YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Duquesne football struggled throughout their matchup against Youngstown State, losing 40-7 in the First Round of the FCS Playoffs Saturday night at Stambaugh Stadium.
The Dukes (7-5) end their 2023 season with the loss to the Penguins (8-4). This is also their third ever appearance in the FCS Playoffs, including 2018 and 2015 and drops them to 1-3 all-time in the postseason. Their sole win came against Towson 31-10 in the First Round in 2018. The Dukes still will celebrate winning the NEC Title, their sixth in program history.
Duquesne punted on their first possession and Youngstown State would take advantage. Senior quarterback Mitch Davidson threw a ball long down the field, over the Duquesne defensive backs and right into the hands of senior wide receiver Bryce Oliver for a 45-yard gain. Youngstown State would score on the next play, a pass from Davidson to junior wide receiver CJ Charleston for nine yards untouched into the end zone.
The Penguins forced the Dukes to punt again on the next drive and continued to have success offensively. The Dukes did play better defensively, stopping the Penguins on third down. Redshirt first-year place kicker Andrew Lastovka would hit a 34-yard field goal to increase the lead for the Penguins to 10-0.
Sophomore running back Taj Butts finally got something going for Duquesne, taking the first handoff of the next drive 22 yards. Duquesne looked like they would punt again on the next drive, but an offside call on fourth down and six made it fourth down and one.
The Dukes then elected to go for it and Butts would get the first down with an 11-yard rush. First-year running back Edward Robinson took the next handoff, made some defenders miss and got into the end zone with a 24-yard rushing touchdown for the first points on the board for the Dukes, 10-7.
Youngstown State would dominate on the ground, using their rushing attack to score their next touchdown, a two-yard rush from senior tailback Dra Rushton. They used 13 plays and ran 78 yards to take 6:55 off the clock from the end of the first quarter through the 9:12 mark of the second quarter.
After another punt from the Dukes, the Penguins pushed the ball down the field and looked to score another touchdown. The Dukes made a big stop on fourth down and one from the one yard line, as first-year defensive lineman Jason Patterson and junior safety CJ Barnes stopped Penguins senior tailback Tyshon King.
Duquesne quarterback junior Darrius Perrantes threw two passes to graduate student DJ Powell on the next drive. The first one hit the ground before he caught it, which the referees determined upon further review, and then he dropped the second one over the middle forcing a punt.
Dukes junior Michael Berarducci took the punt and it went to just the 40-yard line, which YSU wide receiver Max Tomczak returned to the 32-yard line.
Youngstown State used their good field position and finished it off with a Davidson 21-yard pass to Oliver in the corner of the end zone to build a 24-7 lead going into halftime.
The Penguins would keep the Dukes out of any reach of scoring in the third quarter, forcing two punts. Lastovka would also hit two field goals in the period, from 27 yards and 40 yards, and then another field goal in the fourth quarter from 50-yards out to increase the Penguins lead to 33-7.
Duquesne made a change at quarterback from Perrantes to graduate student Matt Robinson. Robinson would struggle as well, leading no scoring drives and throwing an interception.
Youngstown State would score once more, with backup quarterback, redshirt first-year Beau Brungard, running it in from three yards out to increase the lead to 33 points, 40-7.
