Sept. 17, 2005

Box Score | Quotes | Notes

Philadelphia, Pa. - Penn, the preseason favorite to win the Ivy League, sandwiched a pair of touchdowns in a total of 38 seconds around the half to turn a 17-7 lead into an insurmountable 31-7 edge in a 41-14 win over Duquesne at Franklin Field. The loss was Duquesne's first, while Penn opened its season with a win.

Pat McDermott led the way for the Quakers with three touchdown passes to go along with one rushing TD.

Penn opened the scoring when McDermott found Dan McDonald from 43 yards out on the Quakers' second possession of the game. Duquesne answered with a five-minute, 87-yard drive capped by a 20-yard Scott Knapp to Conrad Carter touchdown pass.

The game remained close until Penn blocked a DU punt on the first play of the second quarter and recovered at the Dukes' five. Three plays later McDermott scored on a sneak to make it 14-7. Penn's Derek Zoch added a 36-yard field goal with 3:41 to go in the half to make the score 17-7.

An interference penalty on a punt forced Duquesne to kick from its own 15 with under 30 seconds left in the half, and Penn made the Dukes pay. The Quakers, which took over at the Duquesne 44, wasted no time as McDermott found Matt Carre on a deep crossing pattern on the first play to make it 24-7 with 18 seconds left.

Penn put the game out of reach when Michael Johns stepped in front of a Scott Knapp pass and took it 29 yards for a score on the first play of the second half.

The Dukes, who were held to 20 yards on 13 third quarter plays, couldn't recover from the two quick scores. McDermott threw his final touchdown pass with 14:48 left. Knapp hit Alex Roberson with a 35-yard touchdown pass with 9:12 left to close-out the scoring. The Knapp-to-Roberson connection was set up by a Michael Ford interception.

Penn outgained Duquesne 361-to-218 including a 197-to-97 yard edge on the ground. McDermott finished 10-of-20 for 145 yards to go along with his three TDs.

Knapp was 10-of-29 for 121 yards and two scores for the Dukes. Alex Roberson caught four passes for a career-high 67 yards to lead DU.

Penn's Sam Mathews led all rushers with 64 yards on 13 carries. Jeremy McCullough led Duquesne with 50 yards on 15 attempts. Harry Carter posted a game-high 10 tackles (eight solo) for Duquesne. Todd Mills also intercepted a pass for the Dukes.

BY QUARTER      1       2       3       4       FINALDUQUESNE        7       0       0       7       14PENN            7       17      10      7       41

LEADERS:

Rushing (Att./Yds./TD)
DU - McCullough (15-50-0)
UP - Mathews (13-64-0)

Passing (Att./Comp./Int./Yds./TD)
DU - Knapp (29-10-1-121-2)
UP - McDermott (20-10-1-145-3)

Receiving (Att./Yds./TD)
DU - Roberson (4-67-1)
UP - Carre (2-66-2)

Tackles (Tot./Solo)
DU - Carter (10/8)
UP - Middleton (6/5), Anastasio (6/4), Harris (6/2)