Massachusetts at Delaware

At Delaware Stadium, 3:30 p.m., on Comcast Network and Comcast New England.

Last meeting: Delaware, 45-27, on Nov. 13, 2010.

Series: Delaware leads 25-6.

By KEVIN NOONAN

Last week’s game at Delaware Stadium featured a match-up of two of the best running backs in the CAA. This week, it’s same thing at the same place, even though one of the players is different.

RB Jonathan Hernandez will lead Massachusetts into its final conference game against Delaware, which is led by RB Andrew Pierce. Last week, Pierce won his duel with another great RB, William & Mary’s Jonathan Grimes, as he rushed for 143 yards (Grimes only managed 47) to lead the Hens to a 21-0 victory.

“It’s like how we use [Hernandez] in our scheme,’’ UMass coach Kevin Morris said of Pierce. “You’ve got to get the kid the ball.’’

The winner of the RB duel will have a lot to say about which team is the winner of the game between the No.7 Blue Hens (4-2, 2-1) and the Minutemen (3-2, 1-1).  Establishing the run game is both teams’ top priority and it’s easy to see why. Hernandez is leading the CAA in rushing, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 118.8 yards per game.  Pierce is No. 3 in the conference, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and 105.3 yards per game.

“They’re two of the best backs in the league,’’ Delaware coach K.C. Keeler said. “UMass does such a great job running the ball and Hernandez is such a phenomenal running back. They’re very similar to what we just saw [from William & Mary] – they run at you first.’’

Both teams also have two starting-quality QBs – for UMass, it’s sophomore Kellen Pagel and freshman Brandon Hill and for UD it’s junior Tim Donnelly and sophomore Trevor Sasek, who saw some action last week vs. William & Mary for the first time since injuring a knee in the opener vs. Navy.

Stopping Hernandez is the Hens’ number one focus on defense.  And Number two?

“We’re a pretty good defense when we don’t give up big plays,’’ Keeler said.

UMass TE Emil Igwenagu is a big, athletic receiving option for the Minutemen who could be a challenge for the Blue Hens.

Well, the Delaware coach had better buckle his seat belt, because UMass knows how to come up with big plays in all phases of the game – in last week’s 42-26 victory over Central Connecticut State, the Minutemen had four scoring plays of 50 yards or more.

Jesse Julmiste returned a kickoff 90 yards for a TD, TE Emil Igwenagu turned a short pass into a 58-yard TD, Hernandez broke free for an 87-yard TD run and DB Darren Thellen intercepted two passes, returning one 85 yards for another TD.

The Hens defense is led by LB Paul Worrilow, the reigning CAA defensive player of the week, and the Minutemen are led by All-American LB Tyler Holmes, the preseason pick as the CAA defensive player of the year.

As far as motivation, UMass doesn’t have as much for which to play. The Minutemen aren’t eligible for the CAA championship or a FCS playoff berth because they will leave the conference next year to jump to the Mid-American Conference, which is part of the FBS.

The Hens, meanwhile, are in the thick of the CAA race after last week’s victory over William & Mary. That game was huge for Delaware and not just because they beat a good team in a conference game. That victory was especially sweet for Keeler and his crew because it came just seven days after a crushing 31-17 defeat at Maine, when the Hens gave up 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Now the Hens want to keep that momentum going as they enter the heart of their conference schedule.

Said Keeler: “It’s going to be another great CAA game.’’