PITTSBURGH -- Fresh off a top-25 road victory, the Duquesne University football team opens its home slate on Saturday hosting West Virginia Wesleyan at Rooney Field.
GAMEDAY INFO
September 21, 2024 | 12:00 PM | Rooney Field (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats (0-2, 0-1 MEC)
(RV) Duquesne Dukes (1-2, 0-0 NEC)
LINKS
2-FOR-20 TICKET DEAL
- Duquesne is offering a 2-for-$20 ticket deal for the home opener ... Offer is available until 11:59 pm Friday -
BUY TICKETS HERE
SENIOR DAY
- The Dukes will celebrate more than 40 seniors with an on-field, pre-game recognition beginning at 11:30 a.m.
OPENING KICKOFF
- After a thrilling, 28-25, win over nationally-ranked Youngstown State last weekend, Duquesne will take on West Virginia Wesleyan for its home opener and senior day at Rooney Field ... The win at Youngstown State was the second victory over a ranked FCS opponent in program history.
- Duquesne, who is now receiving votes in both national polls, was represented well in the Northeast Conference weekly awards ...
JaMario Clements rushed for a career-best 204 yards - the most by any FCS player vs. a Division I opponent this season - and a touchdown to earn NEC Offensive Player of the Week ...
Luke Miller totaled an early career-high 14 tackles - the most by any NEC defender in a game this season - garnering NEC Rookie of the Week and Co-Defensive Player of the Week ...
Tedy Afful had his second career two-touchdown game and was tabbed an NEC Prime Performer.
- The Dukes have won 16 straight home openers and 24 of the last 25 ... Under Coach Schmitt (since 2005), Duquesne is 18-1 in home openers and 31-3 in non-conference home games.
- Reigning NEC Coach of the Year,
Jerry Schmitt is in his 20th season at the helm of the Dukes and 31st on the DU staff and will vie for career win #150 ... His 149 career wins rank seventh among active FCS coaches and 121 wins at the FCS level rank sixth among active 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.
- West Virginia Wesleyan is a Division II member of the Mountain East Conference ... WVWC lost its first two games (41-24 at Post / 52-14 vs. Wheeling) ... The Bobcats are 3-54 since 2018 and suffered an 0-10 season in 2023.
- It is the seventh straight season that DU is playing a non-Division I team ... The non-conference finale wraps up a slate that featured two FBS teams (at Toledo and Boston College), a nationally-ranked FCS team (at Youngstown State) and WVWC out of Division II.
THE SERIES
- The Bobcats and Dukes will meet for the 12th time in program history and second since 2017 ... DU leads 7-4 all-time in a series that dates to 1922 ... 10 of the 11 previous meetings were 1948 and earlier.
- The 2017 matchup was also Duquesne's home opener ... A night contest at Rooney Field, DU used a 24-point second quarter to roll to a 38-13 triumph ... It was the 100th win at Rooney Field for the Dukes ... Tommy Stuart threw four touchdowns on 24-of-29 passing for 226 yards in the win, connecting with Nehari Crawford and DeWayne Murray III each twice in the endzone.
DUKES VS. NON-D1
- Since joining the FCS level in 1993, Duquesne is 17-3 in 20 all-time matchups against non-Division I teams.
- Duquesne is riding a 12-game win streak vs. non-Division I opponents dating to Sept. 30, 2006 vs. West Liberty.
EARNING RECOGNITION
- Duquesne was named an Honorable Mention Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week after the win over No. 20 Youngstown State.
- The Dukes have returned to the national polls for the first time since the preseason, receiving votes in both the the Stats Perform media poll and the AFCA coaches poll.
- In addition to
JaMario Clements' NEC Offensive Player of the Week, he was named an honorable mention for Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week.
HOME SWEET HOME
- Duquesne is 122-35 all-time at Rooney Field including winning streaks of 16, 14 and 10 games (twice).
- The Dukes are 24-1 in non-conference play at Rooney Field since the beginning of the 2008 season, not losing since the 2016 homecoming matchup against Kennesaw State (36-28) ... DU has won eight consecutive home non-conference games ... West Virginia Wesleyan is the lone non-conference home opponent on the schedule this season - the fifth straight fall season with one non-conference home game.
HONORARY TEAM CAPTAIN
- For the 2024 home opener, Duquesne welcomes Mike Orsi as an honorary team captain ... Orsi is a former Duke that played on the first-ever MAAC Championship team in 1995 and is battling ALS.
RECORD BOOK WATCH
- Senior quarterback
Darius Perrantes moved into a tie for fifth all-time at Duquesne in career touchdown passes with two at Youngstown State, bringing his total to 47 all-time in the Red and Blue ... Tied with Dave Loya (1994-97).
-
Brian Bruzdewicz became the fourth kicker in program history to record 100 PATs last weekend at YSU ... Is now third all-time in career PATs (103) - Mark Troyan (2005-08) is second with 116 ... Bruzdewicz is 95% all-time on PATs (103-for-109) ... Third all-time at Duquesne in career points by a kicker (199) - 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.
TRENDS TO NOTE
- Duquesne was 5-0 when scoring more than 30 points and 6-0 when holding opponents under 30 points in 2023.
- The Dukes were 5-0 when leading after the first quarter last season.
- Duquesne has scored on all six drives of 50+ yards this season (5 touchdowns, 1 field goal).
STAT STANDOUTS
- Redshirt junior running back
JaMario Clements' 204-yard rushing game at YSU was the most yards in a game by an FCS player vs. a Division I opponent this season ... He is second in the NEC in rushing yards (284) and is atop the leaderboard averaging 9.2 yards per rush, which is second in the FCS ... 17 yards per rush at YSU was the best average in a game in the conference and his 75-yard TD run is the second-longest in the NEC so far this season.
- Senior wide receiver
Tedy Afful is tied for fourth in the NEC and 23rd in the FCS with two touchdown receptions.
- Sophomore linebacker
Luke Miller's 14 tackles at YSU were the most in a game by an NEC defender this season ... Miller ranks fifth in the NEC in tackles (23 / 9.0 per game).
- Sophomore
Jack Dunkley is tied for second in the NEC with 3.0 sacks, featuring one in every game this season ... He is also third in the conference in tackles for loss (4.0).
-The Dukes offensive line is first in the NEC and 13th in the FCS in fewest TFLs allowed (4.0/game).
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 88 overall and 57 conference wins since 2011, at least 23 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 4:00 p.m. ... Redshirt junior running back
JaMario Clements is this week's player guest ... Visit
sportsnetpittsburgh.com for viewing information.
HOMECOMING IS NEXT
- Duquesne will be on a bye next week, then be back in action on October 5 for its conference opener and homecoming game against LIU ... Kickoff is scheduled for 1 pm at Rooney Field ...
BUY TICKETS HERE.
FOLLOW THE DUKES
- Follow Duquesne football online all season at
GoDuquesne.com, as well as on
X (Twitter),
Instagram, and
Facebook (@DuqFB).
