OPENING KICKOFF

• Duquesne opens the home portion of the 2018 season hosting Lock Haven Saturday, Sept. 1 at 2 p.m. at Rooney Field.
• The Dukes dropped a 63-15 decision to FBS UMass on the road in the season opener last week. DU and the Minutemen were playing the first game of the 2018 NCAA Football season.
• WR Nehari Crawford finished with five catches for 59 yards and a touchdown while DB Spencer DeMedal paced the Dukes with nine tackles (4 solo) on the night against UMass.
• Duquesne has won 10 consecutive home openers, averaging just over 31 points per game in those contests.
• All told, the Dukes are 21-3 in home openers played at Rooney Field.
• Duquesne is 23-3 in home non-conference games under 14th-year head coach Jerry Schmitt.
• Duquesne, which has captured four NEC championships since 2011, returns five All-NEC performers, including RB A.J. Hines, Crawford, OL Alex Conley and Matt Fitzpatrick as well as DB Jonathant Istache.

QUICK HITS

• Following a defeat on the road in the season opener last Saturday at FBS UMass, the Dukes play the first of three straight home games this Saturday hosting Lock Haven at Rooney Field.
• 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.
• The Dukes put together a seven-game winning streak in 2017, their most victories in a row since posting 11 straight wins to open the 2002 season.
• DU has recorded 50 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. Duquesne has registered at least seven total victories in three straight seasons and five of the last seven years.
• Duquesne is 35-27 in non-conference games under 14th-year head coach Jerry Schmitt including a 23-3 ledger at home. The Dukes own wins over Robert Morris (three victories prior to joining the NEC), Dayton (seven times), Bucknell (four times), Albany (once as a member of the CAA) and Monmouth (as an FCS Independent).
• For the first time in program history, the Dukes will face two FBS opponents in the same season in 2018. Duquesne traveled to Massachusetts to open the season on Aug. 25 and will make the trip to Hawaii for a Sept. 22 matchup. These are both first-time opponents for DU and represent the second and third games, respectively, against FBS teams for the Dukes. Duquesne took on Buffalo to open the 2014 season.

THE SERIES

• This is the first meeting between the two schools.

SCOUTING LOCK HAVEN

• The Bald Eagles compete at the NCAA Division II level in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division.
• Lock Haven posted a 2-9 mark last season with a 2-5 ledger in PSAC East play. The Bald Eagles topped Cheyney 62-0 and Bloomsburg by a score of 27-24.
• LHU ranked fourth among all 16 PSAC teams in rushing offense in 2017, averaging 198.4 yards per game on the ground.
• The Bald Eagles return their leading rusher in sophomore quarterback Kyle Knight, who finished with 760 yards with eight touchdowns in 2017. LHU had three players record at least 450 rushing yards, including two returners in Knight and junior running back Ralph Hyland.

• Watch Saturday's game via NEC Front Row by clicking HERE.
• Listen to Alex Panormios (play-by-play) and Tad Maurey (analyst) on WJAS 1320, the iHeartRadio app or by clicking HERE.

LAST TIME OUT - UMass 63, Duquesne 15

• FBS UMass jumped out to a 21-0 lead and did not look back, earning a 63-15 victory over the Dukes in the first NCAA Football game of the 2018 season last Saturday in Amherst, Mass.
• Nehari Crawford finished with five catches for 59 yards and a touchdown in the contest while Daniel Parr was 16-of-29 for 123 yards with a touchdown pass in his Duquesne debut.
• The Dukes did not allow a sack in the contest and finished with 130 rushing yards, including a team-high 57 from A.J. Hines and 46 on 10 carries by freshman Ky'ren Cunningham.
• Spencer DeMedal led the Duquesne defense with nine tackles (four solo) while Brendan
• Thompson added seven tackles. Brandon Stanback and Reid Harrison-Ducros had six tackles apiece. Stanback also recovered a fumble forced by Jonathant Istache.
• Mitch MacZura connected on his first career field goal from 32 yards out for the Dukes.

• Duquesne University Athletics coaches shows will make the move from radio to television in 2018-19, through an agreement with AT&T SportsNet announced earlier this week.
• Football shows are scheduled to air on August 23 & 30; September  6, 13 & 27; October 4, 11 & 18 and November 8 & 15, all of which fall on Thursdays.
• The shows, which will be hosted by Pittsburgh Tribune Review columnist and Steelers Radio Network host Tim Benz, will be presented by UMPC and Red Ring Bar & Grille.

LOOKING AHEAD - Duquesne vs Valparaiso

• The Dukes will host Valparaiso on Saturday, Sept. 8 at noon ET at Rooney Field. It will be the Crusaders' first game of the season.
• Duquesne leads the series 3-0 over Valparaiso, including a 45-40 win last season in Indiana which ignited a seven-game win streak for the Dukes. DU has played the Crusaders once before at Rooney Field, earning a 49-14 win on Sept. 17, 2011.