OPENING KICKOFF

• The Dukes welcome crosstown foe Robert Morris to the Bluff for a matchup under the lights at Rooney Field on Saturday night. DU is 15-4 in home night games at Rooney.
• Duquesne is looking to snap a two-game skid following a 21-20 loss to Bryant last week in the Dukes' NEC opener and a Sept. 22 matchup at FBS Hawaii. The Colonials come into the contest having dropped three straight games.
• DU has won five straight matchups over Robert Morris and eight games in a row at Rooney Field.
• Nehari Crawford ranks fifth in the FCS with 649 receiving yards on the season. The senior also sits fourth in school history with 157 career receptions and fifth in  touchdown catches with 27.
• The Colonials are led by first-year head coach Bernard Clark Jr. who previously served as defensive coordinator at Albany from 2014-17 under former Duquesne head coach Greg Gattuso.
• 14th-year head coach Jerry Schmitt is 10-3 all-time against Robert Morris including a 6-0 mark at Rooney Field.

QUICK HITS

• The Dukes have enjoyed a great deal of success in NEC play, claiming four conference titles since 2011. Duquesne won a share of the league crown in 2011, 2013 and 2016 while capturing the outright title in 2015, earning the NEC's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.
• The Dukes are 14-5 in NEC action since the beginning of the 2015 campaign, including an 8-2 mark at Rooney Field. Duquesne is now 9-2 in NEC openers following the loss to Bryant last week.
• DU has recorded 53 wins since 2011, at least eight more victories than any other NEC team. In addition, the Dukes' 30 conference wins in that time span are the most in the league.
• Nehari Crawford is fifth in the FCS with 649 receiving yards on the season. He also sits tied for fourth in the country with six receiving touchdowns. Crawford's 21 receiving touchdowns since the start of last season are the most at the FCS level.
• Duquesne is not slated to leave the state of Pennsylvania again until a Nov. 3 matchup at Wagner in Staten Island, N.Y. After taking on Bryant last week and Robert Morris at home this week, the Dukes will make the short trip to Loretto, Pa. to battle Saint Francis U on Oct. 20. DU will then have a bye in the last week of October.
• The Dukes have six games at Rooney Field in 2018 (three non-conference matchups, three NEC contests) in addition to the game at Saint Francis U. This comes a year after DU played seven road games in seven different states in 2017.
• Duquesne returns 11 starters from last year's team which posted a 7-4 overall mark and a 4-2 ledger in Northeast Conference play.
• Duquesne has registered at least seven total victories in three straight seasons and five of the last seven years.
• The Dukes are slated to appear twice on ESPN 3 this season, first in this Saturday's matchup with Robert Morris and again at Wagner on Nov. 3.
• In a total of 19 night games (6 p.m. kick off or later) at Arthur J. Rooney Field, Duquesne owns a 15-4 record, including a 2-1 mark against RMU.
• Duquesne is noted for establishing numerous "firsts" in collegiate football. In 1929, graduate manager John Holohan conceived the idea of the city's first night game at Pittsburgh's Forbes Field. On the evening of November 2 of that year, the Dukes made history by defeating Geneva College, 27-7, in front of more than 27,000 spectators.
• The Dukes sported new helmet decals in last week's game against Bryant, wearing red jersey numbers on the left side with a transparent "D" logo with blue outline on the right side. The back of the helmet featured a blue Pittsburgh city skyline silhouette.

THE SERIES

• Saturday's contest at Arthur J. Rooney Field will mark the 20th installment of the series between crosstown Northeast Conference rivals Duquesne and Robert Morris.
• The Dukes have won five straight over the Colonials, including a 51-14 triumph at Joe Walton Stadium last October.
• The 37-point margin of victory represented the largest in series history, as Duquesne quarterback Tommy Stuart threw for five touchdowns and A.J. Hines eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the second time in as many career games against Robert Morris.
• This Saturday will mark the 16th consecutive year in which the two teams have met. The Dukes have claimed eight wins in a row over the Colonials at Rooney Field, with Robert Morris' last win on the Bluff coming on November 23, 1996 in the ECAC Bowl.
• All told, Duquesne is 8-2 at home versus the Colonials and 7-3 in the NEC era.
• In addition, Jerry Schmitt is 10-3 all-time against Robert Morris, while this will be Colonial head coach Bernard Clark Jr.'s first game in the series against the crosstown foe.

GAME COVERAGE

► WATCH: ESPN 3

John Schmeelk (PxP) / Rasheed Marshall (Analyst) / Greg Mescall (Sideline)

► RADIO: WJAS AM 1320 / iHeartRadio

Alex Panormios (PxP) / Tad Maurey (Analyst)

► LIVE STATS: www.DUQSTATS.com

SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS

• The Colonials enter Saturday's contest with a 1-4 overall ledger and an 0-2 mark in NEC play following a 56-35 defeat to defending conference champion CCSU last week.
• Freshman running back Alijah Jackson was named the NEC Rookie of the Week on Monday for the second time this season after tallying 124 yards on 16 carries with a pair of touchdowns vs. CCSU.
• RMU has scored at least 28 points in three of their six games this season including 46 in a loss to Bryant and 35 last week against the Blue Devils.
• The Colonials rank 121st out of 124 FCS teams in total defense, allowing 560.0 yards per game. However, RMU has faced two of the top three offenses (Bryant & CCSU) in the NEC in addition to perennial FCS power James Madison in its last three games.

LAST TIME OUT

Bryant 21, Duquesne 20

• Four first-half turnovers plagued the Dukes against the visiting Bulldogs in the homecoming contest which featured five lead changes.
• Daniel Parr completed 19-of-33 attempts on the day with two touchdowns and an interception. A.J. Hines tallied 75 rushing yards on 19 carries and a score to pace Duquesne on the ground.
• Nehari Crawford hauled in six catches for a game-high 113 yards for his ninth career 100-yard receiving performance.
• Kellon Taylor, who wore Marquis Brown's No. 40 jersey to honor his friend and teammate, recorded a career-high eight receptions for 52 yards. Allen caught two passes, both for touchdowns for a total of 38 yards.
• Leandro DeBrito led the Duquesne defense with seven tackles (six solo) to go with a pair of pass breakups.

LAST MEETING

Duquesne 51, Robert Morris 14  /  Oct. 14, 2017

• 2017 NEC Offensive Player of the Year quarterback Tommy Stuart threw for a career-high five touchdowns to help Duquesne earn a 51-14 victory over Robert Morris at Joe Walton Stadium.
• The Colonials got on the board first when Drew Allen, the twin brother of Duquesne tight end Stew Allen, returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown, giving Robert Morris a 7-0 lead with 7:47 to play in the first quarter.
• It was almost all Dukes from that point on, as Duquesne responded with 44 unanswered points, 34 coming in the first half.
• The Dukes outgained Robert Morris 457-248 in the victory with advantages of 238-86 on the ground and 219-162 through the air. The Duquesne defense held the Colonials under 100 yards of total offense into the third quarter.
• Nehari Crawford caught two touchdown passes while Kellon Taylor added a touchdown reception and P.J. Fulmore chipped in a rushing score for the Dukes.
• A.J. Hines rushed for a game-high 130 yards in the win.
• Roman Macek recorded a team-high five tackles including a sack.

LOOKING AHEAD

Duquesne at Saint Francis U

• The Dukes will make the trip to Loretto, Pa. for an Oct. 20 showdown at Saint Francis U. Kick off from DeGol Field.
• The Red Flash leads the NEC in scoring offense (35.6 ppg), scoring defense (21.6 ppg) and total defense (290.4 ypg). In addition, Saint Francis us 18th in the country in rushing defense (106.8 ypg).
• Duquesne topped Saint Francis 24-7 last season at Rooney Field. The Dukes have won 16 of the last 19 meetings with the Red Flash, but DU has dropped two straight in Loretto.