Football Returns for Homecoming Against Columbia Saturday
Central Connecticut plays Columbia on Saturday for Homecoming at Arute Field. The 1:00 p.m. kickoff marks the first homecoming game since 2019. CCSU is coming off a bye week, while Columbia is looking to bounce back from a setback against Princeton.
Fans will be permitted at Arute Field and are asked to review the Fan Attendance Policy for fall/winter sports at CCSU. Tailgating will not be allowed on the campus of CCSU.
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TODAY'S GAME • The Blue Devils return home for the first time since Sept. 18 hosting Columbia today for Homecoming at 1 p.m. Today marks Central's final non-conference game of the season. The final six games of the season are all NEC contests.
COVID-19 HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS • All outside visitors attending games at Arute Field this season are asked to follow the health & safety protocols put in place at CCSU. Vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a mask outdoors. Non-vaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask. The wearing of face masks is required indoors at all CCSU athletics facilities. Masks must cover the nose and mouth and have tension that reasonably seals both the top and bottom of the mask. Individuals are required to follow the state's 3 feet physical distancing guideline both indoors and outdoors. Visitors to campus who are not registered CCSU faculty, staff or students, are required to complete the campus visitor symptom tracker (bit.ly/3lbtYjr) prior to coming to campus. Verification of completion of the symptom tracker may be required before entrance to the stadium. This can be done directly from your mobile device
TIME OF POSSESSION • The Blue Devils hold the ball for an average of 37:09 per game, which leads the Northeast Conference and ranks 2nd in the FCS subdivision. CCSU held the ball for a season-high 53:51 in the season-opener against Southern Connecticut. Central had the ball for just 26:19 in its win at Wagner - a season-low.
BOOMING BLUE DEVIL • Freshman Aidan Clark has been strong in the punting game for CCSU. He ranks third in the Northeast Conference, averaging 37.3 yards per punt, while putting seven kicks inside the 20. He has a long of 60 yards that he boomed at Wagner. Against Miami, he put four punts inside the 20 and ripped off three kicks of at least 50 yards, including a long of 58 yards.
DUAL THREAT • Junior Dexter Lawson has been a standout for the Blue Devils on defense and special teams. Lawson leads the Northeast Conference with 1.2 passes defended per game and an interception. He is also among the league leaders with a 19.2 yards kick return average and has posted 7.2 yards per punt return. In his career, Lawson has recorded seven interceptions, which ranks him among the top-12 all-time at CCSU.
IT'S BEEN AWHILE • Following its win at Wagner on Sept. 11, Central has not lost a Northeast Conference game since November 17, 2018, a streak of eight games. CCSU went unbeaten during the 2019 season (7-0) against league opponents and last dropped a conference game in the final game of 2018, 38-31 at Duquesne.
APPLYING PRESSURE • Senior Kelvin Apari leads the Blue Devils with 2.0 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. Both marks have him among the NEC leaderboard. In CCSU's win at Wagner, Apari became the first Blue Devil to record two sacks in a game since Brandon Puritt on Nov. 2, 2019, at Wagner. He also added 4.0 tackles for loss in the victory.
UP NEXT • Central returns to NEC play with a trip to Sacred Heart for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The Blue Devils' final six games will all be conference contests.