SHU to visit Delaware in FCS playoffs

FAIRFIELD — Sacred Heart football will visit Delaware in the FCS playoffs on Saturday night, but the game has sort of already begun.

“I know that some of their defensive guys actually told Julius Chestnut, our running back, 50 yards on 20 carries,” Sacred Heart junior linebacker DeAndre Byrd said. Chestnut, the Pioneers’ standout junior back, has averaged 179 in four games. “We’re excited to see how that goes.”

So it’s starting already? Byrd nodded with a chuckle. “100 percent.”

It’ll be the NEC champions, the Pioneers (3-1), and the Blue Hens (5-0), champions of the CAA, at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Del., on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Round of 16. The team gathered at the Pitt Center on Sunday morning to watch the selection show.

Sacred Heart clinched its spot with a 34-27 overtime win last week at Duquesne. Quarterback Marquez McCray found Naseim Brantley for the goahead touchdown on fourth-and-14. From Philadelphia, McCray expects to have some family on the pass list.

“They’re a great team. It’s great to play them. It’s not too far,” McCray said. “I’m just excited to play.... Everybody’s just excited to get another week to play together.”

This will be the Pioneers’ third appearance in

the playoffs. They lost at Fordham back-to-back years, 37-27 in 2013 and 44-22 a year later.

They visited Delaware midway through that second season, a 10-7 Sacred Heart win.

“They’re a great program,” Sacred Heart coach Mark Nofri said, “a great history, a phenomenal team in the NCAA. It’s a chance for us to go down there, great environment, and compete against a CAA school. We’ll be prepared and ready.”

Nofri said he hadn’t seen film on the Blue Hens yet but has heard good things.

Delaware has held opponents to 108.8 rushing yards a game, outgaining opponents by an average 390-225 in all.

“It’s a tough draw, but there are only 16 teams left in all of FCS play,” Nofri said. “We’re one of them. We’re thankful for that.”

The Pioneers were the third of eight matchups revealed. Holy Cross’ visit to top-seeded South Dakota State was first. Southern Illinois and Weber State came next, and Sacred Heart’s athletic director looked a little disappointed.

He was: Bobby Valentine said he’d hoped for Weber State, because he

FCS PLAYOFFS

First round, Saturday Holy Cross at South Dakota State (1), 3 p.m. Southern Illinois at Weber State, 4 p.m.

Sacred Heart at Delaware, 7 p.m.

Davidson at Jacksonville State (4), 2 p.m.

VMI at James Madison (3), 2 p.m.

Missouri State at North Dakota, 4 p.m.

Eastern Washington at North Dakota State, 3:30 p.m. Monmouth at Sam Houston (2), noon

Quarterfinals, May 1-2 Holy Cross/South Dakota State winner vs. Southern Illinois/Weber State winner Sacred Heart/Delaware winner vs. Davidson/Jacksonville State winner VMI/James Madison winner vs. Missouri State/North Dakota winner Eastern Washington/North Dakota State winner vs. Monmouth/Sam Houston winner

Semifinals, May 8

Final, May 16 Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas broke into pro baseball in Ogden, Utah, in 1968.

Delaware-Sacred Heart was next onto the screen.