Report: Delaware 1st School to Pay $5M Fee to Move to FBS; WIll Join Conference USA
Nov 27, 2023
STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 09: Ryan OConnor #14 of the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens interacts with Zach Marker #3 during the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on September 9, 2023 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Delaware will reportedly become the first school to pay the $5 million application fee to move from the FCS to FBS and will join Conference USA in the 2025-26 season, per Brett McMurphy of the Action Network.
The application fee to move up to the top level of college football was previously $5,000.
Pete Thamel of ESPN added that Delaware and Conference USA have "been in talks and a decision is expected to be formalized in the upcoming days."
The Blue Hens will be joining FIU, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, UTEP and Western Kentucky in the conference. Kennesaw State is set to join Conference USA in the 2024-25 season.
Conference USA has seen major upheaval in the last two years, with nine schools departing for the American and Sun Belt conferences in that time.
The original Conference USA was a weird amalgamation of schools that didn’t really make sense (remember when Marquette and St Louis and DePaul were playing basketball at Southern Miss?). But my brain can’t process Delaware, UTEP and Kennesaw State being in the same league
Delaware's ascension to the FBS was inevitable. The Blue Hens won the I-AA (now FCS) national championship in 2003, reached the national championship game four times and have reached the FCS playoffs 19 times dating back to 1980.
Prior to that, the school competed at the Division II level and won a national championship there in 1979.
Not an ideal fit on the hoops side, but long overdue move to FBS for Delaware football. https://t.co/u8YiklvfiT
reports out there that Conference USA will add Delaware as a new member for the 2025-26 season, James Madison's success during its jump to Sun Belt is is fueling changes in college landscape.
Legendary head coach Tubby Raymond, who led the football program between the 1966-01 seasons, won 300 games at the school and was one of the pioneers of the Wing-T offense.
As for famous alumni, quarterbacks Rich Gannon and Joe Flacco top the list. So there is a rich football history at the school.
The Blue Hens are currently in the second round of the FCS playoffs after defeating Lafayette on Saturday, 36–34, in first-round action.
Delaware RB Charged With Indecent Assault at Penn State Football Game
Oct 28, 2021
A view from the 50-yard line at Beaver Stadium before an NCAA college football game between Penn State and Illinois in State College, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
University of Delaware sophomore running back Liam Kirk was arrested and charged with three counts of indecent assault, two counts of harassment and a count each of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness after allegedly groping female Penn State fans in the stands at Beaver Stadium during the team's Sept. 18 game, per Kevin Tresolini of the Delaware News Journal.
He has been suspended from Delaware's football team.
Per that report, Penn State issued a "Timely Warning" after several students reported to the school that "an unknown male touched them inappropriately without their consent."
Nick Stonesifer of the Daily Collegian reported that, according to court documents, "Kirk allegedly struck one student on top of the head with a closed fist, elbowed another student in the temple and groped three other students."
He was also reportedly "heavily intoxicated" and should not have been in the student section in the first place, since he doesn't attend Penn State.
Kirk played one game for Delaware in the 2021 spring season and has not made any appearances in the fall campaign. He is not on scholarship and is not on the team's travel roster—Delaware traveled to face Rutgers on Sept. 18.
