DAYTON, Ohio – Mark Allen's go-ahead one-yard rushing touchdown with 7:13 left in the fourth quarter proved to be enough, as Duquesne (2-1) held on to defeat Dayton (2-1), 35-31, at Welcome Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
A 32-yard field goal off the leg of Sam Webster gave Dayton a 31-28 lead with 11:27 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Dukes countered with a 10-play 75-yard drive, that featured 38 yards on the ground from Allen, including the game-winning one-yard scamper to put the Dukes up for good. The Dukes' defense would force a turnover-on-downs the following drive, as Duquesne successfully ran out the clock on the final possession to take home the victory.
Allen rushed 30 times for 168 yards (5.6 yards per carry) on the day, finding the end zone twice, while pacing the Dukes' ground game that rushed for 236 total yards.
Daniel Parr completed an efficient 18-of-22 passes, for 187 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown from three-yards out.
Kellon Taylor caught seven passes from Parr, for 78 yards and a touchdown.
Kareem Coles Jr. registered six catches for 61 yards and a touchdown. Allen posted 33 receiving yards for 201 all-purpose yards.
Reid Harrison-Ducros registered his first career interception in the third quarter, which was the lone turnover in the ball game for both teams. Spencer Demedal led the team in tackles with 10, while
Brett Zanotto and
Harvey Clayton Jr. both posted eight. Zanotto also recorded a sack, totaling 1.5 tackles for loss against Dayton.
The closely-fought game featured just one punt and 766 yards of offense. Neither team held more than a one-possession lead at any point in the contest.
The Dukes and Flyers scored touchdowns on each of their first two possessions.
On the first drive of the game, Duquesne put together an 11-play 75-yard drive that ended with a Parr touchdown pass to Taylor from eight-yards out with 9:50 left in the first quarter. Allen set the tone early with 43 yards rushing on the first drive of the game, including 26-yards on his first carry.
Dayton responded with a 10-play 74-yard drive of its own, as 10-yard pass from Jack Cook to Jake Chisholm tied the contest at 7-7.
The Dukes would counter with a nine play drive that went 65 yards.
Mark Allen would find pay dirt for the first time as a Duke, punching in a one-yard touchdown as Duquesne took a 14-7 advantage. Parr helped set up the touchdown with a 31-yd pass to Taylor on third down.
Dayton's Cook capped an 80-yard drive with a 35-yard passing touchdown to Adam Trautman to tie the game at 14-14 with 12:30 left in the second quarter.
Jordan Jassir would return the ensuing kickoff 49 yards to the Dayton 48-yard line to setup the Dukes with good field position. Duquesne could not capitalize, as a 36-yard field goal attempt went wide right.
Dayton would claim its first lead at 21-14 after a 15-yard touchdown from Cook to Adam Trautman.
With 5:15 left until halftime,
Lentivone Lesane would rush the Dukes to a pair of first downs, as Parr found Taylor for a 21-yard gain before finding Coles Jr. for a 10-yard touchdown to knot the score at 21-21 with 1:05 left until halftime. Dayton would runout the clock, as both teams went to the locker room deadlocked at 21.
Dayton's Jake Chisholm returned the second-half kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown, as Dayton reclaimed an advantage on the scoreboard at 28-21.
On Duquesne's first drive of the second half, the Dukes would pass just twice on an eight-play drive, with Allen rushing for 38-yards on the drive before Parr found the end zone himself on a three-yard run to tie the contest at 28-28.
With Dayton looking to retake the lead, the Flyers would drive down to the Duquesne 13-yard line, but Harrison-Ducros made one of the biggest defensive plays of the day, intercepting Cook in the end zone to keep the contest tied at 28-28 with 7:23 remaining in the third quarter.
Dayton blocked the only punt of the day near with 1:32 left in the third quarter to set up the Flyer offense at midfield. The Flyers' Webster converted a 32-yard field as Dayton retook the lead at 31-28 with 11:27 remaining in the final quarter.
The Dukes advanced the ball 75 yards on 10 plays, as Parr earned a 25-yard rush, while Allen tallied a 19-yard sprint. Allen earned carries on six of the final seven plays on the drive, totaling 36 yards on the drive including the one-yard plunge to give Duquesne its first lead since 14-7.
Dayton would begin its final drive of the game with 7:11 left in the contest on its own 25-yard line, looking to win the game. The Flyers would advance the ball to the Duquesne 34-yard line, but the Duquesne defense would stand strong, allowing a two-yard rush before a sack and back-to-back incompletions to force a turnover-on-downs. Jordan deflected pass on Dayton's final play, while
Chris Favoroso rushed the Dayton quarterback on the play.
Duquesne gained possession with 1:43 left on its own 31-yard line, as Dayton had two timeouts remaining. Allen rushed for back-to-back five-yard gains to earn a first down and to seal the ball game for the Dukes at 35-31.
Duquesne has now won four-consecutive meetings against the Flyers and now lead the overall series by an 11-6 mark.
The Dukes will continue their road trip next Saturday, when Duquesne battles CAA foe New Hampshire at 1:00 p.m.
