PITTSBURGH – The No. 25/24 Duquesne University football team will host Robert Morris in a battle of unbeaten squads in the Northeast Conference on Saturday at Rooney Field, the first matchup between the local schools since 2019.
GAMEDAY INFO
November 9, 2024 | 12:00 PM | Rooney Field (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
(RV) Robert Morris Colonials (6-3, 3-0 NEC)
(No. 25/24) Duquesne Dukes (6-2, 3-0 NEC)
LINKS
OPENING KICKOFF
- For the first time since 2019, the Dukes and Colonials face off on the gridiron in a local rivalry ... Both programs have six Northeast Conference titles, tied for most in NEC history with CCSU as well as former members Albany and Sacred Heart.
- Duquesne
entered both national top 25 polls this week at No. 24 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 25 in the Stats Perform Poll after receiving votes for seven consecutive weeks prior ... It is the first time DU and an NEC team is ranked since the spring 2021 season and first time ranked in both the coaches and media poll since the final 2018 ballots ... RMU is receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
- The Dukes are one of six remaining unbeaten teams in FCS play this season ... DU owns a 5-0 record versus FCS opponents this season, including a ranked win at No. 21/20 Youngstown State in Week 3 ... Unbeaten FCS teams also include Montana State, North Dakota State, Southeast Missouri, Rhode Island and UC Davis.
- Duquesne takes a six game win streak into the contest, the longest for DU since 2018, while RMU has won four straight with back-to-back shutout victories ... The Dukes have the highest scoring offense in the league at 29.6 points per game and have scored 30+ points in each of the last five outings ... Robert Morris allows just 18.1 points per game, which is the top mark in the NEC and 10th-fewest points allowed in the FCS.
-
JaMario Clements was named
NEC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this year after rushing for 177 yards and scoring a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to break a 17-17 tie, propelling DU to a
31-24 win over Mercyhurst ...
Ty Howard was named a Prime Performer for the third straight game with an interception in the red zone two plays before Clements' 86-yard TD run to go up two scores late.
- The winner of this game will take firm control of first place in the
NEC standings and control their own destiny for the league's automatic bid to the NCAA FCS Playoffs ... Duquesne has won all its NEC titles since 2011 and would look to be on a path to its second repeat (2015 & '16) as well as its first-ever back-to-back trip to the FCS Playoffs ... RMU last won the league in 2010 and each of the first five seasons of the conference (1996-2000).
THE SERIES
- Matchup is the first since 2019 ... Sides played for 17 straight seasons from 2003 until the Colonials left the NEC and joined the Big South/OVC in 2020.
- Duquesne leads
all-time 13-8 and 9-2 at Rooney Field ... Prior to RMU's 2019 win, DU was on a six-game win streak.
DOMINATING CONFERENCE START
- Duquesne is off to a 3-0 start in the NEC for the second straight season ... DU is averaging 44.3 points per game in NEC play and outscoring conference foes 133-62 ... In every game the Dukes jumped ahead early with a 26-0 lead in the second quarter vs. LIU, 17-0 halftime advantage at Saint Francis and 21-0 start at Stonehill.
DEFENSIVE DUKES
- Duquesne has posted a takeaway in seven straight games ...
Ty Howard has been in on each of the last three (interception in red zone vs. Mercyhurst, fumble recovery - forced by
Luke Miller - at Stonehill and 40yd pick-six at Saint Francis) ... Five different players have interceptions; Howard leads with two, along with
Antonio Epps at YSU, Miller &
CJ Barnes vs. WVWC,
Nell Davis vs. LIU) ...
Jack Dunkley 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.
- Sophomore
Jack Dunkley is third among NEC defenders this season with five and a half sacks, including a career-high 1.5 last week ... As a team, DU has posted 10 sacks over the last three games and 12 different players have at least half a sack.
- Redshirt freshman and Purdue transfer
Ethon Cole is one of six NEC defenders with multiple forced fumbles (2).
- Howard's 40-yard pick six is the only pick-six by an NEC defender this year ... Two defensive TDs are tied for 15th-most in the FCS.
- A different Duke has led in tackles in six of the eight games ... Howard and Barnes are the only two to repeat.
BALANCED OFFENSIVE ATTACK
- Quarterback
Darius Perrantes is averaging a league-best 269.7 yards with 12 TDs in NEC play ... Overall, Perrantes is atop the conference in passing efficiency (149.0), passing yards per completion (13.13) and is 10th in the FCS in points responsible for (15.4/g).
- Perrantes is one of two FCS quarterbacks (Sam Vidlak - SFA) to throw 5+ touchdown passes in multiple games this season and one of 11 to have a 400+ yard passing game.
- Redshirt junior running back
JaMario Clements enters Week 11 with the NEC lead in rushing touchdowns (6), yards (865), yards per game (108.1) and yards per carry (7.2). Nationally, he is fourth in the FCS in yards per carry, ninth in rushing yards per game and 15th in total rushing yards.
- Clements had a career-high 204 yards in win at YSU and eclipsed 100 yards four times this season ... He owns the only 200-yard game by an NEC back this season and has three of the five longest runs in the league this year (86 yard TD last week, 75 yard TD and 72 yard rush at YSU).
- In five FCS games this season, Duquesne has outgained opponents 922-504 (+418) on the ground ... DU is averaging 428.6 total yards per game.
- Seven different players have caught touchdown passes for the Dukes and four have three or more (
Joey Isabella - 6,
Tedy Afful - 5,
John Erby - 3,
Jermaine Johnson -3) ... Isabella's six rank third in the NEC ... Duquesne is the only team in the NEC with more than two players that have three or more TD catches.
PROTECTING THE POCKET
- The Duquesne offensive line did not allow a sack for the fourth straight game last week and now ranks fifth in the FCS in sacks allowed (0.63/g - 5 total) and tackles for loss allowed (3.13/g).
CONVERSION KINGS
- Duquesne leads the NEC in both third (44.6%) and fourth down (11-12 / 91.7%) conversions ... The third-down mark ranks 20th in the FCS and fourth down is second-best nationally, as DU has converted each of their last nine fourth-down tries.
- The Dukes defense is holding NEC opponents to 12.5% conversions on third down (4-for-32).
- In conference play, Duquesne is averaging a league- best 22.3 first downs and allowing just 14.3 ... Robert Morris is right behind averaging 20.8 offensively and 14.5 on defense.
RULING THE RED ZONE
- The Dukes are leading the NEC with an 83.9% scoring rate in the red zone with 21 touchdowns and five field goals (26 scores) in 31 trips.
- Duquesne turned the ball over just one time when in the red zone, the fewest in the league.
- DU defense ranks second in the league holding opponents to 21-for-28 (75%) in the red zone, while forcing four turnovers (two INTS - Howard vs. Mercyhurst and Epps at Youngstown State - and two turnovers on downs).
IN THE RECORD BOOK
- Senior quarterback
Darius Perrantes
- Fifth all-time at Duquesne in career touchdown passes (61) ... Surpassed Dave Loya (1994-'97), after the LIU win, now just two behind Sean Patterson (63 - from 2009-'12) in fourth place.
- 5,901 career passing yards at Duquesne rank sixth all-time at DU - 279 behind Dave Loya's 6,180.
- Perrantes' six touchdowns responsible for vs. LIU tied a single-game program and NEC record and five touchdown passes tied a Rooney Field record ... 412 passing yards at Stonehill ranks fifth-most in a game in program history ... One of three Dukes ever to throw 5+ touchdown passes in multiple games (Dillon Buechel and Niel Loebig both did so three times).
- Graduate student kicker
Brian Bruzdewicz
- Second in career PATs (122) ... The program PAT record is 134 by Austin Crimmins (2013-'16).
- Third all-time at Duquesne in career points by a kicker (230) - Mark Troyan (2005-08) is second with 233 ... Third all-time at Duquesne in career field goals (36) - Mark Troyan (2005-08) is second with 39.
- Redshirt junior running back
JaMario Clements
- 86-yard touchdown run vs. Mercyhurst tied Josh Rue (2001 vs. Canisius) for the longest in recorded program history.
HOME SWEET HOME
- Duquesne is 125-35 all-time at Rooney Field including winning streaks of 16, 14 and 10 games (twice).
- Duquesne is 75-22 all-time in conference contests at Rooney Field and 37-18 in NEC action (MAAC from 1994-2007 and NEC from 2008-present).
- DU is 1-0 in NEC play (LIU) and 3-0 overall this season at Rooney Field.
- The Dukes five unbeaten home conference slates at Rooney Field since 2010.
WINNING TRADITION
- With the Mercyhurst win, Duquesne - now 6-2 and 3-0 at home - has clinched a .500 or better record for the 29th time in 32 FCS seasons and a home winning record for the 15th straight year (28 times in 32 FCS seasons).
- 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).
- DU leads the NEC with 93 overall and 60 conference wins since 2011, at least 23 more overall victories and 16 more NEC wins than any other team in the league.
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 at 5:00 p.m. ... Graduate student wide receiver
John Erby is the player guest ... Visit
sportsnetpittsburgh.com for viewing information or visit the media center above.
UP NEXT
- Duquesne finishes its 2024 home schedule next Saturday (Nov. 16) hosting Wagner for a noon kickoff at Rooney Field ...
TICKETS ... The Dukes have won nine straight, including the last six at home, against the Seahawks ... Last season,
CJ Barnes broke up a late two-point conversion and DU added a last second defensive score to win 34-26 in New York.
FOLLOW THE DUKES
- Follow Duquesne football online all season at
GoDuquesne.com, as well as on
X (Twitter),
Instagram, and
Facebook (@DuqFB).
