PITTSBURGH - Joe Mischler threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns,
Cyrus Holder recorded 211 receiving yards with a pair of touchdowns and
Garrett Owens added 104 rushing yards and two scores to lead Duquesne to a 35-17 victory over LIU on Sunday at Arthur J. Rooney Field.
The Dukes improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2002 with the win while the Sharks dropped to 1-2 on the year. With the win, the Dukes have clinched a spot in the 2020 Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship game in April. The winner of that game earns the league's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.
Duquesne overcame an early 7-0 deficit when LIU quarterback Conor Regan kept it himself on a two-yard rush following a pair of three-and-outs by the Dukes. It marked the first time Duquesne had trailed this season.
The Dukes would answer on the third play of their next drive, when Mischler found Holder for a 75-yard touchdown strike, knotting the score at 7-7 late in the opening quarter.
In the second stanza, Mischler connected with Holder again on a long touchdown pass, this time for 60 yards to put Duquesne ahead 14-7.
After the Dukes forced the Sharks to punt, LIU linebacker Ricco Aaron, Jr. deflected a Mischler pass over the middle, when
Abdul Janneh snagged the tipped ball and took it into the end zone for his first career touchdown. Janneh's 15-yard scoring reception gave Duquesne a 21-7 advantage heading into the locker room.
The Sharks countered on their first drive of the second half with a Regan touchdown pass to Derick Eugene, but the Dukes would answer right away when Owens scampered for a four-yard touchdown rush, pushing Duquesne's edge to 28-14.
LIU minimized the deficit to 28-17 in the final seconds of the third quarter when Justin Hertlein's 25-yard field goal attempt sailed through the uprights.
With the Sharks driving into Dukes territory in the fourth quarter,
Leandro DeBrito recorded his first interception of the season, giving Duquesne possession at its own 14-yard line.
The Dukes then used a 10-play, 86-yard drive capped by Owens' second rushing touchdown of the day to seal the 35-17 conference victory.
Mischler finished an efficient 21-of-27 for 385 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.
Holder's 211 receiving yards represented a career high while his seven receptions matched a career best.
Davie Henderson finished with seven receptions for the second consecutive week for a career-high 90 yards. Janneh had three catches for 30 yards and the touchdown while
Joey Isabella posted a pair of receptions for 39 yards for Duquesne.
Owens ran 23 times for 104 yards and a pair of touchdowns for his second 100-yard rushing performance in his first three games on The Bluff. The graduate transfer added a reception for 13 yards as well as a kick return for 21 yards, totaling 139 all-purpose yards on the day.
DeBrito paced the Dukes' defense in tackling for the third-straight game this season with 10 tackles (eight solo) to go with his second career interception.
Spencer DeMedal racked up eight stops (five solo) for Duquesne.
Duquesne finished with 509 total yards, marking the Dukes' first 500-yard performance since tallying 513 yards in a 48-24 win over Robert Morris on Oct. 13, 2018. The Sharks recorded 402 yards on the day.
The Dukes were 7-of-10 on third down while LIU converted just 3-of-10 third down tries.
Jonathan DeBique returned to the Sharks' lineup after missing last week's game against Sacred Heart, rushing for 123 yards on 20 carries.
Regan finished 11-of-19 for 115 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Aaron, Jr. led the LIU defense with 10 tackles on the day including a tackle for loss.
GAME NOTES
Mischler's 385 yards were the seventh-most in a single game in program history and the most ever by a Duquesne quarterback in an NEC contest. The 385 yards were the most for the Dukes since Dillon Buechel threw for 394 yards in a win at Jacksonville on Oct. 1, 2016.
Holder's 211 receiving yards are the eighth-most in a single game in program history and the most ever by a Duquesne receiver in an NEC game. His 211 receiving yards were the most by a Duquesne player since Nehari Crawford registered 223 receiving yards against Dayton on Sept. 15, 2018.
Holder eclipsed his career high of 132 receiving yards set while at Saint Francis U against Albany in 2018. He matched a career best with seven receptions and two touchdown catches, set against Duquesne in 2018. Sunday marked his fourth career 100-yard receiving game.
Holder's 75-yard touchdown reception was Duquesne's longest scoring play since Nehari's Crawford's 80-yard touchdown reception from Daniel Parr vs. Dayton on Sept. 15, 2018. It was also the Dukes' longest scoring play in NEC action since Connor Dixon caught an 87-yard pass from Sean Patterson in a 41-14 win over Saint Francis U on Sept. 24, 2011.
Owens rushed for 100 yards for the second time in three games as a Duke. Sunday's showing represented Owens' 13th career 100-yard rushing performance. He tallied multiple rushing touchdowns for the second-straight week and 11th time in his career.
Henderson bested his previous career high of 81 receiving yards set at New Hampshire in 2019 with 90 receiving yards on Sunday. He matched his career best with seven receptions set last week at Wagner.
Duquesne has now started 3-0 in NEC play for the third time since joining the conference in 2008. The Dukes started 4-0 in both 2017 and '19
NEXT UP
Duquesne closes the spring regular season next Sunday, March 28 at Bryant. Kickoff is slated for noon ET from Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, R.I. The game will air live on ESPN3.
The Bulldogs sit at 2-1 on the season following a 27-7 win over Wagner on Sunday.
Gallery: (3-21-2021) @DuqFB 35, LIU 17
