Blue Devils Drop Football Slugfest At Duquesne, 38-33

The Central Connecticut State football team dropped a shootout with NEC host Duquesne Saturday, 38-33, in Pittsburgh, PA. The loss dropped the Blue Devils to 7-4 overall and 5-1 in NEC, while the Dukes improved to 6-5 on the season and 4-2 in league play. 

The Blue Devils enter the final weekend of the season needing a win, or a Duquesne loss to Robert Morris, on the final Saturday to earn the league's FCS automatic qualifier. 

In a back-and-forth game, the Blue Devils had a chance to take the lead inside the final minute. Olson found Michael Trovarelli in the end zone, but the ball was deflected, and Antonio Epps came away with an interception to seal the Dukes victory. 

Olson threw for a school-record 423 yards on Saturday, completing 28-45 with four touchdowns. 

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE 

Score: Duquesne 38, CCSU 33 
Records: CCSU (7-, 5-1 NEC), DUQ (6-5, 4-2 NEC) 
Location: Rooney Field | Pittsburgh, PA 

KEY MOMENTS 

• The Dukes took the opening kickoff 75 yards on four plays, capped by a 29-yard touchdown run from Taj Butts to take a 6-0 lead after missing the point after 

• The Blue Devils answered on their opening drive, taking five plays to go an equal 75 yards in 1:55 to take a 7-6 lead after an Elijah Howard 1-yard score and PAT from Jack Hennessey 

• Duquesne retook the lead with 1:42 to play in the opening period when Tyler Riddell found Joey Isabella for a 32-yard touchdown reception, but the Dukes again missed the PAT to lead 12-7 

• The Blue Devils first drive of the second quarter saw Brady Olson go 4-4 for 88 yards, including a 42-yard pass to Paul Marsh, Jr. And concluded with a 25-yard TD pass to Cleary to give CCSU the 13-12 advantage 

• Taj Butts went 57 yards on a second-down, breaking through the middle to put the Dukes back on top 18-13 with 4:40 to play before halftime, after a missed two-point conversion 

• The Dukes had another two-play scoring drive in the final minutes, with a 33-yard rush from Riddell on the first play and then he competed a 37-yard TD pass to Ryan Petras for a 25- lead with 75 seconds remaining before halftime 

• Central needed just three plays at the opening of the second-half to close within five points, 25-20. The first play of the half was a 61-yard completion to Cleary, and after a five-yard Howard rush, Olson found Trovarelli for a 10-yard TD pass 

• The defense made a fourth-down stop on the next possession, holding the Dukes at the CCSU 32 midway through the third quarter 

• Riddell had his third touchdown pass of the game with 9:21 to play, as part of a two-play drive, finding Joey Isabella from four-yards out to push the lead to 32-20 

• Five plays later the Blue Devils answered as Olson hit Donovan Wadley for a 50-yard touchdown strike and with the Hennessey kick closed within 32-27 

• The CCSU defense held Duquesne to minus-four yards on its next possession, giving the ball back to the Blue Devils with 5:53 to play 

• Again, the Blue Devils struck quickly, with back-to-back catches by Trovarelli, the second a 40-yard touchdown catch to put CCSU in front 33-32 after the failed two-point conversion 

• Duquesne answered three plays later as Taj Butts went 59-yards up the middle to the endzone for the go-ahead score 

NUMBER TO KNOW 

85 – Elijah Howard is 85 yards shy of 1,000 yards for the season (915) entering the final regular season game of the year   

NOTES & NUMBERS 

• Olson threw for four touchdowns on Saturday, the second time this season (vs SHU) that he has completed that many TD passes 

• Cleary had his first 100+ yard receiving game, making five catches for 11 yards and a touchdown 

• Trovarelli had a career-day with six catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns, all career bests 

• Howard finished with 108 yards on the ground, his 13th career 100-yard rushing game and scored his ninth rushing touchdown of the season 

• Cleary and Howard become the first CCSU duo to combine for 100 yards receiving and rushing in the same game since Howard and Isiah Williams did so versus LIU in 2023 

• Duquesne rushed for 360 yards, surpassing  

• The Blue Devils have 1,121 yards of offense in the past two games, with Saturday's 588 yards a season-high surpassing the 533 last week versus Stonehill 

• Chris Jean recorded a career-high 11 tackles in the game to lead the Blue Devils 

• Butts finished with 254 yards on the ground for Duquesne 

UP NEXT 

• CCSU plays the final game of the regular season at home on November 22ndwhen it hosts Mercyhurst. Senior Day ceremonies will begin at 11:30 am and the game will kickoff at 12pm.