By Tim Mastro

It’s been nearly a decade since Delaware State last won a nonconference game against a FCS opponent.

The streak finally came to end Saturday on Staten Island. The Hornets earned a wild 33-27 victory at Wagner in double overtime.

Delaware State last beat a non-MEAC, FCS team on Sept. 1, 2012 when the Hornets downed VMI in the season opener that year.

The Hornets (2-3) needed to rally from a 20-7 deficit Saturday to even force overtime. They sealed the win on a Trey Gross 17-yard touchdown catch on the first possession of double overtime and a fourth-down sack by Andrew Reese on Wagner’s possession.

Quarterback Jared Lewis paced Delaware State with four touchdowns and 169 yards on 16-of-26 attempts. His game-winning touchdown to Gross came on fourth-and-two when Lewis threw it over the lone defender guarding Gross in the end zone as the senior receiver snagged the ball out of the air.

Gross caught a pair of touchdowns and led the Hornets with 80 receiving yards on five catches. Kwannah Kollie and Myles Beverly also caught a touchdown apiece.

Kollie’s touchdown gave Delaware State the lead at 27-20 with 9:35 remaining. Wagner (0-5) rallied to tie it at 27 on a LeShane Taylor 22-yard pass to Jeremiah Lorick with 6:18 left. That was the Seahawks’ only points after halftime.

Esaias Guthrie gave the Hornets a chance to win it in the first overtime period when he picked off a pass on Wagner’s opening possession. Delaware State could not take advantage however and Jake Bridel’s 25-yard field goal attempt went wide-right, sending the game to the second overtime period.

Sy’Veon Wilkerson recorded 169 yards rushing on 40 carries for the Hornets. He opened the DSU scoring with a 13-yard rush early in the second quarter.