Oct. 27, 2016
DUKES AND BULLDOGS
This is the ninth game between Duquesne and Bryant in a series that dates to 2008 ... Bryant leads 5-3 the series, including a 4-3 edge in NEC games ... the Bulldogs have won the past three, including a 38-17 decision at Smithfield, R.I. last year ... in that game, Dalton Easton completed 25-of-37 passes for 330 yards and four TDs as the Bulldogs outgained the Dukes 485-284 ... Christian Kuntz had 12 tackles, including 4.0 tackles for loss, and returned an interception 42 yards for a score for DU ... Bryant has won the past three meetings by an average score of 33.3 to 16.0 ... in the last Rooney Field meeting, Bryant survived a 28-yard DU field goal attempt that sailed wide left with 58 seconds remaining for a 20-17 win. ... DU head coach Jerry Schmitt has been at the helm for all eight meetings with the Bulldogs.
ON DUQUESNE
The Dukes won their third Northeast Conference title in five years, and made their first ever FCS Playoff appearance in finishing 8-4 (5-1 NEC) in 2015. Picked to defend as 2016 NEC champions by the league's coaches, the Red & Blue return seven starters on offense and six on defense, including six players who were named to the 2016 NEC preseason team. Duquesne is 3-1 at home with a 31-24 NEC win over Robert Morris on Oct. 15.
ON BRYANT
The Bulldogs (3-4, 2-1), who are coming off a 27-17 home win over Wagner, were picked to finish fourth in the NEC in the annual preseason poll of league coaches. Bryant is 0-3 on the road with close losses at Montana State (24-27) and Maine (31-35) and an NEC defeat at Saint Francis U (3-38).
A CLOSER LOOK
The Bulldogs (28.3 ppg.) and Dukes (28.1 ppg.) rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the Northeast Conference in scoring ... Bryant's Dalton Easton (15) and Duquesne's Dillon Buechel (14) rank first and second in the NEC in touchdown passes ... Bryant (three fumbles lost and 11 interceptions) ranks at the bottom of the conference in turnover margin (-.86 per game) ... the Bulldogs have eight turnovers gained (three fumbles and five interceptions) ... Bryant's Matt Sewall ranks second nationally with a 34.3 kickoff return average on 10 returns ... Duquesne has come away with points on 23 of 28 red zone possessions (an NEC-best 82.1 percent) ... the Dukes are also the best third down team in the NEC, converting at a 41.7 percent rate (45-of-108).
LAST GAME
Duquesne outgained Saint Francis 327-251, had a 19-10 advantage in first downs and an over 11-minute advantage in time of possession, but fell victim to a one-yard scoring run by Zack Drayer with 50 seconds left in a 14-10 loss at Saint Francis U last Friday. The Dukes, who held the Red Flash to seven 3-and-out possessions, led 10-7 when SFU took over on its own 37 with 5:11 left. Marcus Bagley carried five times for 42 yards and Drayer hit Kamron Lewis for a 22 yard pass on the game-clinching drive. Duquesne drove to the SFU 36, only to have Dillon Buechel's pass picked of on the Red Flash 20 with six seconds left. DU, which ran for 172 yards, averaged 4.4 yards per carry. Saint Francis entered the game giving up 95 yards/g on the ground. The Red Flash who had an FCS-best 30 sacks, did not get to Buechel's 34 attempts. The win was Saint Francis' third in the past 18 meetings between the two.
TRENDING
• Freshman A.J. Hines has been named NEC Rookie of the Week in each of the past six weeks. His six Rookie honors are the second-most in NEC history. Hines enters the weekend ranked sixth nationally with a 116.0 ypg. average.
• All-American LB Christian Kuntz (26.0 sacks) needs 1.5 sacks to tie Antoine Bullock (27.5 from 2002-05) for the school career sacks record. Kuntz needs four sacks to become the NEC all-time leader.
• With his 394 yards passing at Jacksonville on Oct. 1, QB Dillon Buechel passed his offensive coordinator - Anthony Doria - as well as Dale Fink of Sacred Heart to move into first place on the NEC all-time passing yardage list. Buechel enters the Bryant game with 9,309 passing yards. Doria threw for 8,544 yards at Saint Francis U from 2003-06. Fink had 8,803 from 2007-10.
• Leading tackler Carter Henderson (56/8.0) has scored via interception return (23 yds vs. Dayton) and fumble return (16 yds vs. Kennesaw State) this season.
• Austin Crimmins ranks sixth nationally at 1.57 field goals/g. His 55 career field goals currently rank as the most in both NEC history and among active FCS kickers.
• The pass-catching trio of Wayne Capers (94.0), Blair Roberts (59.3) and Nehari Crawford (43.4) rank 2nd, 5th and 10th in the NEC in receiving yards per game.
• Duquesne head coach Jerry Schmitt notched his 100th career win vs. Robert Morris on Oct. 15. Schmitt is in his 17th season as a head coach and 12th at DU.
• Duquesne leads the NEC in fewest penalty yards per game (51.3). DU has led the conference in fewest penalty yards/g. four times (and been second twice) in its first eight years as an NEC member.
• Freshman A.J. Hines has been named NEC Rookie of the Week in each of the past six weeks. His six Rookie honors are the second-most in NEC history. Hines enters the weekend ranked sixth nationally with a 116.0 ypg. average.
• All-American LB Christian Kuntz (26.0 sacks) needs 1.5 sacks to tie Antoine Bullock (27.5 from 2002-05) for the school career sacks record. Kuntz needs four sacks to become the NEC all-time leader.
• With his 394 yards passing at Jacksonville on Oct. 1, QB Dillon Buechel passed his offensive coordinator - Anthony Doria - as well as Dale Fink of Sacred Heart to move into first place on the NEC all-time passing yardage list. Buechel enters the Bryant game with 9,309 passing yards. Doria threw for 8,544 yards at Saint Francis U from 2003-06. Fink had 8,803 from 2007-10.
• Leading tackler Carter Henderson (56/8.0) has scored via interception return (23 yds vs. Dayton) and fumble return (16 yds vs. Kennesaw State) this season.
• Austin Crimmins ranks sixth nationally at 1.57 field goals/g. His 55 career field goals currently rank as the most in both NEC history and among active FCS kickers.
• The pass-catching trio of Wayne Capers (94.0), Blair Roberts (59.3) and Nehari Crawford (43.4) rank 2nd, 5th and 10th in the NEC in receiving yards per game.
• Duquesne head coach Jerry Schmitt notched his 100th career win vs. Robert Morris on Oct. 15. Schmitt is in his 17th season as a head coach and 12th at DU.
• Duquesne leads the NEC in fewest penalty yards per game (51.3). DU has led the conference in fewest penalty yards/g. four times (and been second twice) in its first eight years as an NEC member.
