PITTSBURGH -- The Duquesne University football team will play its first FCS opponent in 2024 this week, traveling to Youngstown State for a rematch of its first-round matchup in the 2023 NCAA FCS Playoffs.

GAMEDAY INFO 
September 14, 2024 | 2:00 PM | Stambaugh Stadium (Youngstown, Ohio)

Duquesne Dukes (0-2, 0-0 NEC) 

• Roster | Stats | Schedule 

(No. 21/20) Youngstown State Penguins (1-1, 0-0 MVFC)

• Roster | Stats | Schedule 

LINKS

• Watch Live on ESPN+
• Follow Live Stats
• Listen Live on Fox Sports PGH (970 AM / 104.7 HD2)
• Duquesne Game Notes
• YSU Game Notes
• Northeast Conference Notes

OPENING KICKOFF
- Duquesne opened its season against consecutive FBS teams for the second time in program history (2021) and dropped both matchups ... Toledo downed DU 49-10 after the Dukes scored on consecutive drives to make the score 14-7 and 21-10 ... Boston College defeated Duquesne, 56-0, in Week Two.

- Duquesne won its sixth NEC title and made the program's third appearance in the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 2023 ... The first round playoff matchup was at Youngstown State - a 40-7 win for the Penguins.

- Reigning NEC Coach of the Year, Jerry Schmitt returns to the sideline for his 20th season at the helm of the Dukes and 31st on the DU staff ... Schmitt's 120 wins at the FCS level rank sixth among active coaches, and his 148 career wins rank seventh among active FCS coaches ... With this season, Schmitt will pass Dan McCann for the longest tenured coach in program history ... McCann coached 19 seasons (1970-'83 and 1988-'92) ... Schmitt is also the third-longest tenured coach in the FCS.

- Duquesne returns a total of 11 starters and two of its 10 all-conference players from 2023 ... Darius Perrantes (1st team) and Gianni Rizzo (2nd team) are the returners ... Perrantes was also named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List for National Offensive Player of the Year in the FCS, an award he was a finalist for in 2023.

- No. 21/20 Youngstown State (1-1) rolled to its first victory of the season beating Valparaiso 59-25 last Saturday in the YSU home opener ... The Penguins jumped out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and outscored the Beacons 24-3 in the second half ... Quarterback Beau Brungard earned MVFC Offensive Player of the Week after accounting for five touchdowns (two passing and three rushing) ... The Penguins lost their opener, 24-17, at Villanova, who bounced Youngstown out of the second round FCS playoff last year.

THE SERIES
- The Penguins and Dukes faceoff for the seventh time in program history and third straight season.

- YSU, who is 6-0 all-time vs. Duquesne, won the first round of the FCS playoffs last year, 40-7 ... The Penguins scored 30 unanswered points after a 10-7 first quarter. 

SCHEDULE QUICK FACTS
- Three away games is the longest away stretch to start the season since 2017.

- DU is 87-50-1 all-time against 2024 opponents. 

DUNK IT
- Sophomore defensive lineman Jack Dunkley has recorded a sack in each of the first two games ... Last week, it was a strip sack vs. Boston College - the first turnover forced by the DU defense this year ... 2.0 sacks is tied for third in the NEC.

RECORD BOOK WATCH
- Senior quarterback Darius Perrantes threw his 45th touchdown pass of his career in the 2024 opener ... Perrantes is sixth all-time at Duquesne for career touchdown passes and two back from the top-five in DU history.

- Brian Bruzdewicz is third all-time at Duquesne in career points by a kicker (195) ... Mark Troyan (2005-08) is second with 233 ... Third all-time at Duquesne in career field goals (32) ... Mark Troyan (2005-08) is second with 39 ... Tied for fourth all-time at Duquesne in career PATs (99) with Brian Vautier (1995-98) ... Earl Bellisario (2000-02) is third with 102 ... His next PAT will make him the fourth placekicker in DU history to reach the century mark for PATs ... Bruzdewicz is 94% all-time on PATs (99-for-105).

BACK IN THE FCS
- Duquesne was one of 12 FCS programs to play back-to-back FBS opponents in Week 1 and Week 2, along with Southeastern Louisiana, Alcorn State, Southern Utah, Sacramento State, Chattanooga, Western Illinois, Merrimack, Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee Tech, Idaho, Nicholls.

EXPECT POINTS
- Duquesne has never been shutout in back-to-back games as a Division I football program.

WINNING TRADITION   
- Duquesne 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 87 overall and 57 conference wins since 2011, at least 22 more overall victories and 14 more NEC wins than any other active team in the league.

- Entering the 2024 season, Duquesne ranked 28th among FCS programs with a 405-309-18 (.566) record in 76 seasons at the major college and NCAA levels.

MORE ON THE DUKES
- A full preview of Duquesne is available in the game notes packet, here.

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 5:30 p.m. ... Graduate defensive lineman and captain Kevin Kurzinger is this week's player guest ... Visit sportsnetpittsburgh.com for viewing information.

HOME OPENER ON TAP
- Duquesne hosts West Virginia Wesleyan next weekend for its home opener and senior day at Rooney Field ... Kick off is scheduled for noon on Saturday, September 21 ... For tickets, click here.

FOLLOW THE DUKES
- Follow Duquesne football online all season at GoDuquesne.com, as well as on X (Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook (@DuqFB).