The transformation of Delaware State football under DeSean Jackson continued on Saturday afternoon in Dover, as the Hornets held off Howard University 26–13 to remain perfect in MEAC play and move one step closer to their first conference title since 2007. The victory not only pushed DSU to 8–3 overall and 4–0 in the MEAC, but it also cemented next week’s matchup with South Carolina State as a de facto championship game for the league’s Celebration Bowl bid. For an HBCU program that won just 14 total games in the decade before Jackson’s arrival, the turnaround is nothing short of remarkable.
DSU played its game
Saturday’s win showcased the formula Jackson has instilled in less than a full season: physicality, discipline in key moments, and a defense capable of creating game-changing plays. Delaware State ran the ball 50 times for 205 yards, controlled the clock for more than 34 minutes, and forced two interceptions—including a 91-yard pick-six by Wayne Favors III that blew the game open in the third quarter. The performance wasn’t always pretty, with both teams combining for 31 penalties, but it reflected a DSU team that has embraced winning ugly as part of its climb back to the top.
Running backs Marquis Gillis and Ryan Pellum Taylor carried the offensive load, combining for 124 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Jayden Sauray added 21 rushing yards and a touchdown while completing efficient key throws, including a 45-yard strike to Terrence Rone that set up a second-quarter score. DSU’s commitment to the run wore down the Bison over four quarters, and the Hornets’ defensive front punished Howard quarterback Tyriq Starks with four sacks and constant pressure.
The defining moment came at the 7:34 mark of the third quarter. With Howard driving and down just 17–6, Starks fired a pass toward the sideline—only for Favors to jump the route, sprinting 91 yards untouched for a touchdown. The score extended the Hornets’ lead to 23–6 and electrified the Alumni Stadium crowd of 2,771. That type of defensive spark has become a hallmark of Jackson’s vision for the program: fast, opportunistic, and relentlessly confident.
DeSean Jackson shepherds turnaround for the HBCU record books
But the significance of the victory stretches beyond the box score. With eight wins, Delaware State has reached its highest total since the program’s legendary 2007 season, when it finished 10–2 and won its last MEAC championship. Before Jackson arrived, DSU had not won more than five games in a season since 2012. The Hornets entered the 2025 season widely regarded as a team on the rise, but few predicted this level of rapid growth.
Now, Delaware State stands on the doorstep of the Celebration Bowl, the premier stage in HBCU football. It’s opponent—South Carolina State, the reigning MEAC champion—represents exactly the type of heavyweight challenge Jackson has been building toward. Regardless of the outcome, the fact that DSU controls its fate in mid-November is evidence of how far the program has come in such a short time.
For Jackson, a former NFL Pro Bowler and national figure whose arrival brought instant attention to Dover, the turnaround is rooted in belief, energy, and accountability. His players have bought in. And the MEAC, suddenly deeper and more competitive than it has been in years, is taking notice.
Next week, Delaware State won’t just be playing for a championship—it will be playing for validation of one of the most dramatic revivals in recent HBCU memory. Under DeSean Jackson, the Hornets are no longer rebuilding.
They are contenders.