PITTSBURGH -- The Duquesne University football team returns from a bye week and takes a four-game win streak on the road to Stonehill this Saturday in Northeast Conference action.
GAMEDAY INFOÂ
October 26, 2024 | 1:00 PM | Easton, MAÂ (W.B. Mason Stadium)
(RV) Duquesne Dukes (4-2, 2-0 NEC)Â
Stonehill Skyhawks (1-5, 0-2 NEC)
LINKS
OPENING KICKOFF
- Duquesne is unbeaten in FCS play (3-0) and off to a 2-0 start in Northeast Conference (NEC) play for the fifth time in the last six seasons ... DU used a dominant defensive effort to
down Saint Francis on the road, 38-7, last time out, opened conference play with a
47-21 win over LIU behind a strong, 26-0 start and six Perrantes touchdowns, and
defeated No. 21/20 Youngstown State in Week 3 for DU's second win over a ranked opponent in program history
- The Dukes are receiving votes in both national polls for the sixth consecutive week and are the highest ranked receiving votes team in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
- Duquesne has won four games in a row since the Week 3 triumph at No. 21/20 Youngstown State, including a
home-opening shutout of West Virginia Wesleyan (35-0) and both NEC victories ... The Dukes have had a winning streak of at least four games in nine of the last 10 seasons (every year since 2014 except 2022) ... The last time DU won five straight games was a six-game win streak that went into the the second round of the 2018 FCS Playoffs.
- Stonehill (1-5, 0-2 NEC) has lost three in a row entering the matchup, including a pair of conference contests (28-7 vs. Wagner and 31-7 at LIU) ... The Skyhawks are 1-1 at home with a win vs. Sacred Heart (35-21) and the Wagner loss ... Stonehill celebrates Homecoming this weekend, hosting the Dukes ... The Skyhawks' 15.5 points per game are the second-fewest in the NEC and 35.0 points allowed are the most in the conference ... In NEC play, Stonehill has the top passing defense (121.5 yards per game) but has surrendered a league-high 307.5 rushing yards per game.
- Duquesne running back
JaMario Clements leads the NEC averaging 96.7 rushing yards per game (580 total) and 6.8 yards per rush, which is also 11th in the FCS.
- Duquesne won its sixth NEC title last season with a 6-1 conference mark and made its third appearance in the FCS playoffs ... The only loss was vs. Stonehill (33-28).
THE SERIES
- The Dukes will look for their first win over Stonehill in program history, as the Skyhawks moved to Division I and joined the NEC for the 2022 season and have won
both all-time matchups ... Stonehill is the only NEC opponent that Duquesne has never defeated.
- With three lead changes in the second half, including two in the final three minutes, Stonehill held on to spoil DU's 2023 home finale and its first chance at the outright conference crown - which was won the next game at Merrimack ... The Skyhawks ran in a 21-yard touchdown with 50 seconds left and then stood strong on the defensive end to secure the win ... Stonehill got out to a 17-0 lead less than halfway into the first quarter, but Duquesne was able to quickly claw back into it and led 21-20 at the half.
- Both meetings have been one-possession games decided by four (2022) and five (2023) points.
- Duquesne led 20-17 after three quarters in 2022 and 28-27 with 2:45 left in the game in 2023.Â
DOMINATING CONFERENCE START
- Duquesne is off to a 2-0 start in NEC play for the fifth time in the past six seasons ... DU outscored LIU and Saint Francis by a total of 85-28 in the two wins ... In both games the Dukes jumped ahead early with a 26-0 lead in the second quarter vs. LIU and a 17-0 halftime advantage at Saint Francis.
TRENDS TO NOTE
- Over the past two seasons (2023 and '24), Duquesne is 8-0 when scoring more than 30 points, 10-0 when holding opponents under 30 points and 9-0 when leading after the first quarter.
RUN GAME IS ROLLING
- Redshirt junior running back
JaMario Clements is averaging an NEC-best 96.7 yards per game (85 carries - 580 yd - 3 td) and his 6.8 yards per rush ranks 11th in the FCS ... Clements' career-high 204 yards in win at YSU is the only 200-yard game by an NEC back this season and one of 11 in the FCS ... Clements charted two 70+ yard runs in the career day, his 75-yard TD run is the second-longest in the NEC this season.
- In three FCS games this season, Duquesne has outgained opponents 562-347 on the ground.
SPREADING THE WEALTHÂ Â
- Six different players have caught touchdown passes for the Dukes, paced by
Joey Isabella and
Tedy Afful with four - which is tied for fourth-most in the NEC ... Steven Mahar, Jr. made it six with his first career TD grab at SFU.
- Duquesne is the only team in the NEC with more than two players that have multiple TD catches (Afful - 4, Isabella - 4, Johnson - 2).
DEFENSIVE STANDOUTSÂ Â
- The Dukes defense has recorded five interceptions over the last four games, all by different players (
Antonio Epps at YSU,
Luke Miller &
CJ Barnes vs. WVWC,
Nell Davis vs. LIU, and
Ty Howard's pick-six at SFU) ... All five have led to DU touchdowns, with Howard taking his back all the way for a 40-yard pick six last time out.
- Sophomore
Jack Dunkley's 0.5 sacks per game average is tied for seventh in the NEC and 0.75 TFLs per game is 10th ... As a team, DU totaled a season-high four sacks at Saint Francis ... 10 different players have at least half a sack.
- Redshirt freshman and Purdue transfer
Ethon Cole is tied for sixth in the NEC with a team-leading four pass breakups and is one of five NEC defenders with multiple forced fumbles (2).
-
Malichi Lowery's 40-yard fumble return for touchdown was the longest in the NEC this season and Howard's 40-yard pick six was the second-longest interception return.
THIRD-DOWN LEADERS
- Duquesne did not allow a third-down conversion at Saint Francis (0-for-13) and now ranks 19th in the FCS holding opponents to an NEC-best 32.4% on third down conversions.
- The DU offense is converting third downs at the top rate in the league (40%).
PROTECTING THE POCKET
- Despite battling injuries, the Dukes offensive line has allowed just five sacks, including zero in conference play ... 0.83 sacks allowed is 7th in the FCS and second in the NEC behind CCSU (4 allowed) ... Duquesne is also first in the NEC and 13th in the FCS in fewest TFLs allowed (3.83/game).
RULING THE RED ZONE
- Duquesne scores an NEC-leading 85.7% of the time in the red zone (18-for-21 with 16 touchdowns) and after holding SFU to 1-for-3 scoring in the red zone, DU's defense is second in the league with an opponent red zone percentage of 71.4% ... Â The Dukes are the only NEC offense to not have a turnover in the red zone this year.
4TH AND DOESN'T MATTER
- The Dukes are 9-for-10 on 4th down conversions this season (2-2 at TOL, 0-1 at YSU, 4-4 vs. WVWC, 2-for-2 vs. LIU, 1-for-1 at SFU) ... The 90% conversion rate on 4th down ranks third in the FCS.
THAT'S OUR COACH
- Under reigning NEC Coach of the Year,
Jerry Schmitt's leadership, Duquesne has claimed nine conference championships (3 in the MAAC and 6 in the NEC) and earned three bids to the NCAA FCS Playoffs (2015, '18 and '23) ... Schmitt boasts a 124-85 record in his 20th season at Duquesne and is 152-106 in his 25th-year as a head coach (Westminster 2000-'04) ... Schmitt's 124 wins at the FCS level rank sixth among active coaches ... He is one of eight active FCS coaches to win 150 or more career games.
- With this season (#20), Schmitt will pass Dan McCann for the longest tenured coach in program history ... Schmitt is the longest tenured coach in the NEC ... He ranks third among active FCS coaches for longest tenured (20 seasons) at their current school and is tied third for overall seasons as a head coach (25).
RECORD BOOK UPDATES
- Senior quarterback
Darius Perrantes is fifth all-time at Duquesne in career touchdown passes, he passed Dave Loya, after the LIU win and is now up to 54 in the Red and Blue ... Perrantes' six touchdowns responsible for vs. LIU tied a single-game program and NEC record and his five touchdown passes tied a Rooney Field record ... His 5,242 career passing yards rank sixth all-time at DU - 938 behind Dave Loya's 6,180.
-
Brian Bruzdewicz became the fourth kicker in program history to record 100 PATs in the win at Youngstown State ... Is third all-time in career PATs (112) - Mark Troyan (2005-08) is second with 116 ... Third all-time at Duquesne in career points by a kicker (211) - Mark Troyan (2005-08) is second with 233 ... Third all-time at Duquesne in career field goals (33) - Mark Troyan (2005-08) is second with 39.
WINNING TRADITION
- Duquesne won its sixth NEC title and made the program's third appearance in the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 2023 ... DU has won a conference title 17 times (11 MAAC and 6 NEC) since 1995 (29 seasons) and has posted a .500 or better record in 28 of the 31 seasons played at the FCS level.
- Duquesne's six NEC titles, all since 2011, are the most in the last 13 seasons and are tied with Albany, Central Connecticut State, Robert Morris and Sacred Heart for the most in conference history ... Duquesne, CCSU and Robert Morris are the only active teams in the conference.
- DU leads the NEC with 91 overall and 59 conference wins since 2011, at least 23 more overall victories and 16 more NEC wins than any other active team in the league.
MORE ON THE DUKES
- A full preview of Duquesne is available in the game notes packet,Â
here ... View notes, interviews, local features and more from the entire season in the
Media Center.
THIS WEEK ON THE JERRY SCHMITT COACH'S SHOW
- The newest episode of theÂ
Jerry Schmitt Coach's Show airs on SportsNet Pittsburgh on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ... Defensive back and team captain
Antonio Epps is this week's player guest ... VisitÂ
sportsnetpittsburgh.com for more viewing information, or
click here.
UP NEXT
- Duquesne begins a three-game homestand with a matchup against the NEC's newest member, Mercyhurst, on Saturday, Nov. 2. Kick off is scheduled for noon for all three remaining games at Rooney Field.
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