DOVER — If college football games lasted only 54 minutes, Delaware State would have been fine.
But they go 60 minutes.
And those last six minutes were all it took for a victory to slip right through the Hornets’ hands.
St. Francis somehow reeled off 22 unanswered points in just 5:38 to shock DelState, 28-17, on its Homecoming Saturday at Alumni Stadium.
As the Hornets (1-5) prepare to head to Moon Township, Pennsylvania, for a 3 p.m. game with Robert Morris (2-3) on Saturday, DSU coach Lee Hull tried to explain what happened.
It was the second-straight contest that DelState lost in the closing minutes. The week before, the Hornets fell to Campbell, 44-41, on a touchdown with just 42 seconds remaining.
“It was a great game going into the fourth quarter,” said Hull. “We kind of fell apart right there at the end.”
Hull said there were a couple plays that really turned the contest in St. Francis’ favor.
On one play, DelState had reached the Red Flash red zone when one of the Hornets was called for a 15-yard penalty after he continued to play without his helmet on.
Hull, though, said he thought a St. Francis player should have been penalized for knocking off the helmet in the first place. He thought offsetting penalties should have been called.
“That kind of killed our drive and got us out of field-goal range,” said Hull.
The other play that doomed DSU was a pooch/onsides kick with 5:37 remaining. It came right after St. Francis closed within 17-14.
The kick went 30 yards, taking a Red Flash bounce to stay inbounds and was recovered by St. Francis at the DelState 35. Two plays later, Smyrna High grad Markell Holman ran 30 yards for a touchdown that put the Red Flash up, 21-17.
On the ensuing possession, the Hornets gained only five yards and had to punt.
DelState still had a chance to get the ball back when St. Francis faced a third-and-eight on its next drive. But Holman ran nine yards for the first down.
Three plays later, Holman broke off a 55-yard scoring run and the Red Flash were in control, 28-17, with 1:08 left. Holman carried the ball on four straight plays for all 76 yards on the drive.
“The effort and energy and execution for 80 percent of the game was great,” said Hull. “We’ve just got to learn how to finish. It comes down to finishing ballgames once again.”
On its last three drives, St. Francis gained 205 of its total 376 yards in the contest. The Hornets, on the other hand, netted just seven yards on their last four drives — after going 76 yards for a TD that gave them their 17-6 third-quarter advantage.
Hull said he feels like his players start pressing late in games.
DelState has now lost four games in a row and is only 2-17 in its last 19 contests.
“You’ve got to be in those types of games to learn how to win them,” said Hull. “It’s our turn to win one of these types of games. We’re in them.
“Somehow I’ve got to get those guys to focus and do what they have done for three quarters. In the fourth quarter, we kind of tense up. I don’t know if it’s a little anxiety or whatever.
“But I’d rather be in these games,” he added. “They’re all learning experiences for us. And then we’ve just got to win one of these.”
Holman honored
Holman was honored for his effort with an NEC Prime Performer mention.
The sophomore finished with 182 yards and the pair of touchdowns on 22 carries. Of that total, 143 yards came in the fourth quarter.
Holman’s total was the most for a St. Francis player since Marcus Bagley had 220 on Sept. 17, 2016. Holman now ranks fifth in the NEC with 336 rushing yards this season.
EXTRA POINTS
Backup C.J. Henry came in at quarterback on DSU’s final drive of the contest. He completed 3-of-5 passes for 31 yards and was sacked twice. ... The Red Flash had five sacks in the game. DelState didn’t have any. ... The Hornets were only 4-of-14 on third-down attempts. ... DelState had the ball for six minutes more than St. Francis. ... The Hornets are now 1-3 vs. St. Francis. DSU beat the Red Flash, 63-28, in 2006.
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