MOON TOWNSHIP, PA – Duquesne rode the momentum of a 21-point third quarter to clip Robert Morris, 21-20 at Joe Walton Stadium, marking the first time since 2006 that the visiting team has won in the series.
The Dukes scored twice via safety, once on a field goal and two more times on Dillon Buechel touchdown passes – all in a 9:23 span of the third quarter – to erase a 7-0 RMU halftime deficit.
The Colonials rallied to post a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns, but a missed extra point with 4:43 left proved to be the difference.
The win was the third in a row for the Dukes (4-2), who remained undefeated in Northeast Conference play at 2-0. The loss dropped Robert Morris to 2-4 overall and 0-1 in the NEC.
Buechel completed passes to eight receivers in throwing for 202 yards. Devin Rahming, who finished with 6 catches for 86 yards and Gianni Carter each caught a touchdown pass for the Dukes.
The closest either team came to scoring in the first quarter was a missed 29-yard field goal by Duquesne’s Austin Crimmins. Crimmins’ miss, his first after seven consecutive makes to open the season, came after an 82 yard drive.
Robert Morris didn’t register its first first down until its fourth possession, when it drove 67 yards to the DU 17 before Aaron Reed picked off a third down Paul Jones pass at the 13. Reed fumbled on the return giving the Colonials the ball back on the 17. Three plays later, Jones scored from 4 yards out to make it 7-0 – a score that would carry to the half.
DU outgained RMU 147-106 and had 8 first downs to the Colonials 5 in the opening 30 minutes.
The Dukes got on the board when Charles Lipp blocked a Tony LaMancusa punt out of the end zone on RMU’s first possession of the second half to make it 7-2.
Rahming returned the free kick 49 yards to the Robert Morris 33 to set up a 40 yard Crimmins field goal that cut the RMU lead to two.
On the Colonials’ next possession, a blitzing Dorian Bell hit Jones, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Zach Zidian at the 10. DU wasted no time capitalizing, as Buechel hit Carter with a TD strike on the next play to give the Dukes their first lead at 12-7.
Aaron Fleck pinned the Colonials at their own three with a 33 yard punt, making it the fourth consecutive RMU possession that started inside its own 10.
On the next play, Ryan Thermil was thrown for a 1 yard loss and fumbled into the end zone. RMU recovered for Duquesne’s second safety of the quarter.
The Dukes made it 21 unanswered points when Rahming took a slant pass and raced 26 yards for a score to make it 21-7.
Duquesne held the Colonials to 2 yards on 12 plays in the quarter.
RMU put together its first drive of the half, going 71 yards to pull within seven on a 1 yard Deontae Howard run with 11:45 left.
D.J. Myers picked off a Buechel pass at the Duquesne 35 and the Colonials, bolstered by an acrobatic 34 yard reception by Duane Mitchell, scored on a 1 yard Jones sneak with 4:43 left. On the game’s pivotal play, Hunter Khaleghi missed the extra point preserving Duquesne’s one-point lead.
RMU forced a 3-and-out and took over on its 41 with 3:01 left, but the Dukes, who limited the Colonials to 235 yards, held when Jones overthew Mitchell down the right sideline on fourth down.
The Colonials had one last crack, taking over on their 33 with 54 seconds left and moved to the 48 before turning it over on a fumbling on a hook-and-ladder play at the Duquesne 48.
Rich Piekarski led the DU defense with 10 tackles. Dorian Bell added 2.0 tackles for loss, including a sack in addition to his forced fumble.
Duquesne heads to Rhode Island to face Bryant (3-4, 1-1) next Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
