Duquesne Dukes football

The Duquesne Dukes football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Duquesne University located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and is a member of the Northeast Conference.

Duquesne Dukes
2020 Duquesne Dukes football team
First season1891
Athletic directorDave Harper
Head coachJerry Schmitt
15th season, 97–64 (.602)
StadiumArthur J. Rooney Athletic Field
(Capacity: 2,200)
Field surfaceSportexe Momentum Turf
LocationPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceNortheast Conference
All-time record46833625 (.580)
Bowl record54 (.556)
Claimed national titles3 (1941, 1973, 2003)
Conference titles16 (1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018)
ColorsRed and Blue[1]
         
Fight song"The Victory Song (Red and Blue)"
MascotDuquesne
Websitegoduquesne.com
For information on all Duquesne University sports, see Duquesne Dukes

Duquesne has played football as a club team from 1891–1894, 1896–1903, 1913–1914, and 1920–1928, in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) from 1929–1942 and 1947–1950, again as a club team from 1969–1978, in NCAA Division III from 1979–1992 and in the NCAA Division I FCS from 1993–present.

The Dukes have won or shared 16 conference championships in the past 25 years.

The team plays its home games at the 2,200-seat Arthur J. Rooney Athletic Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Dukes are coached by Jerry Schmitt.

The Dukes have qualified for the FCS playoffs twice due to an automatic bid for being NEC champions in 2015 at 8-3 (5-1) and again in 2018 at 8-3 (5-1).

History

The Dukes started play in 1891 and have had a continuous program since 1969. They were Northeast Conference co-champions in 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2018 and outright champions in 2015. Previously, Duquesne football was a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, winning or sharing 11 conference titles.

Duquesne was the ECAC Bowl champions and NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major National Champions in 2003. The team was the 1995 ECAC Bowl Champions, as well. Duquesne was rated #1 in NCAA Division I by the Massey Ratings for the 1941 season and won a NCFA Club National Championship in 1973 after the program was revived in 1969 by then student-athlete Sam Costanzo in cooperation with university administration.

Major bowl games

The Dukes had some success before NCAA college football's alignment into divisions. Duquesne won the 1934 Festival of Palms Bowl and 1937 Orange Bowl. The Dukes turned down invitations from the Cotton Bowl, Sun Bowl, and Olympic Bowl in 1939.

FBS AP Poll appearances

From 1933 to 1942, Duquesne was among the elite college football teams in the United States, garnering the sixth-highest winning percentage (71-22-2, .762) in the nation behind Alabama, Tennessee, Duke, Fordham and Notre Dame. In 1941, Duquesne finished the season undefeated and untied, earning a No. 8 Associated Press ranking while leading the nation in scoring defense, rushing defense and total defense. (Duquesne also led all of NCAA Division I football in scoring defense in 2002 and rushing defense, passing defense and total defense in 2005.)

  • October 19, 1936 #11
  • November 16, 1936 #20
  • November 23, 1936 #12
  • November 30, 1936 #14 FINAL
  • November 1, 1937 #16
  • October 23, 1939 #11
  • October 30, 1939 #13
  • November 6, 1939 #12
  • November 13, 1939 #10
  • November 20, 1939 #20
  • November 27, 1939 #6
  • December 4, 1939 #10
  • December 11, 1939 #10 FINAL
  • October 27, 1941 #16
  • November 3, 1941 #12
  • November 10, 1941 #10
  • November 17, 1941 #6
  • November 24, 1941 #5
  • December 1, 1941 #8 FINAL
  • October 12, 1942 #13

Innovations

Duquesne is noted for establishing numerous firsts in collegiate football. Former head coach Elmer Layden is credited with devising the system of hand signals that officials use today. The signal system was put to use for the first time on November 11, 1928, when Duquesne hosted Thiel College at Pitt Stadium. Layden was also the first coach to use two sets of uniform jerseys for home and away contests. In 1929, graduate student manager John Holohan conceived the idea of Pittsburgh's first night game at Forbes Field. On the evening of November 1 that year, the Dukes made history by defeating Geneva College, 27-7, in front of more than 27,000 spectators. This led to the Duquesne Football team's nickname "the Night Riders."

At the club level, Duquesne won the 1973 National Club Football Association national championship at Three Rivers Stadium and was runner-up in 1977.

The Dukes football team also boasts the greatest all-time intraconference winning streak in NCAA Division I FCS history with 39 straight wins in the MAAC. The 39-game streak also ties for the second-longest intraconference winning streak in NCAA Division I Football history, five games shy of the all-time record.

Some notable former players

Notable alumni include:

Year-by-year results

Yellow = .500 record; Orange = above .500 record; Green = undefeated

Year Wins Losses Ties Coach Ranking Regular Season Championship/Postseason Appearance National Championship
Total 468 336 25
2019 6 5 0 Jerry Schmitt
2018 9 4 0 Jerry Schmitt #22 NCAA Division I FCS Writers Poll, #24 NCAA Division I FCS Coaches Poll Northeast Conference Champions/National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Second Round
2017 7 4 0 Jerry Schmitt
2016 8 3 0 Jerry Schmitt NEC Champions
2015 8 4 0 Jerry Schmitt NEC Champions/NCAA Division I First Round
2014 6 6 0 Jerry Schmitt
2013 7 4 0 Jerry Schmitt NEC Champions
2012 5 6 0 Jerry Schmitt
2011 9 2 0 Jerry Schmitt NEC Champions
2010 7 4 0 Jerry Schmitt
2009 3 8 0 Jerry Schmitt
2008 3 7 0 Jerry Schmitt (First season in NEC)
2007 6 4 0 Jerry Schmitt #8 NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision Mid-Major (Sports Network) Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Champions
2006 7 3 0 Jerry Schmitt #6 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network) MAAC Champions
2005 7 3 0 Jerry Schmitt #3 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network) MAAC Champions
2004 7 3 0 Greg Gattuso #5 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network) MAAC Champions
2003 8 3 0 Greg Gattuso #1 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network) MAAC Champions
Eastern College Athletic Conference Bowl Champions
NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major National Champions
2002 11 1 0 Greg Gattuso #2 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network) MAAC Champions
ECAC Bowl Runners-up
2001 8 3 0 Greg Gattuso #4 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network) MAAC Champions
ECAC Bowl Runners-up
2000 10 1 0 Greg Gattuso MAAC Champions
1999 8 3 0 Greg Gattuso MAAC Champions
1998 8 3 0 Greg Gattuso
1997 7 3 0 Greg Gattuso
1996 10 1 0 Greg Gattuso MAAC Champions
ECAC Bowl Runners-up
1995 10 1 0 Greg Gattuso MAAC Champions
ECAC Bowl Champions
1994 6 4 0 Greg Gattuso (First season in MAAC)
1993 4 6 0 Greg Gattuso (First season at NCAA Division I FCS level)
1992 5 4 0 Dan McCann
1991 0 9 0 Dan McCann
1990 1 8 1 Dan McCann
1989 6 4 0 Dan McCann
1988 2 7 0 Dan McCann
1987 2 7 0 Terry Russell
1986 5 3 1 Terry Russell
1985 3 6 0 Terry Russell
1984 3 5 1 Terry Russell
1983 5 4 1 Dan McCann
1982 6 3 0 Dan McCann
1981 4 5 0 Dan McCann
1980 4 5 0 Dan McCann
1979 5 4 0 Dan McCann (First season at NCAA Division III level)
1978 5 3 0 Dan McCann #7 club football (National Club Football Association)
1977 7 2 0 Dan McCann #2 club football (NCFA) NCFA Championship Game Runners-up
1976 6 2 0 Dan McCann #4 club football (NCFA)
1975 5 4 0 Dan McCann
1974 5 2 0 Dan McCann #6 club football (NCFA)
1973 10 0 0 Dan McCann #1 club football (NCFA) Children's Hospital Bowl Champions [2] NCFA National Champions
1972 7 1 0 Dan McCann #3 club football (NCFA)
1971 4 4 0 Dan McCann
1970 4 3 1 Dan McCann #15 club football (NCFA)
1969 2 4 0 Joe Nicoletti (School brings football back at the club level)
1950 2 6 1 Phil Ahwesh / Doc Skender
1949 3 6 0 Phil Ahwesh
1948 2 7 0 Kass Kovalcheck
1947 2 8 0 Kass Kovalcheck
1942 6 3 0 Aldo Donelli
1941 8 0 0 Aldo Donelli #8 NCAA Division I FBS (Associated Press) #1 NCAA Division I FBS (Massey Ratings)
1940 7 1 0 Aldo Donelli
1939 8 0 1 Aldo Donelli #10 NCAA Division I FBS (AP) declined Cotton Bowl,[3] Sun Bowl[4] and "Olympic Bowl"[4] invitations
1938 4 6 0 Clipper Smith
1937 6 4 0 Clipper Smith
1936 8 2 0 Clipper Smith #14 NCAA Division I FBS (AP) Orange Bowl Champions
1935 6 3 0 Christy Flanagan
1934 8 2 0 Joe Bach
1933 10 1 0 Elmer Layden Festival of Palms Bowl Champions
1932 7 2 1 Elmer Layden
1931 3 5 3 Elmer Layden
1930 7 3 0 Elmer Layden
1929 9 0 1 Elmer Layden
1928 8 1 0 Elmer Layden
1927 4 4 1 Elmer Layden
1926 2 5 1 Frank McDermott
1925 0 7 0 Frank McDermott
1924 2 4 2 Mike Shortley
1923 4 4 0 Hal Ballin
1922 0 8 0 Hal Ballin
1921 0 4 1 E.A. Jake Stahl
1920 3 3 1 E.A. Jake Stahl
1914 1 5 0 Dr. Budd
1913 3 5 1 Dr. Budd
1903 3 5 0 T.A. Giblin
1902 1 6 0 Captain Hickson
1901 1 2 0 Coach Unknown Record Incomplete
1900 2 3 1 Coach Unknown Record Incomplete
1899 2 0 2 Walker Record Incomplete
1898 5 4 1 J. Van Cleve Record Incomplete
1897 2 4 1 J.P. Wolfe Record Incomplete
1896 12 1 0 Mr. Brown
1894 7 2 1 Dr. G.S. Proctor
1893 0 2 0 Coach Unknown Record Incomplete

1891-1892: Results Unavailable

[5][6]

Conference championships

Year Conference Coach Overall Record Conference Record
1995MAACGreg Gattuso10–17–0
1996MAACGreg Gattuso10–18–0
1999MAACGreg Gattuso8–37–1
2000MAACGreg Gattuso10–17–0
2001MAACGreg Gattuso8–36–0
2002MAACGreg Gattuso11–18–0
2003MAACGreg Gattuso8–35–0
2004MAACGreg Gattuso7–34–0
2005MAACJerry Schmitt7–34–0
2006MAAC (Co-Championship)Jerry Schmitt7–33–1
2007MAAC (Co-Championship)Jerry Schmitt6–42–1
2011NEC (Co-Championship)Jerry Schmitt9–27–1
2013NEC (Co-Championship)Jerry Schmitt7–44–2
2015NECJerry Schmitt8–45–1
2016NEC (Co-Championship)Jerry Schmitt8–35–1
2018NEC (Co-Championship)Jerry Schmitt9–45–1
Total conference championships 16

FCS Playoffs results

The Dukes have made two appearances in the FCS Playoffs. Their combined record is 1–2.

Year Round Opponent Result
2015First RoundWilliam & MaryL 49–52
2018First Round
Second Round
Towson
South Dakota State
W 31–10
L 6–51

Major bowl game appearances

Season Date Bowl W/L Opponent PF PA Coach Notes
1933January 1, 1934Festival of Palms BowlWMiami (FL)337Elmer Laydennotes
1936January 1, 1937Orange BowlWMississippi State1312Clipper Smithnotes
Total 2 bowl games 2–0 46 19

References

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