PITTSBURGH - The Duquesne University football team kicks off the 2022 season with a Week "Zero" matchup at Florida State. The Dukes, who will open the season for the second year in-a-row at a "Power Five" opponent, are the only Northeast Conference (NEC) team to ever knock off an Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent. Duquesne was winless in four games against FBS opponents heading into that meeting with the Bobcats.

G1 | DUQUESNE at Florida State
DATE: Saturday, Aug. 27
TIME: 5:00 p.m. ET
LOCATION: Tallahassee, Florida - Doak Campbell Stadium
TELEVISION: ACC Network with Drew Carter (pxp), Roddy Jones (analyst) and Lericia Harris (sideline)
RADIO: BIG 104.7 FM HD2 / ESPN 970 AM / iHeart Radio with Alex Panormios (pxp) and Tad Maurey (analyst)

OPENING KICKOFF
- Following its first full spring of team activities since 2019, the five-time Northeast Conference (NEC) champion Duquesne Dukes are ready to return to action this fall. Despite injuries forcing three different quarterbacks into the starting role in 2021, the Dukes still finished in a tie for second in the league standings at 5-2 with a 7-3 overall record.

- The Dukes, led by 18th-year head coach Jerry Schmitt, 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. Duquesne earned the NEC's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs in both 2015 and 2018. 

- The Dukes are 32-10 in NEC action since the beginning of the 2015 season, including a 15-4 ledger at Rooney Field.

- DU has recorded 76 wins since 2011, at least nine more victories than any other NEC team. In addition, the Dukes' 48 conference wins in that time span are the most in the league.

-  Last season the Dukes ranked second in the NEC in scoring, averaging 29.5 points per game. Duquesne scored at least 28 points in all seven of its wins last season. The Dukes were 7-0 on the season when scoring at least 14 points.

THE SERIES
- This will be the first matchup between the Dukes and Florida State all-time. 

THE COACHES
Duquesne: Jerry Schmitt (18th season / 109-71 at DU)  
- Head coach Jerry Schmitt is in his 18th season at the helm of the Duquesne program. He became the Dukes' all-time winningest coach in 2019 with a 30-21 victory over Saint Francis U for his 98th win as Duquesne's head coach. Schmitt passed Greg Gattuso (1993-2004) for the most wins in program history.

- Schmitt posted his 100th win at Duquesne with the Dukes' victory at Wagner during the spring 2021 season. He is one of nine active coaches with 100 FCS wins at their current school.

Florida State: Mike Norvell (3rd season / 8-13 at FSU)  
- Mike Norvell enters his third season as Florida State's head football coach in 2022. Norvell's offenses are averaging 37.7 points per game during his six years as a head coach, which is the third-highest average in the country among head coaches active each year from 2016-22.

- Prior to Florida State, he led Memphis to a 71.7 winning percentage and three straight AAC Championship Games, the first AAC school to appear in three consecutive conference championship games. Norvell is one of 16 head coaches in any conference to appear in three straight conference championship games and one of only eight to make three conference championship game appearances in their first four years as a head coach.

LOOKING BACK AT 2021
- The Dukes were riding a four-game winning-streak, including a 28-26 upset win over FBS Ohio University, when it went on the road and lost at eventual NEC-champion Sacred Heart in late October. After a home loss to Saint Francis U the following week, the Dukes closed the season out with three-straight wins to finish 7-3 overall and tied for second place in the NEC at 5-2 in the league standings.

OFFENSE AT A GLANCE
- Duquesne quarterback Darius Perrantes ranked second in the conference in passing yards per game (180.0), passing touchdowns (17), completions per game (15.44), pass efficiency (136.1) and points responsible for per game (12.7). 

- Perrantes, a Rhode Island transfer, entered the TCU game when First Team All-NEC quarterback Joe Mischler left the contest in the first quarter with an injury. Perrantes earned a pair of NEC Player of the Week honors in his first four starts for Duquesne, including a nod following the Dukes victory over Ohio U. Evan Nelson made his first-career start for Duquesne against Saint Francis when Perrantes was sidelined with an injury.

- Mischler, a Spring 2021 First Team All-NEC selection, also returns for his third season with the Dukes after suffering a season-ending injury in the season-opener at TCU. The Ohio University transfer paced the NEC and ranked 18th in the country at 239.0 passing yards per game in the shortened 2020-21 season. He closed the spring ranked fifth in the FCS in passing efficiency at 159.3. 
 
- In the backfield, the Dukes return Second Team All-NEC selection Billy Lucas. Lucas led the team with 699 yards rushing, 137 carries (5.1 yards/carry), and six touchdown rushes. He posted over 100 yards rushing twice, including a season high with 137 yards at LIU to earn NEC Offensive Player of the Week honors. 

-Samford graduate transfer running back DeMarcus Ware joins the Dukes after rushing for 976 yards over parts of the past four seasons. Notably, Ware toted the ball 26 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns at Western Carolina last year. He was a 2018 SoCon All-Freshman Team selection. 

- Duquesne will need to replace its top-five wide receivers in terms of yards from 2021, including two-time First Team All-NEC wideout Cyrus Holder, who was signed and later waived by the Chicago Bears following the 2022 NFL Draft. Joey Isabella, who posted eight catches for 45 yards and a touchdown in the win at Ohio, was hampered by a lingering injury last season and returns healthy. Ball State transfer Rahmon Hart Jr. also returns after missing last season due to injury, as does Abdul Janneh. The Dukes also added a pair of graduate transfers in Dwayne Menders, Jr. (Marist) and Jalin Cooper (Toledo). Menders led the Red Foxes with 45 receptions for 525 yards and three touchdowns last year, while Cooper is a former three-star recruit who saw limited action with the Rockets the past three seasons. 

- On the offensive line, the Dukes will need to replace both spots on the left side. 2020-21 AFCA Second Team All-American Jake Dixon signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent, while Second Team All-NEC guard Roman Macek elected to forego his final year of eligibility to sign a developmental deal with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Center Michael Dorundo, guard Matt Fest and two-time All-NEC right tackle Vincent Lumia each started all 10 games last season. Returners Michael Fallah and Shawn Jones, as well as transfers Chris Oliver (Bowling Green), Evan Azzara (Miami, Ohio) and Josh Zacher (Shippensburg) are all expected to compete for starting positions.

DEFENSE AT A GLANCE
- On the defensive side, first-year Defensive Coordinator Mike Craig takes over for longtime assistant Dave Opfar, who retired after this past season. Craig, who was the defensive coordinator at Division II-power California (Pa.) for the past six years, served on Schmitt's staff with Opfar from 2010-13, where he coached linebackers for three years and defensive backs for one season.

- The Dukes return all three starters upfront, including two-time All-NEC nose tackle Maxi Hradecny. Also back in the fold are defensive ends A.J. Ackerman and Kevin Kurzinger, who each started all 10 games for the Dukes. Kurzinger led the team with 8.0 TFLs and is one of the leading returning tacklers (38 tackles/22 solo).  Nathan Proctor Jr. also returns on the defensive line. 

- Todd Hill was a Second Team All-NEC performer last season at linebacker. He started all 10 games and is one of the team's leading returning tacklers (38 tackles/21 solo). Anthony Dellovade returns for Duquesne after each of his last two seasons have been cut short due to injury. He appeared in all 11 games as a freshman in 2019.

- Jeremiah Josephs was a Second Team All-NEC performer for the Dukes secondary. He had a season-high nine tackles in the team's upset win over Ohio last season. Tim Lowery also returns after leading the team with six passes defended last year (five break ups/one INT).

SPECIALISTS AT A GLANCE
 - Duquesne boasts one of the deepest kicking units in the FCS, as three different place kickers have converted field goals for the Dukes. Brian Bruzdewicz was a perfect 10-for-10 on field goals, including all four attempts in the team's 28-26 upset win at Ohio. Andrew Smith handles kickoff duties and long field goal tries. He was 6-of-8 on field goal attempts, with both of his misses coming from over 40 yards. 

- Punter Michael Berarducci ranked second in the NEC with an average of 39.2 yards on 30 punts with a long of 59 yards. Joey Corado converted both of his field goal attempts when called upon last season and is capable of handling punting duties for the team as well.

SCOUTING THE SEMINOLES
- Florida State went 5-7 in 2021 and did not appear in a bowl game.

- Quarterback Jordan Travis threw for 1,539 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions while completing 62.9 percent of his passes through 10 games. He was named to the Maxwell Trophy watch list (best college football player).

- Leading wide receiver Ontaria Wilson caught 23 passes for a team-high 382 yards and five touchdowns last season.

- The Seminoles have a pair of Oregon transfers on offense in wide receiver Mycah Pittman and running back Trey Benson.  Pittman posted 38 catches for 547 yards and two touchdowns over three seasons with the Ducks.

- Defensive back Jammie Robinson recorded 84 total tackles, four interceptions and two forced fumbles, all of which were team highs. He was placed on the watch lists for the Jim Thorpe (top defensive back), Bronco Nagurski (best defensive player voted by FWAA) and Chuck Bednarik (best defensive player voted by Maxwell Football Club) awards.

SCHMITT NAMES DUQUESNE TEAM CAPTAINS
- Head Coach Jerry Schmitt named the Dukes' 2022 team captains prior to the season opener at Florida State:

Defensive Back, No. 1 Jeremiah Josephs 
Quarterback, No. 11 Joe Mischler
Linebacker, No. 42 Anthony Dellovade
Offensive Lineman, No. 64 Michael Dorundo

DUKES AGAINST THE FBS
- The Dukes are scheduled to take on two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents in the same season for the fourth time in the last five years. Duquesne took on UMass and Hawaii to start the 2018 season. The Dukes were slated to travel to Air Force and Coastal Carolina in 2020, but the fall season was postponed. Last season DU traveled to both TCU and Ohio.

- Duquesne became the first NEC member to defeat a FBS opponent with their 28-26 victory at Ohio last season. The Dukes were previously 0-4 against FBS foes heading into the matchup in Athens.

- The Dukes are currently slated to face both West Virginia and Coastal Carolina in 2023.

DUKES VERSUS THE ACC
- Duquesne is 2-8 all-time versus current ACC members, with its last meeting being a 53-20 loss to Clemson in 1950. The week prior to that loss, the Dukes defeated Louisville 27-20. Duquesne discontinued football following the 1950 season and returned on the club level prior to the 1969 season.

DUKES IN THE SUNSHINE STATE
- The Dukes will play in the state of Florida for the sixth time in program history and the first time since 2016 when Duquesne defeated Jacksonville 54-35. DU is 3-2 all-time when playing in the Sunshine State.

- Duquesne defeated Miami (Fla.) 33-7 in the Festival of Palms Bowl (a precursor to the Orange Bowl) on New Year's Day, 1934. Then-Duquesne Head Coach Elmer Layden led the 1933 team to a 10-1 record and a No. 8 ranking in the final poll, before accepting the head coaching position at his alma mater Notre Dame the following season.  

- Notably, Duquesne earned a 13-12 victory over Mississippi State in the 1937 Orange Bowl in Miami. Boyd Brumbaugh gave the Dukes a 7-6 lead in the second quarter on his touchdown run, and later threw a 72-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that proved to be the margin of victory as the Bulldogs (then known as the Maroons) missed both of their extra-point attempts.

- Duquesne lost 21-7 in a rematch of the 1934 Festival of the Palms Bowl with the Hurricanes in 1938 and were also defeated at Florida, 27-14, in 1950.

FBS INFLUENCE
- Duquesne has 12 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) transfers on the Dukes' roster heading into the 2022 campaign. 

- This includes: Evan Azzara (Miami (Ohio)), Jalin Cooper (Toledo), Quan Easterling (Wisconsin), Rahmon Hart Jr. (Ball State), Jeremiah Josephs (Miami (Ohio)), Jaden Keating (West Virginia), Rafael McCoy (Old Dominion), Joe Mischler (Ohio), Chris Oliver (Bowling Green), Noah Palmer (Pitt), Nathan Proctor, Jr. (Virginia Tech), and DeMarcus Townsend (FIU).

NEXT UP
- The Dukes will make the short one hour drive up I-76 into Ohio to take on Youngstown State on Saturday, Sept. 3 at Stambaugh Stadium. Kick-off is set for 2 p.m. and the game will broadcast on ESPN+.