TOWSON, Md. - The Delaware Blue Hens have set the standard for excellence in FCS football. They have six national titles with the last coming in 2003. Under head coach K.C. Keeler, who replaced the legendary Tubby Raymond in 2002, the Blue Hens have gone to three National Championship games with one quarter-final appearances.

Towson has been attempting to follow in the Blue Hens' footsteps since the teams first started playing each other back in 1982. Delaware has won eight of the 12 games in the series and the margin of victory has been 26.9 points per game.

But when Towson wins, it's usually in dramatic fashion, just like in 1993 when Towson pulled a come-from-behind victory in Newark after a Tony Vinson one-year plunge with 10 seconds left.

In 2004, Delaware edged Towson, 21-17, at Unitas Stadium in the Tigers' first Atlantic 10 (now CAA) game. Towson cornerback Allante Harrison picked off three passes, including a 54-yard interception return for a TD in the fourth quarter that gave the Tigers a 17-14 lead. But, the defending national champs eventually pullied it out on a Niquan Lee one-yard TD run.

In 2005, Towson used a three-yard TD run by Nick Williams with 35 seconds left to pull out a 35-31 win at home over the #5 Blue Hens.

Even when Delaware is down, the Blue Hens are competing for playoff spots. When they are up, they are competing for championships. Last season, the Blue Hens went 12-3 overall and 6-2 in the CAA before losing to Eastern Washington in the FCS National Championship game, 20-19, in Frisco, Texas. The Blue Hens were up by 19-0 midway through the third quarter before relinquishing the lead.

One of the stars of that Delaware team was quarterback Pat Devlin, a Penn State transfer, who now sits on the Miami Dolphins' practice squad. Replacing Devlin was similar to Towson replacing Sean Schaefer. It's an incredibly difficult task replacing a quarterback who threw for 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions in one season.

Delaware is 4-4 overall this season and 2-3 in the CAA, but the Blue Hens' struggles are not all about the quarterback play. This is a very dangerous team, who at its best, has simply dominated teams, shutting out William & Mary at home, 21-0, and beating Old Dominion, 27-17, at Newark. The Blue Hens also dominated Delaware State at home, 45-0, and downed Division II West Chester, 28-17. Their lone home loss came at Massachusetts on October 15, 21-10.

Last season's game was not close as the #5 Blue Hens hammered the Tigers, 48-0, in Newark. Devlin threw for 318 yards for Delaware while Towson, which was playing without suspended quarterback Chris Hart, compiled just 158 yards of total offense.

The road has not been very kind to the Blue Hens, who opened the season with a 40-17 loss at Navy in Annapolis. They also fell at Maine on October 1, 31-17, and last week, they lost at Rhode Island, 38-34.

The Blue Hens average 24.9 ponts per game while allowing 20.5 points per outing. They have a pretty balanced offense, rushing for 148.8 yards per game while passing for 204.4 yards per game (7th overall in total yards). Defensively, the Blue Hens are fifth in the CAA in total defense, allowing 344.8 yards per game, while their strength is against the pass, allowing just 199.2 yards per game.

In terms of turnovers, the Blue Hens have committed 16 (10 INTs, 6 fumbles), while forcing 17 turnovers (11 INTs, 6 fumbles). They have held opponents to just 25% efficiency on third down conversions (1st in CAA) while converting 44% of their own chances, third in the CAA. Towson is tops in the CAA in converting third downs at 53.2%.

Sophomore quarterback Trevor Sasek started the season against Navy but was limited to just two starts and four games due to a knee injury. The 6-6, 220-pounder threw for 218 yards and ran for 42 before suffering a season-ending knee injury last week against Rhode Island.

Junior Tim Donnelly (6-4, 201) will get the nod and has shown glimpses of becoming a very good CAA quarterback. Donnelly has 1,394 yards passing while completing 63.7% with 11 TDs and nine interceptions. He completed 16 of 27 passes for 194 yards with two TDs and one pick against the Rams after taking over for Sasek.

At running back, sophomore Andrew Pierce (5-11, 200) came into this season as one of the nation's top backs. He ran for 1,655 yards (5 yards per carry) and 14 TDs as a freshman. This season, he's been a marked man, but has come through with 797 yards and 10 TDs. He leads the CAA in total rushing yards and is second in yards per game. He also leads the team with 39 receptions for just 193 yards, a 4.9 average.

The wide receiving corps is usually one of the strongest in the CAA and this year's group is no exception. Junior Nihja White (6-2, 205) leads this group with 37 catches for 502 yards (13.6 yards per reception) and four TDs. White had six catches for 90 yards last week.

Junior Rob Jones (5-10, 185) and senior Bobby Russo (6-0, 195) have 22 catches each. Senior TE Colin Naugle (6-4, 250) is out for the remainder of the regular season with an injury and will be replaced by freshman Nick Boyle (6-4, 235).

The offensive line has four seniors and is led by All-American LT Shea Allard (6-5, 290). The linemen are big and athletic across the line, allowing 15 sacks this year.

On defense, the team has struggled with the pass rush, recording just six sacks this season. That doesn't make the unit less dangerous as the team has 38 tackles for loss this year.

They do miss senior DT Matt Hardison (12 tackles, 5 starts), who is out with a high ankle sprain. Sophomore Irv Titre (6-0, 285) and redshirt freshman Laith Wallschleger (6-4, 270) will rotate with senior Demitrius Hester (6-2, 295) at tackle. Titre has 12 tackles, Wallschleger adds 13 tackles and 2.5 tackles while Hester has one sack and 13 stops.

At defensive end, junior Ethan Clark (6-3, 245) has 14 tackles while senior Michael Atunrase (6-2, 265), a pre-season All-Conference selection, leads all linemen with 33 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

The linebacking corps is led by junior OLB Paul Worrilow (6-0, 230), who leads the team with 77 tackles and 8 tackles for loss while also adding one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. This former walk-on is another preseason All-Conference selection.

Senior Andrew Harrison (6-1, 220) mans the other outside spot and is second on the team with 56 tackles, adding an interception and one fumble recovery. In the middle, freshman Patrick Calladay (5-10, 205) has started six of eight games, recording 26 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

The secondary is led by junior Marcus Burley (5-10, 175), a very athletic cornerback, who has 36 tackles, 7 pass breakups and two interceptions. Sophomore CB Travis Hawkins (5-10, 195) leads the team with three INTs and nine pass breakups while recording 34 tackles.

Junior SS Tim Breaker (6-0,195) has 37 tackles with an interception, two pass breakups and 2.5 TFLs in his first year as a starter. Sophomore free safety Jake Giusti has started twice and has nine tackles.

The special teams unit is anchored by kicker Sean Baner, who has made 10 of 14 kicks, including a 47-yarder. Punter Rauley Zaragoza averages 39.4 yards per punt and has nailed 13 inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

Towson hosts Delaware on Saturday night at Unitas Stadium at 7 p.m. The game be heard on WNST-AM 1570 or on wnst.net. In addition, fans can watch the game on The Comcast Network. I'll be blogging live on TowsonTigers.com during the game.