 2003
Season 2003
Stadium Finley Stadium
Location Chattanooga, Tennessee
Referee Mike Purcell (Ohio Valley) [1]
Attendance14,281 [2]
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN2 [1]
Announcers Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Mike Golic (color), Rod Gilmore (color), Rob Stone (sideline) [1]
NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
 < 2002 2004 > 

The 2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens and the Colgate Raiders. The game was played on December 19, 2003, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Delaware, 40–0.

Contents

Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 2003 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.

Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens

Delaware finished their regular season with an 11–1 record (8–1 in conference). Their only loss was to Northeastern, while one of their wins was over Navy of Division I-A. The Fightin' Blue Hens, seeded second in the tournament, defeated Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa, and third-seed Wofford to reach the final. This was the second appearance for Delaware in a Division I-AA championship game, having lost in 1982.

Colgate Raiders

Colgate finished their regular season with a 12–0 record (7–0 in conference). [3] The Raiders, seeded fourth in the tournament, defeated UMass, Western Illinois, and Florida Atlantic to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Colgate in a Division I-AA championship game.

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
QuarterTime Drive TeamScoring informationScore
Plays Yards TOP COLGDEL
17:298602:37DELAntawn Jenkins 3-yard touchdown run, Brad Shushman kick good07
12:355342:14DELGermaine Bennett 1-yard touchdown run, Shushman kick no good (hit left upright)013
214:555181:56DELDavid Boler 5-yard touchdown reception from Andy Hall, Shushman kick good020
37:305282:35DELBoler 9-yard touchdown reception from Hall, Shushman kick good027
32:528623:37DELBennett 1-yard touchdown run, Shushman kick good034
412:227583:40DELJenkins 2-yard touchdown run, Shushman kick no good (wide left)040
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.040

[2] [4]

Game statistics

1234Total
No. 4 Raiders00000
No. 2 Fighting' Blue Hens13714640
StatisticsCOLGDEL
First downs1020
Plays–yards54–15775–348
Rushes–yards32–4655–165
Passing yards111183
Passing: comp–att–int10–22–012–20–0
Time of possession23:2334:40
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
ColgatePassingChris Brown9–21, 94 yds
RushingJamal Branch20–55
ReceivingLuke Graham4 rec, 32 yds
DelawarePassing Andy Hall 12–20, 183 yds, 2 TD
RushingGermaine Bennett20–60, 2 TD
ReceivingDavid Boler6 rec, 91 yds, 2 TD

[2] [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football</span> Football team in Delaware

The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represents the University of Delaware in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) college football. The team is currently led by head coach Ryan Carty and plays on Tubby Raymond Field at 22,000-seat Delaware Stadium located in Newark, Delaware. The Fightin' Blue Hens have won six national titles in their 117-year history – 1946, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1979, and 2003. They returned to the FCS National Championship game in 2007 and 2010. The program has produced NFL quarterbacks Rich Gannon, Joe Flacco, Jeff Komlo, Pat Devlin and Scott Brunner. The Blue Hens are recognized as a perennial power in FCS football and Delaware was the only FCS program to average more than 20,000 fans per regular-season home game for each season from 1999 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1982 and concluded with the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 18, 1982, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Eastern Kentucky Colonels won their second I-AA championship, defeating the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens in the Pioneer Bowl, 17−14.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 2003, and concluded with the 2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 19, 2003, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens won their first I-AA championship, defeating the Colgate Raiders by a final score of 40−0.

The 2003 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) during the 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by second-year head coach K. C. Keeler, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 15–1 with a mark of 8–1 in conference play, sharing the A-10 with UMass. Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Fightin' Blue Hens beat Southern Illinois in the first round, Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals, Wofford in the semifinals, and Colgate in the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 1978 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1978, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship in December 1978 at Lobo Stadium in Longview, Texas. The Eastern Illinois Panthers defeated the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens, 10–9, to win their first Division II national title.

The 2000 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) during the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 35th-year head coach Tubby Raymond, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 12–2 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, sharing the A-10 title with Richmond. Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Fightin' Blue Hens beat Portland State in the first round and Lehigh in the quarterfinals before losing to the eventual national champion, Georgia Southern, in the semifinals. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game</span> Postseason college football game

The 2007 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Appalachian State Mountaineers and the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. It was played on December 14, 2007, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season, it was won by Appalachian State, 49–21.

The 1991 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Yankee Conference during the 1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 26th-year head coach Tubby Raymond, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 10–2 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, sharing the Yankee Conference title with New Hampshire and Villanova. Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where Fightin' Blue Hens lost in the first round to James Madison. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 1992 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Yankee Conference during the 1992 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 27th-year head coach Tubby Raymond, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 11–3 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, winning the Yankee Conference title. Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Fightin' Blue Hens beat Samford in the first round and Northeast Louisiana in the quarterfinals before for losing to the eventual national champion, Marshall, in the semifinals. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 1993 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Yankee Conference during the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 28th-year head coach Tubby Raymond, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 9–4 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing second in the Yankee Conference's Mid-Atlantic Division. For the third consecutive season, Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Fightin' Blue Hens beat Montana in the first round before for losing to the eventual national runner-up, Marshall, in the quarterfinals. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 1995 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Yankee Conference during the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 30th-year head coach Tubby Raymond, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 11–2 with a mark of 8–0 in conference play, winning the Yankee Conference title. Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Fightin' Blue Hens beat Hofstra in the first round before for losing to McNeese State in the quarterfinals. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 1997 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 32nd-year head coach Tubby Raymond, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 12–2 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, placing second in the A-10's Mid-Atlantic Division. For the sixth time in seven sessions, Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Fightin' Blue Hens beat Hofstra in the first round and Georgia Southern in the quarterfinals before losing to the eventual national runner-up, McNeese State, in the semifinals. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 2011 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens and the Eastern Washington Eagles. It was played on January 7, 2011, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The culminating game of the 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season, it was won by Eastern Washington, 20–19.

The 2000 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 16, 2000, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 27–25.

The 1999 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Youngstown State Penguins. The game was played on December 18, 1999, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 59–24.

The 1998 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the UMass Minutemen. The game was played on December 19, 1998, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by UMass, 55–43.

The 1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the McNeese State Cowboys. The game was played on December 20, 1997, and was the first I-AA title game contested at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 10–9.

The 1982 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. The game was played on December 18, 1982, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The culminating game of the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Eastern Kentucky, 17–14.

The 1982 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team was an American football team that represented the University of Delaware as an independent during the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Delaware ended the regular season ranked No. 3 in the nation, and made it to the Division I-AA national championship game, where the Hens lost by 3 points.

The 2003 Colgate Raiders football team was an American football team that represented Colgate University during the 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Colgate was undefeated in the regular season, won the Patriot League championship and played in the Division I-AA national championship game.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Colgate Delaware Football 2003 1st Half 1AA Championship" . Retrieved February 2, 2019 via YouTube.
  2. 1 2 3 "Colgate vs DELAWARE". colgate.edu. December 19, 2003. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  3. "Colgate Raiders, 2003 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Game statistics". The News Journal . Wilmington, Delaware. December 20, 2003. p. C8. Retrieved February 2, 2019 via newspapers.com.

Further reading