PITTSBURGH – The Duquesne University football team used a 24-point second half to surge past visiting Mercyhurst, 31-24, on Saturday at Rooney Field for its sixth straight win.
The Dukes trailed 10-7 at the half, but took their first lead of the day on the first play out of the locker room as
Darius Perrantes connected with
Joey Isabella for a 64-yard touchdown to go up 14-10. Mercyhurst responded on the next drive with a touchdown, but a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns by
JaMario Clements, including an 86-yard house call one play after a
Ty Howard interception in the red zone, secured the victory.
With the win, Duquesne (6-2) has clinched a .500 or better record for the 29th time in 32 seasons at the FCS level and a winning home record for the 15th straight year (28th time in 32 seasons at Rooney Field).
Clements finished with 177 yards for his fourth game of the season over the century mark and recorded his first two-touchdown game of his career. Perrantes totaled 247 yards passing and threw two touchdowns, his fifth straight game with 2+ TD passes.
Isabella's 124 yards on four receptions were a career high as he made it five consecutive games with a touchdown and at least four catches, 111 of the 124 came on his two third-quarter catches and 65 yards came after catch.
Tedy Afful put DU on the board with a touchdown near the midway point in the second quarter.
John Erby set up the first Clements touchdown with a 42-yard grab and ended with 72 yards on four catches.
CJ Barnes racked up a career-high 13 tackles to pace a defense that had nine tackles-for-loss and four sacks while holding the Lakers to 52 rushing yards in the game.
Donovan Stanley led the way behind the line with 2.0 TFLs, while
Jack Dunkley posted a career-high 1.5 sacks.
Adrian Ramirez and
TJ Jones added their first career solo sacks and
Khatavian Franks teamed up with Dunkley for a half. Eight different Dukes had a TFL. Howard's interception was his second of the season and third game in a row he has been in on a takeaway.
NOTES
- This game did not count toward the Northeast Conference standings, as the Lakers are not playing a full NEC schedule in their first season at the FCS level.
- Duquesne's six straight wins matches the 2018 win streak into the second round of the FCS playoffs.
- Was first game versus Mercyhurst since 1993 ... Snapped seven-game losing streak to Lakers (which was from 1984-93).
- Darius Perrantes had his 19th career multi-touchdown game and is now just two back of fourth all-time at Duquesne with 61 in his Red and Blue career.
- JaMario Clements' 86 yard touchdown run ties for the longest rush in recorded program history.
- Brian Bruzdewicz added a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter and was 4-for-4 on PATs - now 12 shy of the program record.
- The Dukes outgained Mercyhurst 217-52 on the ground.
- Duquesne offensive line did not allow a sack for the fourth straight game.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
Head Coach
Jerry Schmitt
Ty Howard,
JaMario Clements,
Joey Isabella
UP NEXT
The Dukes host fellow NEC unbeaten, Robert Morris, in a renewed rivalry for the first time since 2019 next Saturday (Nov. 9) at Rooney Field.
TICKETS.
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Facebook (@DuqFB).
