Oct. 26, 2005

Radio: WKFB-AM 770
Alex Panormios (play-by-play) & Chris Kucharski (color)
On the internet at: www.redzonemedia.com

Complete Release in PDF Format
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DUKES AT IONA

The Duquesne Dukes (4-3, 2-0), embark on their second long road trip in as many weeks as they head to New Rochelle, N.Y. to face Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football League opponent Iona at 1:00 on Saturday, Oct. 29 (will air on WKFB-AM 770, www.redzonemedia.com).

The No. 5 Dukes, who have won 35 consecutive MAAC games - including the last 16 in a row on the road, are coming off a 22-14 win at then-No. 4 Marist last weekend. Duquesne's defense held Marist to 113 total yards and forced five turnovers in the win that left the Dukes alone at the top of the MAAC with a 2-0 record. The victory snapped a three-game road losing streak for DU.

Iona, which is off to a 3-4 start (1-1 in the MAAC) was defeated by Assumption, 27-17, in a non-conference home game last Saturday. The last team to defeat the Dukes in league play was Iona, which took a 62-50 decision at New Rochelle, N.Y. on Oct. 23, 1999.

THE SERIES

Duquesne leads the overall series 9-1 - including a 3-1 mark at Mazzella Field - with Iona's lone win coming at New Rochelle in 1999 (62-50) ... DU, which has scored 50 or more points in three of the last five meetings, is averaging 41.8 points per game all-time vs. Iona.

DUKES VS. IONA
all-time (1994-current)

1994    W       H       16-121995    W       A       30-131996    W       H       45-141997    W       A       41-01998    W       H       37-141999    L       A       50-622000    W       H       56-282002    W       H       59-102003    W       A       42-292004    W       H       42-14

Overall: Duquesne leads 9-1
At New Rochelle: DU leads 3-1
At Rooney Field: DU leads 6-0

LAST YEAR

James Jacobs rushed for three touchdowns and Jeremy McCullough ran for a career-high 117 yards and a score to extend Duquesne's conference win streak to 30 with a 42-14 win over Iona at Rooney Field. The Dukes, who entered the game with just two rushing touchdowns, scored five times on the ground in outgaining the Gaels 249 to minus 9. For the game, DU enjoyed a 490-165 edge in total yards. (A full game recap may be found in the complete release; link above.)

DUKES "D" RANKED No. 2

Duquesne enters the Iona game ranked second nationally in total defense, giving up an average of 211.9 yards per game. In the last two games, Duquesne has limited its opponents to 78 rushing yards on 60 carries ... for an average of 1.3 yards per rush. Two week's ago, DU held Saint Peter's Sean Mayers - who entered the game ranked ninth in the nation with a 121.2 ypg. average - to 48 yards on 20 carries. Last week, Marist's Obozua Ehikioya, who entered the game ranked tenth nationally at 116.2 ypg., was limited to 37 yards on 16 attempts. Duquesne has given up a total of 263 yards in its first two MAAC games (an average of 131.5 ypg.). DU's conference opponents have scored a total of 14 points, with seven coming on an interception return at Marist. The only TD the Dukes defense has given up in MAAC play was a 12-yard TD pass to Marist with 2:29 left in the game. The Marist offensive score was set up by a 62-yard punt return that gave Marist possession at the Dukes' 12.

35-GAME CONFERENCE WIN STREAK

Duquesne's 35-game MAAC win streak is the longest active conference streak in NCAA Division's I-A and I-AA. during the streak, the Dukes have outscored their league opponents by a 1,387-364 margin, with just three of the 35 games decided by fewer than 10 points. Duquesne's last conference loss was at Iona on Oct. 23, 1999.

CURRENT MOST CONSECUTIVE LEAGUE WINS
NCAA Division I (IA & I-AA)
through games of Oct. 22

No.     School          Conference         Division35      DUQUESNE        Metro Atlantic     I-AA29      Boise State     Western Athletic   I-A19      Southern Cal    Pacific-10         I-A13      Alabama St.     Southwestern       I-AA

44      Oklahoma        Big Eight       1952-5939      Nebraska        Big Eight/Big12 1992-9835      DUQUESNE        Metro Atlantic  1999-

BULLOCK ON A TEAR

Senior defensive end Antoine Bullock (Houston, Texas/Sugar Land Kempner) has been on a roll as of late. The 6-1, 220-pounder, who has 6.0 sacks in his last three games, became Duquesne's all-time sacks leader when he took down Marist's James Luft in the third quarter of DU's 22-14 win at Poughkeepsie on Oct. 22. Bullock's 24.5 career sacks eclipsed the old mark of 24.0 set by John Wojciechowski (1992-95). Bullock ranks fourth nationally with 9.0 sacks this season (1.29 per game). The Duquesne school record for sacks in a season is 12.5 set by All-American Ryan Tolan - Bullock's current position coach - last year. In his last three games, Bullock has topped his career single-game tackle high twice with 10 stops at Georgetown followed by 12 vs. Saint Peter's. Bullock has been named MAAC Defensive Player of the Week twice this year (9/12 & 10/17).

FRESHMEN COME UP BIG

A number of freshmen played key roles in Duquesne's big win at Marist last weekend. In all, 16 of DU's 22 points scored came courtesy of freshmen. Kicker Mark Troyan contributed a field goal and extra point, fellow true freshman Travis Taltoan added a 12-yard TD catch (from redshirt freshman QB Scott Knapp) and freshman fullback Greg Hough caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Knapp. Redshirt freshman Aaron Strader, who was making his first career start at cornerback, picked off a pass and the biggest offensive play of the game - a 55-yard catch-and-run on DU's first play of the second half - was turned in by redshirt freshman Philip Hayes (on his first career reception).

SIX ROOKIES OF THE WEEK

Scott Knapp, who was named MAAC Rookie of the Week three times in the first three weeks as the award was given this season (Sept. 5, 12 & 19), saw the streak ended when teammate Mark Troyan was honored following the Columbia game. DU gave up its hold of the award in week five, when Iona's Maurice Thomas was named R-O-W. The award was not handed out on October 10 (Duquesne's off week) before Knapp earned Rookie honors for a league-high fourth time following DU's 24-0 win over Saint Peter's. Cornerback Aaron Strader became the third different Dukes rookie to win the award following Duquesne's 22-14 win at Marist. Of the seven times a Rookie of the Week has been named, a Duquesne player has won it six times (Knapp four, Troyan one and Strader one).

NOTES FROM MARIST

DU's conference win streak now stands at 35 games ... it is the longest active conference win streak among NCAA Division I-A and I-AA schools and ranks third all time behind Oklahoma (44 in the Big Eight from 1952-59) and Nebraska (39 in the Big Eight/Big 12 from 1992-98) on the all-time list for Division I-A and I-AA ... the Dukes also extended their series win streak to 11 in a row over Marist ... Marist converted just one of 14 third downs and turned it over five times (three interceptions and two fumbles) ... Duquesne was penalized 10 times for 126 yards to four for 21 for Marist ... freshman receiver Philip Hayes (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock) made his first career catch a memorable one, taking in a pass from Scott Knapp and racing 55 yards to the Marist 19 on the first play of the second half ... the reception set-up freshman Travis Taltoan's (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) first career touchdown - a 12-yarder from Knapp ... Taltoan finished with a career-high four catches for 30 yards, giving him seven grabs for 68 yards in the Dukes' last two games ... Antoine Bullock (Houston, Texas/Sugar Land Kempner) recorded his ninth sack of the season with just under seven minutes left in the third quarter ... with that sack, Bullock passed John Wojciechowski (24.0 sacks from 1992-95) to become DU's career sacks leader with 24.5 ... redshirt freshman quarterback Scott Knapp (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry Traditional Academy), who was 19-of-31 for 202 yards and two TDs, completed passes to nine different receivers ... junior receiver Dan Spriggs (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall College) caught four passes for 45 yards, returned two punts 24 yards and completed a 40 yard pass to Alex Roberson ... sophomore linebacker John Simmons (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) tied Bullock for team high with eight tackles (7 solo) ... freshman Aaron Strader (Pittsburgh, Pa./Westinghouse), who was making his first career start at cornerback, picked off pass and returned it 23 yards mid-way through the fourth quarter ... Michael Hill (Largo, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) recorded his second interception in as many games ... Michael Ford (Clinton, Md./Oxon Hill) added his second interception of the season - and 10th of his career - to set up DU's second score of the game ... the Dukes were 3-of-3 on fourth down in the first half on conversions covering 11, 7 and 4 yards.