Know the opponent: Duquesne
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – With the 2017 Bryant University football season less than two months away, Bryant Athletics will take a look at all 11 opponents the Bulldogs will face this season.
The Bulldogs welcome defending co-champion Duquesne to Smithfield in the regular-season finale.
Opponent: Duquesne (Website)
Date|Time: Saturday, Nov. 18 | 12:00 PM
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)
All-time series: Bryant leads, 5-4
First played: Nov. 1, 2008 | Bryant 24, Duquesne 10 (Smithfield, R.I.)
Last played: Oct. 29, 2016 | Duquesne 35, Bryant 31 (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Series History: Bryant and Duquesne will be meeting for the 10th time this season, with the Black and Gold holding a 5-4 lead. The Dukes snapped Bryant's three-game winning streak last season with a come-from-behind 35-31 victory in Pittsburgh. Bryant won the first two meetings in 2008 and 2009, but the Dukes rattled off three-straight victories from 2010-12. The Bulldogs have held Duquesne to 20 points or less in all five wins, while the Dukes have scored 30+ points in all four of their wins.
Last time they met: Bryant jumped out to a 24-7 lead last season but Duquesne rallied for a 35-31 victory. The Dukes took a 28-24 lead after three quarters, Bryant retook the lead in the fourth and the Duquesne scored the winning touchdown with 9:15 left in the game.
The Black and Gold put up only 257 yards of total offense in the game despite scoring 31 points. Keenan Thompson set a program record with four touchdown receptions on the afternoon. He hauled in TD catches of 32, 5, 22 and 14 yards.
Leading 10-7 in the second quarter, the Black and Gold scored 14 points in less than a minute. Then-sophomore Thomas Costigan (Stamford, Conn.) made two great defensive plays to set up the scores. He stripped the QB and recovered the fumble at the Dukes 5 which set up Thompson's second TD. Costigan then picked off a pass on the second play of the ensuing drive which quickly led to another Thompson score.
Duquesne, however, scored the next 21 points to take the lead. Blair Roberts hauled in four scores as well, including a 13-yarder that proved to be the game winner.
Throwback: Bryant owns the only shutout in the series, a 20-0 victory in Pittsburgh in 2009. The Bulldogs held the Dukes to just 257 yards of total offense and intercepted five passes in the win. Scoreless at the half, Chris Bird kicked two third-quarter field goals and Matt Tracey and Lindsey Gamble added fourth-quarter TDs to put the game away.