CHESTER, Pa. – A crazy weekend of MAC football results in a Widener Football loss in the Keystone Cup and a four-way tie breaker to go bowl bound.
 
The Pride would fall 49-26 to Delaware Valley to end the regular season 5-5 and 5-4 in conference play.
 
OF NOTE

• The Pride celebrated the senior class of 2024.
• Pride go MAC-Centennial bowl bound for the first time since the 2021 season.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Jeff Chaplin would lead the Pride one last time at home with 123 passing yards along with two touchdowns.
• On the ground, Kareem McKoy would net 31 yards in six attempts with a long of 23.
• Jaelen Richardson snagged five receptions for 102 yards, a touchdown, and had a long of 62 yards.
• Defensively, Dan Ficca led with nine tackles with a tackle for a loss credited.
• The Pride offense had 256 total yards to Delaware Valley's 502. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Pride would begin the game with the ball after an Aggie deferral. A three and out for the Aggies would begin a back-and-forth series for the majority of the first. The Pride would begin driving with a McCoy 23-yard run and a Dalton Wickel rush. The quarter would end with a Ficca and Elijah Benton tackle to keep the first scoreless. 
• A defensive battle to begin the second showed more Ficca tackles and a couple from Jalen Walker before a Aggie touchdown. At the 10:41 drive, the Pride would burn a timeout with an unsuccessful challenge to fall 14 points. A tough end of the half would send the Pride into halftime down 21. 
• A long Aggie drive out of halftime showed offensive flaws. A fumble would back track the Aggies and big stops from Jacob Kopelman and Benton would hold them to a field goal. The score was 28-0 with 7:52 remaining in the quarter. The Pride would answer quickly with a two-play drive with a deep ball from Chaplin to Richardson for a 62 yard touchdown. Ryan Pattison capped off the drive with a successful PAT. Momentum began to swing as Walker forced a fumble while Nate Brown fell on the loose ball. The Pride would begin the 6:09 drive at the DVL15. One play later the Pride would punch in another touchdown, this time to Jordan Baxter. An unsuccessful challenge play from the Aggies would burn their challenge opportunity. A muffed kickoff ball would give life to the Pride as Dalton Wickel helped force a fumble while Chris Church fell on it in the Aggie endzone. The score was 35-20 to end the quarter.
• With 15 minutes to play, the Pride began to dig in for a battle. The 11:01 drive for the Pride offense would see a deep ball to Richardson to move the chains. Chaplin punched his last touchdown in with another competition to Baxter, the score was 42-26 after a failed two-point conversion. The Pride would end the regular season with a 49-26 loss on Hirschmann Field. 

UP NEXT
Widener awaits the final rankings for the Centennial Conference to see who they play in the MAC-Centennial Bowl Series. The Pride will travel to either 9-1 (5-1 Centennial) Ursinus or 7-3 (4-2 Centennial) Muhlenberg on Saturday, Nov. 23. Final rankings will become set later this weekend.