Football Wins NEC Crown with 21-14 Win Over Duquesne

The Central Connecticut football team claimed the Northeast Conference championship with a 21-14 win over 19th-ranked Duquesne on Saturday at Arute Field. The Blue Devils forced eight turnovers in the win. 

The Central defense snared seven interceptions, including three by Christopher Jean and two by Davone Walden, Jr. Jalen Howard chipped in with a sack and a forced fumble to go with four tackles. 

CCSU gained 342 yards of offense, while Duquesne had 358 yards. Elijah Howard ran for 110 yards and had a pair of touchdowns. Isaac Boston finished with 68 yards on seven catches, while Brady Olson finished with 216 yards passing.

Central will find out its opponent for the FCS playoffs on Sunday at 12:30 on ESPNU.

GAME INFORMATION

Score:  CCSU 21, #19 DUQUESNE 14
Records: CCSU (7-5, 5-1 NEC), DUQ (8-3, 5-1)
Location: Arute Field | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• The game's first seven possessions ended in punts before a Vince Thomas interception gave the Blue Devils the ball just inside Duquesne territory. Although CCSU would punt on the ensuing possession and kick the ball back to the Dukes, Christopher Jean would intercept a Darius Perrantes pass at the Duquesne 48 yardline to set up Central. A 15-yard completion to Isaac Boston would move the ball into field goal range and Jack Barnum's 47-yard field goal would put CCSU ahead 3-0.
• Following Barnum's kick, the teams would trade scores on the next two possessions. The Dukes would take a 7-3 lead on a 36-yard pass from Perrantes to Joey Isabella on the ensuing possession. CCSU would respond with a three-play, 69 yard drive to regain the lead. A 49-yard pass from Olson to Paul Marsh, Jr. wwould put the ball down to the Duquesne four yardline. Elijah Howard would punch it in on the next play to put Central up 10-7.
• Central would force their third turnover of the half when Jean picked off his second pass of the day just before halftime at the CCSU 45 yardline. The Blue Devils would cover 42 yards in seven plays and Barnum's kick was good from 24 yards to make it 13-7 at halftime.
• Duquesne received the second half kick and on the first play of the period Perrantes connected with Isabella for an 85-yard score to go ahead 14-13.
• CCSU would collect its fifth interception of the game when Jean picked off his third of the contest, tying the single-game school-record, and the Blue Devils took over on the Duquesne 32-yardline. CCSU would take advantage of a 12-yard run by Howard, and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to move to the six-yardline. Howard would score his second touchdown of the day and then caught the two-point conversion to give Central a 21-14 lead. 
• The Blue Devils' defense would force two critical Duquesne turnovers to seal the win. After taking over in their own territory, the Dukes would drive 59 yards down to the CCSU 13-yardline. On 2nd-and-14, Perrantes would attempt a pass into endzone where Central's Davonte Walden, Jr., would come down with it inbounds at the back of the endzone. Duquesne would get the ball back with 1:38 to play and drove into Blue Devils territory. Deon McLean would pick off the seventh interception of the day to seal the win.

NUMBER TO KNOW

7 - The CCSU defense picked off seven passes in the win to claim their seventh NEC title.

NOTE

• The CCSU defense held Duquesne to just 14 points, its fewest scored in FCS play this season.
• Jean's three interceptions tied a CCSU single-game record held by Jerry Washington, Tom Power and Chris Blackshear. 
• Entering play today, three is the most interceptions by an individual in FCS play this season, with three players having done so prior to Jean today.
• It was CCSU's first win over a ranked opponent since the 2014 season-opener, a 31-27 win at 7th-ranked Towson.
• Howard has 1,823 career rushing yards to move into 11th all-time at CCSU.
• Barnum has 15 field goals on the season, a CCSU single-season record. He held the previous mark along with Paul Flynn.
• The Blue Devils' win ended a three-game Dukes win streak in the series.
• The Blue Devils seven interceptions is the most by a team in a game entering play today (Nicholls had six INT on 9/21).

UP NEXT

• Central will find out its opponent for the FCS playoffs on Sunday at 12:30 on ESPNU.

Follow @CCSUBlueDevils on Twitter and CCSUBlueDevils.com for updates.