OPENING KICKOFF

• After two straight contests on the road, Duquesne returns to Rooney Field for the home finale against first-place Sacred Heart on Saturday, Nov. 10.
• With a win over Duquesne on Saturday, the Pioneers would claim at least a share of the NEC title as well as the league's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.
• The Dukes can win at least a share of the NEC crown and earn their first bid to the postseason since 2015 with victories over Sacred Heart and CCSU in the final two regular season games of the year.
• Duquesne is riding a three-game winning streak after a 47-30 triumph at Wagner last Saturday. DU is 4-1 at home this season.
• A.J. Hines earned his third consecutive NEC Offensive Player of the Week nod for his standout performance in the win at Wagner. The junior finished with a season-best 232 yards on the ground with a touchdown on a career-high 33 carries.
• The Dukes are 9-4 all-time against the Pioneers with a 4-3 edge in Pittsburgh. Duquesne has won three straight vs. SHU.

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 17-5 in NEC action since the beginning of the 2015 campaign, including a 9-2 mark at Rooney Field. Duquesne is now 9-2 in NEC openers following the loss to Bryant.
• DU has recorded 56 wins since 2011, at least eight more victories than any other NEC team. In addition, the Dukes' 33 conference wins in that time span are the most in the league.
• Nehari Crawford paces the NEC and ranks 13th in the FCS with 838 receiving yards on the season. He is also 13th in the country with nine receiving touchdowns. Crawford's 24 receiving touchdowns since the start of last season are the most at the FCS level.
• A.J. Hines earned his third straight NEC Offensive Player of the Week award after tallying a season-high 232 yards with a touchdown in the win at Wagner. Hines leads the NEC and sits 11th in the FCS with 11 rushing touchdowns on the season.
• Hines is fifth in the country in rushing yards per game, averaging 123.3 yards per contest.
• In four conference games this season, Hines is averaging 163.5 yards on the ground with five rushing scores.
• The Dukes' defense is holding its conference opponents under 100 yards rushing per game on the season (95.5 ypg).
• Duquesne is outscoring its non-FBS opponents 241-142 in seven games on the season.
• With the Dukes looking for some depth at the running back position a few weeks ago against Robert Morris, defensive back Daquan Worley made his debut in the DU backfield, recording seven carries for 96 yards with two touchdowns, including a 52-yard rushing score. He added 89 yards on six carries last week at Wagner.
• DU linebacker Brett Zanotto is fifth in the NEC with 63 tackles on the season while cornerback Jonathant Istache leads the conference with three interceptions. His 13 passes defended also rank second in the NEC and eight in the FCS.
• The Dukes pace the NEC in pass efficiency (145.0), field goal pct. (1.000) and third-down conversion rate (45.0 pct). DU is second in scoring offense (30.8), punting average (36.5), kickoff coverage (37.2), opponent fourth-down conversion rate (31.8 pct) and red zone defense (74.3 pct).
• Duquesne has three of the top seven scorers in the NEC in A.J. Hines (1st - 8.0 ppg), Nehari Crawford (3rd - 7.3 ppg) and Mitch MacZura (7th - 5.8 ppg).
• The Dukes had 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 12 starters from last year's team which posted a 7-4 overall mark and a 4-2 ledger in Northeast Conference play.
• The Dukes have registered at least seven total victories in three straight seasons and five of the last seven years. In a season with two games against FBS teams, DU can achieve that win total again with a victory over Sacred Heart.
• In a total of 20 night games (6 p.m. kick off or later) at Arthur J. Rooney Field, Duquesne now owns a 16-4 record, including a 3-1 mark against RMU.
• In the Dukes' game against Bryant, Duquesne sported new helmet decals, 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.
• Duquesne returned to that helmet design against Saint Francis U after wearing Pittsburgh Steelers logo decals in last week's win over Robert Morris, as the Steelers offered their prayers and support to the family, friends and teammates of Marquis "Jaylen" Brown. The helmet paid tribute to "JB."

THE SERIES

• Saturday marks the 14th meeting between the Dukes and Pioneers, with Duquesne leading the all-time series 9-4.
• The Dukes own a three-game winning streak over Sacred Heart, earning a 37-21 triumph in Fairfield, Conn. last season. Duquesne has won seven of the last nine meetings with the Pioneers.
• A.J. Hines has five touchdowns in two career games against Sacred Heart, including three in last season's road win.
• 14th-year head coach Jerry Schmitt is 9-3 all-time against the Pioneers while seventh-year Sacred Heart head coach Mark Nofri is 2-4 vs. the Dukes.

GAME COVERAGE

► WATCH: NEC FRONT ROW

Tim Benz (PxP) / Ellis Cannon (Analyst)

► RADIO: WJAS AM 1320 / iHeartRadio

Alex Panormios (PxP) / Tad Maurey (Analyst)

► LIVE STATS: DUQSTATS.com
 

SCOUTING SACRED HEART

• Sacred Heart boasts the top rushing offense (239.8 ypg) and pass defense (155.3 ypg) in the NEC. The Pioneers sit second in the conference in scoring defense (23.1 ppg) and total offense (433.8 ypg).
• Sacred Heart also ranks seventh in pass offense (194.0 ypg).
• Running back Jordan Meachum is second in the NEC and fourth in the FCS with 1,103 rushing yards on the season.
• Quarterback Kevin Duke leads the conference in total offense (254.6 ypg) and pass efficiency (146.9).
• After suffering three straight losses to Ivy League opponents, the Pioneers have won three consecutive NEC contests.

LAST TIME OUT

Duquesne 47, Wagner 30 - Nov. 3, 2018

• A.J. Hines rushed for a season-high 232 yards as Duquesne outscored Wagner 26-7 in second half to earn a 47-30 NEC road win over the Seahawks.
• Hines tallied a career-high 33 carries in the contest, finishing with over 200 yards from scrimmage for the third consecutive game to lead Duquesne.
• Nehari Crawford hauled in four receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown to go with a 37-yard rushing score for the Dukes.
• Daniel Parr finished 9-of-15 for 125 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also contributed two rushing scores in the triumph.
• Leandro DeBrito registered nine tackles (six solo) with a tackle for loss and an interception returned 68 yards for a touchdown. Brett Zanotto had nin tackles for Duquesne, as well.
• Stew Allen caught the game-sealing touchdown in the fourth quarter on a nine-yard strike from Parr.

LAST MEETING

Duquesne 37, Sacred Heart 21 - Oct. 28, 2017

• A.J. Hines matched a career-high with three rushing touchdowns while Duquesne tallied 461 total yards in a 37-21 triumph over host Sacred Heart.
• John Domit connected on a career-high three field goals on the day, including a career-long 41-yard make.
• Nehari Crawford hauled in his 11th touchdown reception of the season from quarterback Tommy Stuart.
• The Dukes scored 28 straight points, leading by a score of 34-6 in the third quarter.
• Carter Henderson paced the Duquesne defense with eight tackles including seven solo stops and two tackles for loss to go with a forced fumble.
• Sacred Heart came into the game 19th in country in total defense, limiting opponents to 308.3 yards per game and just 122.9 yards on the ground. Duquesne had 231 yards on the ground in the win.

LOOKING AHEAD

Duquesne vs Central Connecticut - Nov. 17, 2018

• The Dukes wrap up the 2018 season next Saturday, Nov. 18 on the road at Arute Field in New Britain, Conn.
• Duquesne will look to avenge a 28-27 heartbreaking loss to the Blue Devils last season at Rooney Field. CCSU claimed the conference title and NEC's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs with the win.
• CCSU travels to Loretto, Pa. to take on Saint Francis U on Saturday.
• The Blue Devils (5-4, 3-1) can win at least a share of the NEC title with wins over SFU and Duquesne as well as a Sacred Heart loss in one of the final two games of the season.