DOVER, Del. – The Hampton University football team found itself in a high-scoring, offensive affair Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium, but the Pirates fell short as Delaware State came away with the 35-27 win.

The Pirates fell to 2-7 overall and 2-5 in MEAC play on the season, while the Hornets improved to 6-4 overall and 5-2 in the conference.

Delaware State struck first with 10:48 left in the first quarter, capping off a 5-play, 62-yard drive with a 48-yard touchdown pass from Travis Tarpley to Nick Elko to give the Hornets a 7-0 lead. The Pirates answered with 4:02 left in the quarter, when senior Taurean Durham (Uniondale, N.Y.) kicked a 22-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.

Durham also nailed a 29-yard field goal with 10:44 left in the second quarter to cap off a 14-play, 71-yard drive to cut Delaware State's lead to 7-6.

Nagee Jackson put the Hornets up 14-6 with 2:08 left in the first half with a 2-yard touchdown run, as Delaware State capitalized on a Pirates turnover. Hampton answered on the next possession, though, as sophomore Travis Champion (Moreno Valley, Calif.) hit redshirt-freshman Tikeem Platt (Ocala, Fla.) from seven yards out with seven seconds left in the half.

Champion's two-point conversion attempt fell short, and Delaware State led 14-12 at the half.

Most of the third quarter was scoreless, but the Hornets went 70 yards in 14 plays before finding the endzone again. Jackson scored from one yard out for his second touchdown of the afternoon, and Delaware State took a 21-12 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Pirates refused to back down, though, and Champion tossed a 24-yard touchdown pass to senior Javaris Brown (Macon, Ga.) with 13:13 left in the game to cut the Hornets' lead to 21-19.

The Hornets needed just two plays on the ensuing possession to answer, though, as Tarpley hit Elko for an 83-yard strike to put Delaware State up 28-19 with 12:19 remaining. Dae-Hun Cheung later added a 6-yard touchdown run with 4:01 left to give the Hornets a 35-19 lead.

After junior Antwon Chisholm (Belle Glade, Fla.) took the ensuing kickoff 59 yards, Champion threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to freshman Rashad Riddick (Portsmouth, Va.) with 3:41 remaining. Champion then found Platt for the two-point conversion, cutting Delaware State's lead to 35-27.

But once Delaware State got the ball back, they never gave it up.

Senior Jeremiah Schwartz (Orlando, Fla.) rushed for 136 yards on 24 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per carry in recording his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season. Champion threw for 130 yards on 11-for-15 passing and three touchdowns.

Freshman Brian Swain (Laredo, Texas) threw for 108 yards.

The Pirates racked up 421 yards of total offense, including 183 yards on the ground, but Delaware State recorded 512 yards of total offense, averaging 7.8 yards per play.

Senior Lyndell Gibson (Virginia Beach, Va.) and junior Delbert Tyler (Monroeville, Pa.) each had a team-high eight tackles for the Pirates.

The Pirates will close out the 2012 season on Saturday, when they head to Baltimore, Md. to take on Morgan State at Hughes Stadium. For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.