1996 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team

The 1996 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 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 31st-year head coach Tubby Raymond, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 8–4 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, tying for second place in the Yankee Conference's Mid-Atlantic Division. Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Fightin' Blue Hens lost to the eventual national champion, Marshall, in the first round. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

1996 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football
NCAA Division I-AA First Round, L 14–59 at Marshall
Conference	Yankee Conference
Division	Mid-Atlantic Division
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 11
Record	8–4 (6–2 Yankee)
Head coach	Tubby Raymond (31st season)
Offensive coordinator	Ted Kempski (29th season)
Offensive scheme	Delaware Wing-T
Defensive coordinator	Bob Sabol (6th season)
Home stadium	Delaware Stadium (capacity: 22,000)
Seasons ← 1995 1997 →

1996 Yankee Conference football standings
v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
New England Division
No. 18 New Hampshire x		6	–	2					8	–	3
Maine		5	–	3					7	–	4
UMass		4	–	4					6	–	5
Connecticut		3	–	5					4	–	6
Rhode Island		2	–	6					4	–	6
Boston University		0	–	8					1	–	10
Mid-Atlantic Division
No. 7 William & Mary x$^		7	–	1					10	–	3
No. 14 Villanova ^		6	–	2					8	–	4
No. 11 Delaware ^		6	–	2					8	–	4
No. 23 James Madison		5	–	3					7	–	4
Northeastern		3	–	5					6	–	5
Richmond		1	–	7					2	–	9
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 7	Lehigh*	No. 5	Delaware Stadium Newark, DE (rivalry)	W 49–7	15,520	^[1]
September 14	at Villanova	No. 4	Villanova Stadium Villanova, PA (Battle of the Blue)	L 0–27	12,079	^[2]
September 21	No. 8 (D-II) West Chester*	No. 11	Delaware Stadium Newark, DE (rivalry)	W 24–17
September 28	at Maine	No. 11	Alumni Field Orono, ME	W 27–17
October 5	Boston University	No. 11	Delaware Stadium Newark, DE	W 50–16
October 12	at Richmond	No. 11	University of Richmond Stadium Richmond, VA	W 14–7	7,814	^[3]
October 19	Northeastern	No. 10	Delaware Stadium Newark, DE	W 24–14
October 26	No. 10 James Madison	No. 7	Delaware Stadium Newark, DE (rivalry)	W 27–13
November 2	at No. 15 William & Mary	No. 6	Zable Stadium Williamsburg, VA (rivalry)	L 7–10 ^OT	8,117
November 9	at Navy*	No. 12	Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Annapolis, MD	L 14–30
November 16	Rhode Island	No. 13	Delaware Stadium Newark, DE	W 43–27	14,341
November 30	at No. 1 Marshall*	No. 11	Marshall University Stadium Huntington, WV (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	L 14–59	15,429
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

^[4]

References

1. Tomashek, Tom (September 8, 1996). "Defense Shines in Blue Hen Opener; Lehigh Rushes for Just 17 Yards in UD Romp". Sunday News Journal. Wilmington, Del. p. E1 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Villanova ends dry spell with romp over Delaware". Courier-Post. September 15, 1996. Retrieved April 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Delaware 14, Richmond 7". The News Journal. October 13, 1996. p. E4 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "1996 Football Schedule". Delaware Blue Hens. Retrieved November 7, 2022.