Last year, Deion Sanders and Colorado welcomed FCS powerhouse North Dakota State to Folsom Field. This year, another traditional FCS power in Delaware will make its way to Boulder. But by the time they arrive, the Blue Hens won’t be an FCS program anymore.

Best known for sending six quarterbacks to the NFL, Delaware is embarking on its first season as an FBS program in 2025 as new members of Conference USA.

With six national championships across the FCS and Division II, the Blue Hens are trying to do what rival James Madison did recently and have success at lower levels translate immediately at the highest level of college football. The trip to Boulder in Week 2 to take on the Buffaloes will be arguably their toughest of the season.

Here’s everything you need to know about Delaware:

Offseason storylines

The good news for Delaware is that the guy entrusted to lead this big transition to the FBS has already been on campus since 2022. But coach Ryan Carty’s experience at Delaware began long before his coaching days. He was a part of the Blue Hens’ lone FCS national championship in 2003 as the program’s backup quarterback.

After that season, he was named a team captain and projected to finally get his chance as the starter as a senior. Only he was beaten out for the job by some guy named Joe Flacco.

While Flacco is still playing in the NFL over two decades later, Carty is entering a pivotal fourth season as a head coach. He was first discovered by Chip Kelly and was one of Kelly’s last hires at New Hampshire before he left for Oregon.

After a decade as an assistant in various roles at New Hampshire and a few more at Sam Houston State (another program to recently move up to FBS), he got the top job at his alma mater and has won eight games or more in each of his first three seasons, losing in the second round of the FCS playoffs in 2022 and 2023 (they weren’t eligible in 2024).

But this will be his biggest challenge yet as winning is required for this move to be worth it for the Blue Hens.

On offense

The biggest challenge for the Delaware offense is trying to replace an NFL running back.

After leading the team with over 1,100 rushing and receiving yards combined in nine games in 2024, Marcus Yarns was invited to the Senior Bowl and NFL combine, eventually signing with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent. He was one of the top running backs in the FCS last season and was first-team All-CAA for Delaware.

Senior Jo’Nathan Silver is back after rushing for nearly 500 yards himself last season and he should be the go-to guy in the backfield. Veteran quarterback Zach Marker returns after leading the team in passing yards a season ago, despite playing in only four games. Top wide receiver Phil Lutz has graduated, but the Blue Hens have added potential impact transfers in Kyre Duplessis (Coastal Carolina) and Brandon Rehmann (West Virginia).

On defense

Top tackler Gavin Moul returns and that’s a good of a starting point Delaware could ask for. He racked up nearly 30 more tackles than any of his teammates last season and had six tackles for loss. Fellow linebacker partner Ty Davis has since transferred to Temple, but the Blue Hens have added several Power 4 transfers in safeties Kahlil Ali (Boston College) and Thomas Amankwaa (Rutgers), as well as edge rusher Noah Matthews (Kentucky).

The Delaware Blue Hens file

2024 record: 9-2 (6-2 CAA)

Head coach: Ryan Carty (4th season, 26-11 record)

Offensive coordinator: Terence Archer (5th season overall, 2nd as OC)

Defensive coordinator: Manny Rojas (6th season)

Key returners: QB Zach Marker, RB Jo’Nathan Silver, WR Jake Thaw, TE Caleb Fauria, LB Gavin Moul

Key newcomers: WR Kyre Duplessis, WR Brandon Rehmann, S Kahlil Ali, S Thomas Amankwaa, EDGE Noah Matthews