NEWARK — Delaware has announced next year’s football schedule, its last as an FCS program and as a member of the CAA.

Along with eight CAA games, the Blue Hens will also host Bryant, Pennsylvania and Sacred Heart in non-conference games,

The 11-game slate includes seven home contests. Not counting the 2021 spring season, it will also be the first time UD hasn’t faced an FBS program in a season since 2018.

Delaware will not be eligible for the CAA title or the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs as it begins its transition to the FBS level.

Athletic director Chrissi Rawak said previously that the Hens have agreed not to use more than 63 scholarship players in games against CAA opponents next season. That’s the limit of scholarships at the FCS level.

The Hens will open the season by hosting Bryant on Aug. 29 in the first meeting between the two programs. Bryant is an incoming member of the CAA but the game was scheduled before Bryant joined the league and won’t count as a conference game.

The Hens are 3-3 all-time against Penn while the matchup with Sacred Heart is a rematch of a 2021 spring FCS playoff game.

The schedule will also include two bye weeks for Delaware. Game times will be announced at a later date.

The Hens had been scheduled to play at Delaware State next fall. But that contest has been moved to the ‘25 season opener and will be Delaware’s first game as an FBS program.

The Hens went 9-4 and reached the second round of the FCS playoffs for the second year in a row last fall.

Delaware will begin playing in Conference USA in 2025. Along with its league schedule and the DSU game, UD has also announced it will play games at Wake Forest and Colorado.

Delaware’s 2024 Football Schedule
AUGUST

29-BRYANT

SEPTEMBER

14-At North Carolina A&T *
21–PENNSYLVANIA
28–SACRED HEART (Parents & Family Weekend)

OCTOBER

5–At Monmouth *
12–MAINE *
19–At Richmond *
26 –UALBANY * (Homecoming)

NOVEMBER

9–RHODE ISLAND *
16–CAMPBELL *
23–At Villanova *

*CAA game.