CAA Football has now had a team compete in the Division I National Championship game four times in the last five seasons. When No. 13 Delaware takes the field Friday evening at 8 p.m., on ESPN2, the Blue Hens will be looking for their second National Championship in the last five seasons, and CAA Football’s third in the last five years.

On the road to Chattanooga, Delaware knocked off two seeded teams in the NCAA Division I National Championships including No. 1 Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and No. 4 Southern Illinois in Carbondale, Ill. Both of the Blue Hens’ most recent wins in the playoffs were in come-from-behind fashion after trailing 10-0 early to both the Panthers and Salukis.

Delaware, 17-9 against non-conference foes in the playoffs dating back to 1986, will be facing Appalachian State in the 2007 Division I National Championship game Friday at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m., and the game will be shown on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD where available. Appalachian State comes into the contest after outscoring CAA Football’s No. 6 Richmond, 55-35, in last weekend’s National Semifinal game at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, N.C.

The Blue Hens will be carrying the CAA Football banner into the National Championship game, as CAA Football is 52-58 all-time in the playoffs and 3-2 in National Championship games dating back to 1978. Over the last five seasons Delaware is 8-1 in playoff games, helping CAA Football to an impressive mark of 24-13 in the last five years of playoff competition.

CAA Football Offensive Player of the Year Joe Flacco threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns against the Salukis last weekend, while senior running back Omar Cuff added 102 rushing yards and 67 receiving yards in the win. Flacco’s TD-passes went to tight end Robbie Agnone and receiver Kervin Michaud, while All-CAA Football placekicker Jon Striefsky added two field goals, including a 47-yarder, for the Blue Hens’ scores.