Photo: William Bretzger-Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Delaware Blue Hens have added three Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponents to their future schedules, the school announced on Wednesday.
The Delaware Blue Hens, who currently compete in the Coastal Athletic Association in the FCS, are moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and will join Conference USA in 2025. Delaware will become a full member of the FBS the following season in 2026.
Delaware will host the Merrimack Warriors at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Dela., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. The game will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
Merrimack football begins play as an FCS Independent this fall following five seasons in the Northeast Conference (NEC).
Other opponents for Delaware in 2026 include Coastal Carolina at home on Sept. 3 and road tilts at Vanderbilt on Sept. 12 and Virginia on Sept. 26.
The Long Island (LIU) Sharks, a member of the Northeast Conference, will travel to take on Delaware at Delaware Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2027, which will also be a first-time contest.
Delaware is also slated to visit Penn State on Sept. 11, host James Madison on Sept. 18, and travel to UConn on Nov. 27 to round out their schedule in 2027.
Delaware has also added the Bucknell Bison of the Patriot League to its football schedule in 2029, with the game set for Sept. 8 in Newark. The two schools have met 33 times previously, with the Blue Hens holding a 22-11 advantage.
The 2029 season for Delaware will begin at Pitt on Sept. 1. Following the Bucknell contest, the Blue Hens will host Buffalo on Sept. 15 before visiting Coastal Carolina on Sept. 22.
Football Schedules
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It’s nice that Delaware Blue Hens will have reunions of hosting FCS Teams & I am looking forward that everything will go excellent in transition to FBS in Conference USA.
Delaware-Delaware State football rivalry is uncertain.
