Delaware opens its 2026 season on Thursday night against Merrimack, and the matchup lands with a simple question attached to it: can the Blue Hens carry last year’s momentum into another FBS season? Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET, with the game on Select and streaming available through + and Unlimited.
That is why the game is drawing attention now. Delaware is coming off a 7-6 finish and a 20-13 win over Louisiana in the 68 Ventures Bowl, and it begins its second season at the FBS level with a core that includes seven offensive starters and five defensive starters back from that team. Nick Minicucci returns after accounting for 23 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing scores last season, giving Delaware a proven anchor as it starts over with a fresh schedule and the same expectations.
Merrimack arrives with a different kind of urgency. The Warriors are 0-1 after a 34-7 loss to No. 7 Rhode Island, a game that was level at 7-7 after the first quarter before Rhode Island scored the final 27 points. Merrimack put up 94 rushing yards and 261 passing yards, but the offense never found another answer after the opening frame, even with AJ Hairston and Cole Meehan combining to keep the ball moving through the air. Matthias Latham scored the only touchdown on a 2-yard run, while Micah Green led the defense with nine tackles.
The first quarter offered a brief sign that the game could stay close. After that, Rhode Island controlled the rest by shutting out Merrimack over the final three quarters and forcing the Warriors to chase a margin they could not close. Delaware will try to avoid that kind of flat stretch in its opener, and Minicucci’s presence gives it a clear place to start if the Blue Hens want the night to match the optimism around them.
For viewers, the setup is straightforward. Select will carry the game, + and Unlimited are listed as streaming options, and Fubo includes Select with a five-day free trial for new subscribers. The football itself is the point, but the timing matters too: Delaware is trying to make its second FBS season look settled from the first snap, while Merrimack needs a cleaner answer than the one it got last week.
