OPENING KICKOFF
► Duquesne closes non-conference play as well as a three-game road swing at New Hampshire on Saturday.

► Both teams are coming off close wins, as the Dukes topped Dayton 35-31 on the road while the Wildcats defeated Rhode Island in its CAA opener by a score of 27-24.

► Duquesne running back Mark Allen - making his first start for the Dukes in the absence of A.J. Hines - tallied 201 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns to help the Dukes to victory over the Flyers. Allen was named NEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.

► DU ranks sixth in total defense in the FCS through the first three games of the year, limiting opponents to 264.3 yards per game.

► The Dukes were picked to repeat as NEC champions in the conference preseason poll. Duquesne has been selected to finish first or second in the poll for nine straight years.

► DU is looking to start 3-1 for the third straight season and the seventh time under Jerry Schmitt.


GAME COVERAGE
Watch: FloFootball (NBC Sports Boston locally)
Play-by-Play: Brendan Glasheen
Analyst: Mike Murphy

Listen: WJAS 1320 AM / iHeart Radio
Play-by-Play: Alex Panormios
Analyst: Tad Maurey

Live Stats: UNHWildcats.com


THE SERIES
- Saturday marks the first meeting between the Dukes and Wildcats.


SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
- New Hampshire enters with a 1-2 mark on the season after a 27-24 win over Rhode Island in the Wildcats' CAA and home opener last week.

- Kicker Jason Hughes nailed a 29-yard field goal as time expired to lift New Hampshire to victory over the Rams.

- The Wildcats' victory snapped a two-game skid with road losses at Holy Cross and FBS Florida International in their first two contests.

- New Hampshire has made 14 FCS Playoff appearances in the last 15 seasons. The Wildcats were picked to finish seventh in the 2019 CAA preseason poll.

- Freshman quarterback Max Brosmer was named CAA Rookie of the Week for a 184-yard, two touchdown showing in the win over Rhode Island.

- Running back Evan Gray is averaging over 11 yards per carry following a seven-rush, 123-yard performance last week against Rhode Island. Preseason All-CAA running back Carlos Washington Jr. has 203 yards with a touchdown, as well.

- Prince Smith Jr. paces the Wildcat defense with 27 tackles while Cameron Brusko has 25 tackles with 3.0 TFL and Pop Bush has 25 tackles, 2.5 TFL and an interception on the year.

- Ricky Santos was named interim head coach in late August after 21st-year head coach Sean McDonnell took an indefinite leave of absence for health-related reasons.


LAST TIME OUT
Duquesne 35, Dayton 31
- Mark Allen's go-ahead one-yard rushing touchdown with 7:13 left in the fourth quarter proved to be enough, as Duquesne held on to defeat host Dayton last Saturday.

- The Dukes have now won four straight over the Flyers after the back-and-forth affair last week.

- 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.

- Daniel Parr completed 18-of-22 passes for 187 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He added a three-yard rushing touchdown, as well.

- 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, his first since the 2017 campaign.

- 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-contested 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. his first since the 2017 campaign.


ALLEN NAMED NEC CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
- After tallying 201 yards from scrimmage with a pair of touchdowns in Duquesne's 35-31 victory at Dayton on Saturday, running back Mark Allen garnered NEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors, conference officials announced on Monday.

- Allen tallied a career-high 168 yards on the ground with two touchdowns, including the game-winning score on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.

- His previous career high was 62 yards set while with the Nittany Lions against Kent State in 2018 and again last week at Youngstown State. Saturday's contest marked his first career game with multiple touchdowns.

- In addition, Duquesne defensive back Reid Harrison-Ducros was named an NEC Prime Performer after registering his first career interception Harrison-Ducros added six tackles (four solo) with a tackle for loss in the win.


QUICK HITS
- The Dukes are 7-12 all-time against CAA teams including 2-3 while the teams were currently members of the conference.

- Duquesne's last two meetings with CAA teams came in the FCS Playoffs: the Dukes' first-ever FCS Playoff victory last season with a 31-10 win at Towson as well as a 52-49 shootout in the first round of the 2015 FCS Playoffs.

- Duquesne ranks sixth in the country in total defense (264.3 ypg) and 10th in passing yards allowed (151.3 ypg).

- Daniel Parr was extremely efficient for the Dukes in the 35-31 triumph at Dayton, completing 18-of-22 (81.8 pct.) pass attempts with two touchdowns and no picks. This completion percentage ranks third in a single game in program history.

- Both Kellon Taylor and Kareem Coles Jr. hauled in touchdown receptions in the win at Dayton, representing each of their first touchdown grabs of the season. In fact, it was Coles Jr.'s first touchdown catch since Sept. 30, 2017 when he tallied a pair of touchdown receptions from quarterback Tommy Stuart. Coles Jr. was tied for the team lead for receiving touchdowns with Nehari Crawford following that game, but missed the rest of the season due to injury. Crawford went on to lead the FCS in touchdown receptions.

- Head coach Jerry Schmitt returns for his 15th season at the helm of the DU program and 20th overall as a head coach. He has tallied 94 wins at Duquesne, just three victories away from tying Greg Gattuso, the school's all-time winningest coach. Schmitt served as offensive coordinator under Gattuso for seven seasons, helping the Dukes post a record of 53-21 before accepting the head coaching position at his alma mater Westminster in March of 2000.

- Duquesne looks to carry the momentum from the historic 2018 season into the 2019 campaign.

- After dropping the NEC opener against Bryant, the Dukes rattled off five straight conference wins en route to their fifth league crown and second bid to the FCS Playoffs. DU then went on to capture its first FCS Playoff victory in program history with a 31-10 win at No. 16 Towson.

- The Dukes return five starters on each side of the ball in addition to nine other players who made starts for the 2018 team as well as kicker/punter Mitch MacZura.

- Duquesne finished the 2018 season ranked in both the STATS FCS Top 25 (21st) and the AFCA FCS Coaches' Poll (24). In fact, it was the Dukes' first appearance in either poll. DU received votes in both preseason polls to begin the 2019 season.

- The Dukes have enjoyed a great deal of success in NEC play, claiming five conference titles since 2011. Duquesne won a share of the league crown in 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2018 while capturing the outright title in 2015, earning the NEC's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs along with last year.

- The Dukes are 19-5 in NEC action since the beginning of the 2015 campaign, including a 10-2 mark at Rooney Field. - DU has recorded 61 wins since 2011, at least eight more victories than any other NEC team. In addition, the Dukes' 35 conference wins in that time span are the most in the league.

- All-American running back A.J. Hines returns for his senior season with 3,989 career rushing yards and 40 career rushing touchdowns, pacing all active FCS players in both categories. Hines, the reigning NEC Offensive Player of the Year, posted a school-record six-straight 100-yard rushing performances last season.

- Quarterback Daniel Parr is back under center for the Dukes after completing 188-of-311 pass attempts for 2,447 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior in 2018. The FAU transfer also rushed for seven scores, a program record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.

- The Dukes will look to replace four starters on the offensive line, including a pair of all-conference selections in Matt Fitzpatrick and Alex Conley, who each started 35 consecutive games for Duquesne. Nick Jordan also graduated after starting all 13 games at right tackle last season while Colin Wittig started seven contests in 2018. Gabe Spurlock, who has 19 straight starts returns along with Lyle Petrosky who started six games last year. Tight ends Bill O'Malley and Jake Dixon return for DU, as well.

- Replicating the production of DU all-time leading receiver Nehari Crawford will be no small task, as the Florida native capped his second-straight 1,000-yard season as a senior in 2018. The Dukes return veterans Kellon Taylor and Kareem Coles Jr. who finished second and third, respectively, in receiving yards last season. Taylor and sophomore wideout Aidan Cain each tallied a pair of receiving touchdowns, as well.

- On the defensive side, the Dukes return a veteran core up front led by all-conference performer Kam Carter. The 6-4, 295-pound senior finished with 22 tackles (seven solo) including 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks last season. Defensive ends Mike O'Malley (32 tackles, 8.5 TFL) and Chris Favoroso (31 tackles, 4.0 TFL) are also back for the Dukes.

- The anchor of the DU defense is linebacker Brett Zanotto, who earned All-NEC honors as a junior after tallying a team-high 89 tackles (54 solo) with six tackles for loss. After transferring from Maryland following his freshman season where he led all first-year players with 23 tackles, he started all 24 games in his two-year Duquesne career with 148 total tackles.

- Fellow linebacker Tom Jurkovec also returns after making four starts in 2018, recording 32 tackles (19 solo) for the Dukes.

- In the defensive backfield, second-leading tackler Spencer DeMedal returns after registering 61 tackles (44 solo) with six pass breakups and an interception along with cornerback Reid Harrison-Ducros, who started nine games, including the last four. He finished with 31 tackles (25 solo) in addition to five pass breakups on the year. Harvey Clayton Jr. earned NEC Player of the Week honors for his standout performance in a win at Saint Francis U, closing out the season with 30 tackles (20 solo) with a pair of pass breakups and a pick.

- All-NEC punter and kicker Mitch MacZura is back in 2019 after tallying a school single-season record with 2,439 punting yards in 2018. He also tied a single-season record with 44 PATs while connecting on 9-of-10 field goal attempts. Jacob Gill handled kickoff duties in 2018, averaging 51.1 yards per kick with nine touchbacks.

- Defensive back Jassir Jordan led the Dukes with 324 kickoff return yards including a 76-yard return to set up a touchdown against Sacred Heart and a 69-yard return to set up a score at FBS Hawaii. Jordan added a pair of starts at corner, as well.


NEXT UP 
- Duquesne begins its seven-game NEC slate next Saturday, Oct. 5 at home hosting league football newcomer LIU at noon at Arthur J. Rooney Field. For ticket information, please call 412-232-DUKE (3853) or visit www.GoDuquesne.com/tickets.