WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Dillon Buechel threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns as Duquesne (7-4) survived a second-half Monmouth comeback attempt to finish the season with a 33-23 win over the Hawks at Kessler Field.
Buechel hit Ethan Dorsey with a 5 yard fourth quarter touchdown pass after Monmouth (6-6) rallied from a 23-7 halftime deficit to tie it with 14:54 left. Austin Crimmins added his school record fourth field goal with 19 seconds left to seal the win.
Dave Thomas had 6 catches for 102 yards to lead the Dukes’ receivers. Linebacker Christian Kuntz led the DU defense with 10 tackles (9 solo) including 5 tackles for loss.
Duquesne went 48 yards – all on the ground – to set up a 33-yard Crimmins field goal on its first drive of the game.
On DU’s next possession, Buechel hit Devin Rahming on back-to-back passes, the first for 49 yards and the second for a 14-yard touchdown to make it 10-0 midway through the first quarter.
Charles Lipp blocked a Monmouth punt that was recovered by E.J. Kosec and the Hawks’ 17, setting up a 27-yard Crimmins field goal that made it 13-0 after one quarter.
Monmouth got on the board early in the second quarter when Brandon Hill, who threw for 273 yards and three scores, connected with Zach Fabel for an 18-yard touchdown.
Buechel found Thomas for a 30-yard gain on 3rd-and-10 to set up a 30-yard Crimmins field goal that made it 16-7 with 14 seconds left in the halF.
Monmouth failed to handle the ensuing kickoff and Brian Pommerer covered the ball at the 19. Buechel made the Hawks pay, when he found Thomas on the next play to give the Dukes 10 points in five seconds and a 23-7 halftime lead.
Tevrin Brandon picked off a Buechel pass at the DU seven to halt the Dukes’ first possession of the second half. The Hawks drove it to the 22, but Eric Spillane’s 39 yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.
The Dukes turned it over again on their next possession when Dorsey fumbled after a two yard gain. This time Monmouth capitalized as Hill hit Mike McLafferty for a 56 yard touchdown. The Hawks converted a 2-point conversion to make it 23-15.
The Hawks tied it when Hill hit Neal Sterling for a 17-yard touchdown and 2-point conversion with 14:54 left.
Rahming returned the ensuing kickoff to the Monmouth 38 and the Dukes needed four plays to take the lead for good when Buechel found Dorsey in the left flat.
Duquesne held Monmouth on fourth down, taking over on the Hawks 14 with just over two minutes left.
Crimmins iced it with a 25 yard field goal with 19 seconds on the clock.
