PITTSBURGH – The No. 19 Duquesne University football team travels to Central Connecticut State this Saturday, with an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA FCS Playoffs on the line.
GAMEDAY INFO
November 23, 2024 | 12:00 PM | Arute Field (New Britain, Conn.)
(No. 19) Duquesne Dukes (8-2, 5-0 NEC)
Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (6-5, 4-1 NEC)
LINKS
OPENING KICKOFF
- Duquesne secured at least a share of the 2024 Northeast Conference title for a conference record seventh time in program history with
last week's win over Wagner and will now look to close out a perfect FCS regular season by securing back-to-back trips to the FCS playoffs ... The winner of this game will claim the league's automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA FCS Playoffs.
- This is the second straight year the Dukes are playing a winner-take-all game for the NEC automatic bid on the road in the final week of the regular season, last year DU
downed Merrimack, 26-14, to win the outright NEC title and bid to the FCS playoffs.
- Duquesne
moved up in the national rankings to No. 19 in the Stats Perform Poll and the AFCA Coaches Poll ... It is the third straight week DU is in the top 25 after receiving votes for seven consecutive weeks prior ... The No. 19 ranking is the highest for the Dukes as a member of the NEC and the best for any NEC team since 2019.
- The Dukes are one of three remaining unbeaten teams in FCS play this season (Montana State and North Dakota State) ... DU owns a 7-0 record versus FCS opponents this season, including a ranked win at then No. 21/20 Youngstown State in Week 3.
- Duquesne owns an eight-game win streak, the longest since 2002 ... The Dukes are 5-0 in NEC play for the second straight year and will vie for its first-ever undefeated fall NEC slate (joined league in 2008 - was 4-0 in abbreviated Spring 2021) ... With a win, Duquesne would be the 11th undefeated NEC team in the regular season in 29 years of NEC football and second program to earn the automatic bid in back-to-back seasons since it was instated in 2010 (Sacred Heart - spring 2021 and fall 2021).
- Last time out,
Darius Perrantes tied a program record and set a new Rooney Field record with six touchdown passes to lead the Dukes to a 42-21 win over Wagner to finish 5-0 at home ... Duquesne used a 21-point second quarter to take control and led by double-digits the entire second half ... Perrantes earned his third
NEC Offensive Player of the Week of the season and seventh of his career, while
Tedy Afful (10 rec. - 208 yd - 1 td),
Joey Isabella (2 td) and
John Erby (2 td) were all named NEC Prime Performers.
Central Connecticut State rallied from 14 down in the fourth quarter last week to defeat Robert Morris in double overtime and set up this winner-take-all matchup for the league's auto bid ... The Blue Devils, who are 4-0 at home this season, bolster one of the top defenses in the NEC with an FCS-best 15 fumble recoveries, while ranking fourth nationally in sacks per game (3.18), eighth in defensive touchdowns (3) and ninth in tackles for loss per game (7.3) ... CCSU recovered two fumbles and took one back for a touchdown in the second half last week vs. RMU ... CCSU has won three in a row and four of their five losses have been by four points or less ... The only conference loss was 24-21 at LIU, while defeating Saint Francis (27-20), Wagner (24-14), Stonehill (21-17) and Robert Morris (35-33 in 2OT).
- Duquesne is outscoring NEC opponents by an average of 23.4 points per game with a league-best 41.2 points scored per game and 17.8 points allowed per game in conference play ... CCSU is averaging 25.6 points scored and 21.6 points allowed in NEC action.
THE SERIES
- Duquesne leads 9-7 all time and is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings with Central Connecticut State, including a current three-game win streak ... The series is no stranger to late-season championship implications.
- The Dukes have won the last four matchups in New Britain, including a 38-31 win that had the same implications in 2018 ... Nehari Crawford caught a 56-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Parr to take the lead with 24 seconds remaining for the win and automatic bid ... Duquesne went on to beat No. 16 Towson (31-10) in the first round of the FCS playoffs, the only playoff win to date in program history.
- The 2017 matchup in Pittsburgh also had championship and auto bid implications ... CCSU won 28-27 scoring 14 unanswered points in the final six minutes.
- The 2013 and 2016 wins for Duquesne secured a share of the NEC crown.
AIR TIME
-
John Erby's one-handed touchdown catch against Wagner earned the No. 3 spot on
ESPN's Top 10 plays and College Football Final, where QB
Darius Perrantes also received a "Helmet Sticker" for his six-touchdown performance.
STREAK SPOTLIGHT
- QB
Darius Perrantes multiple touchdown passes in seven straight games.
- WR
Joey Isabella touchdown catch in seven straight games - the longest active streak in the FCS ... Multiple catches in eight straight and 60+yards in six consecutive outings.
- WR
John Erby back-to-back and three of last four games with multiple TD catches ... 4+ catches and 60+ yards in four straight.
- LB
Ty Howard 5+ tackles in four straight ... Back-to-back games with a sack.
- DL
Jack Dunkley tackle for loss in five straight.
- DB
CJ Barnes only Duke to have multiple solo tackles in every game.
GIVE US THAT
- Duquesne has posted a takeaway in nine straight games.
-
Ty Howard had a four-game streak of takeaways (interception in red zone vs. RMU and Mercyhurst, fumble recovery - forced by
Luke Miller - at Stonehill and 40yd pick-six at Saint Francis).
- Five different players have interceptions;
Ty Howard leads with three - which is second in the NEC ... Others include
Antonio Epps at YSU, Miller &
CJ Barnes vs. WVWC and
Nell Davis vs. LIU ... Howard is one of three NEC defenders with multiple interceptions in league play.
-
Jack Dunkley punched out the fumble last week recovered by
Jaelen Carson to extend the takeaway streak ... Dunkley also had a strip sack at Boston College (recovered by
Kevin Kurzinger), Malichi Lowery forced, scooped and scored at Saint Francis and
Justin Harris jumped on a muffed punt also at SFU.
SACK DUNKLEY AT WORK
- Sophomore
Jack Dunkley leads the conference with 11.5 tackles for loss and is tied with CCSU's Jalen Howard for the league lead with 8.5 ... Dunkley's sacks per game (0.85) ranks 10th in the FCS ... He also owns the NEC lead with three forced fumbles.
DARIUS DELIVERING
- Quarterback
Darius Perrantes leads the NEC with 286.6 passing yards per game and 22 touchdown passes in conference play.
- Overall, Perrantes has thrown for 2,042 yards and 27 touchdowns, ranking first in the NEC in passing efficiency (155.0) and yards per completion (13.7).
- His 27 touchdown passes are tied for fifth in the FCS, while he also nationally ranks: third in points responsible for per game (18.7), 12th in yards per completion and 15th in pass efficiency.
- Perrantes' six touchdown passes last week vs. Wagner tied for the most by an FCS quarterback in a game this season ... He is the only FCS QB to record three games with five or more touchdown passes in 2024.
CLEMENTS IN COMMAND
-
JaMario Clements, a redshirt junior running back, leads the NEC in rushing yards (968), yards per game (96.8), yards per carry (6.8) and is tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns (6) heading into the final week of the regular season ... Nationally, he ranks seventh in the FCS in yards per carry.
- Clements posted a career-high 204 rushing yards in the win at YSU and has surpassed 100 yards five times this season, including a streak of three consecutive games before the last outing.
- He owns the only 200-yard rushing game by an NEC player this year and has recorded three of the five longest runs in the league this season: 86-yard touchdown vs. Mercyhurst, 75-yard touchdown at YSU and 72-yard rush at YSU.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
- Seven different players have caught touchdown passes for the Dukes and five have multiple scores (
Joey Isabella - 9,
John Erby - 8,
Tedy Afful - 6,
Jermaine Johnson - 3,
Steven Mahar Jr. - 2).
- Isabella owns the longest active FCS streak with a touchdown in seven straight games and is second in the NEC with nine total TDs (seven in NEC play) ... He averages 16.4 yards per catch, third in the league.
- Erby leads the NEC with all eight of his touchdown catches coming in conference play and ranks third overall ... His team-high 615 yards are fifth in the NEC.
- Afful (415), Isabella (398), and Erby (343) rank first, second, and fifth in NEC receiving yards during league play.
- Afful recorded a career-high 208 yards last week, the highest by an NEC receiver this year and by a Duke in four seasons ... He is one of 11 FCS players with a 200-yard game in 2024..
TRENDS TO NOTE
- Over the past two seasons (2023 and '24), Duquesne is 12-0 when scoring more than 30 points, 13-0 when holding opponents under 30 points and 11-0 when leading after the first quarter.
PROTECTING THE POCKET
- The Duquesne offensive line ranks third in the FCS allowing just 0.60 sacks per game and has allowed just one in the five NEC games ... Last week was the fifth game of the season DU did not allow a sack.
- The Dukes are also is eighth in the FCS and lead the conference in tackles for loss allowed (3.6 per game).
CONVERSION KINGS
- Duquesne is No. 1 in the FCS on fourth down conversions (89.5% - 17-for-19).
- DU converted a season-high five fourth downs last week in six tries and has at lease one in eight of the 10 games.
- The Dukes are 9-for-9 when going for fourth down in the second half this season.
- The Dukes lead the NEC on third downs at 44% and 54% in conference play ... DU's defense is holding NEC opponents to league-low 17.6% conversions on third down (10-for-57).
- In NEC play, Duquesne is averaging a league-best 22.6 first downs per game and allowing the second-fewest at 14.6.
RULING THE RED ZONE
- The Dukes are leading the NEC with an 85% scoring rate in the red zone with 27 touchdowns and six field goals (33 scores) in 39 trips.
- DU defense also ranks second in the NEC in holding opponents to 73% in the red zone, while forcing five turnovers (three INTS - two by Howard vs. Mercyhurst and RMU and one by Epps at Youngstown State - as well as two turnovers on downs).
- In conference play, DU is 20-for-22 scoring in the red zone with 16 touchdowns, while opponents are 7-for-11 - all touchdowns.
OFFENSE MEETS DEFENSE
- With three points vs. CCSU, the Dukes will secure the highest-scoring points per game average in NEC play since joining the league in 2008 ... DU enters the game averaging a league-best 41.2 points per game in NEC play.
- If Duquesne allows 16 or fewer points vs. CCSU, the Dukes will have held conference opponents to the fewest points per game in a season since joining the NEC ... DU enters the game allowing just 17.8 points per game in NEC action - second best in the NEC.
STARTING FAST
- Duquesne has jumped out to double-digit first-half leads in all five NEC games this season, including a 26-0 second-quarter advantage vs. LIU, 17-0 at halftime against Saint Francis, 21-0 starts at both Stonehill and Robert Morris, and a 21-7 halftime lead last week vs. Wagner.
TEAM TIDBITS
- During the eight-game win streak, DU has outgained opponents seven times on the ground and has averaged 179.9 rushing yards per game while allowing 91.3 ... DU has held opponents to 77 or less rushing yards four times.
- The Dukes have totaled over 400 yards of offense in three of the last four games and five times total, while averaging a league-best 441.6 yards per game in conference play.
- As a team, DU has posted 15 sacks in conference play - the second-most behind CCSU's 20 - and had a season-high seven vs. RMU ... 12 different players have at least half a sack.
IN THE RECORD BOOK
QB
Darius Perrantes
- Three touchdown passes away from setting single-season record at DUQ with 27 ... Niel Loebig (2002) has current record at 29 in 2002.
- 368 yards away from entering the top-10 for most passing yards in a season at DUQ with 2,042.
- Only Duquesne quarterback ever to throw 5 or more touchdowns in three games in a single season.
- Fourth all-time at Duquesne in career touchdown passes (71) ... Tony Zimmerman (1998-00) is third with 73 ... Dillon Buechel (2013-16) is second with 75.
- 456 completions is fourth all-time at Duquesne ... Moved into fourth last week passing Tony Zimmerman's 443 ... Sean Patterson is third with 536 from 2009-12.
- 6,525 career passing yards is fifth at Duquesne ... Moved into fifth passing Dave Loya (1994-97) last week ... 237 behind fourth all-time (Sean Patterson - 6,762 from 2009-12).
P
Kyle Romenick
- Enters with a 43.5 average yards per punt ... The single-season DUQ record is 40.9 set by David Kovalcik in 2007.
DL
Jack Dunkley
- Enters with 8.5 sacks ... Program single-season record is 12.5 by Ryan Tolan in 2004 ... 10.0 would enter top five.
Graduate student PK
Brian Bruzdewicz
- Second in career PATs (132) ... The program PAT record is 134 by Austin Crimmins (2013-16).
- Second all-time at Duquesne in career points by a kicker (243) ... Austin Crimmins is first with 305.
- Third all-time at Duquesne in career field goals (37) - Mark Troyan is second with 39.
MORE ON THE DUKES
- View full game 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 the
Jerry Schmitt Coach's Show airs on SportsNet Pittsburgh on Thursday and Friday at 5:00 p.m. ... Senior wide receiver
Tedy Afful is the player guest ... Visit
sportsnetpittsburgh.com for viewing information or
click here.
FOLLOW THE DUKES
- Follow Duquesne football online all season at
GoDuquesne.com, as well as on
X (Twitter),
Instagram, and
Facebook (@DuqFB).
