Dayton, OH – The series dates back to 1920, although a 77- year hiatus interrupted the once back-and-forth rivalry between Duquesne and Dayton - two football programs fighting for shots at the postseason.
They meet in an intriguing game on Saturday at Dayton.
Duquesne holds a 6-4 series lead and has won the three most recent meetings, including last year's come-from-behind, 17-7 fourth-quarter win. The Dukes are coming off a 35-24, season-opening victory against former Northeast Conference foe Albany, which is now a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
The Flyers, from the Pioneer Football League, dropped their first game to intrastate rival Youngstown State, 28-10, thanks to some big plays by the Penguins offense.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Dillon Buechel threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns in the Dukes' season opener against Albany, while junior running back Ryan Ho scored twice on the ground. For Youngstown State, senior running back Adaris Bellamy led the nation in rushing yards in Week 1 with 203 against Dayton.
"We're going to have to play more consistently on defense, not give up big plays," Dayton coach Rick Chamberlin said. "And on offense we've got to score when we have opportunities. That's what hurt us last year. We had opportunities and didn't score, and eventually Duquesne came up with a couple big plays late in the game. As we've told the team, this game always comes down to the fourth quarter."
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