GAME RECAP: Duquesne at Pitt- Dukes Drop City Game, 61-9
The rivalry hadn’t been played in football since 1939. Unfortunately, while the crowd came out for the Dukes and the Panthers, the result was a runaway victory for Pitt that resulted in a loss for the team from The Bluff.
Joey Isabella caught a strike from Ty Riddell for a 59 yard gain in the first half that set up Duquesne’s first touchdown. The play came with great protection and a long strike that was dead on and accurate. When Duquesne’s offensive line is on this season, Riddel is going to have the opportunity to throw deep- and he’s already shown the accuracy to connect when those opportunities come. But in Acrisure Stadium, against the Panthers, the pass rush was often just too much to contain.
Still, Isabella proved that he was more than equal to the high level of competition. He finished with over 100 yards through the air, and the Dukes often keyed their offense on him, giving the wideout over 100 total yards. He looked like a plus matchup for the Dukes, and they got creative to get him the ball in space. He’s going to be a problem for defenses in league play. It’s said that in these FCS vs. FBS games, one player will line up against someone that will be the best at their position they play against all season long. It seems conceivable that Isabella provided that kind of challenge for Pitt’s defensive backfield today.
Jack Dunkley caught Eli Holstein for a sack early in the 3rd quarter that showed off the moves he has on the edge, and when he caught Pitt’s dual threat quarterback Eli Holstein from behind after a 16 yard gain, it only served to show that Dunkley will be an athletic mismatch for most of the teams the Dukes play this year. For much of the game, though, he was only even with the blue and gold across the line from him- not head and shoulders above. But even against a P4 team is a good start.
Special Teams was sometimes a struggle for the Dukes, where the depth difference between the NEC and the ACC sometimes shows itself. Kenny Johnson and All-American Dez Reid were able to get long returns, with Reid returning a punt for a touchdown on the first Pitt touch of the day.
Taj Butts often found himself searching for room in a snowstorm of blue jerseys, but a few bigger runs- headlined by a 17 yard rush to start Duquesne’s first offensive possession- showed the potential on the ground, too. It was rough sledding all day, but the Dukes did make big plays. They’ll have to build on those as they head back home to take on Lincoln (PA) and a chance to work on things to get ready for Lehigh and league play.
Games like the City Game are good for football- a chance for the Dukes to play at Acrisure Stadium, sure, but also an in-city event that got people excited about the prospect of Duquesne and Pitt playing each other once again, for the first time since 1939. It feels like something that should happen more often- at least every 4 seasons, the Dukes should take on the Panthers. Sometimes, it’ll be this way. It’s hard as an FCS squad- whether it’s RMU or Duquesne- to compete with the in-city power conference team. We knew that going into the game. The Dukes showed enough flashes to give us an idea of what they’ll excel at in the NEC this season and plenty of chances to see how they stack up against top competition. Against a power team in an opener? Sometimes, that’s the best outcome you can hope for.
