NEC Championship - CCSU at Duquesne

[aceinthehole]

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From CCSU Game Notes (http://www.ccsubluedevils.com/sports/fball/2017-18/CCSUNotes-Duquesne111117.pdf):

Today’s Game • The Blue Devils travel to Duquesne this afternoon with a Northeast Conference Championship and berth to the NCAA FCS Playoffs on the line. The winner of today's game will secure the NEC title and move to 5-0 in conference play this season with just one week of league games remaining.

Looking for Seven Straight W's • The Blue Devils have won six straight games for the first time since the 2009 season and enter today's game looking to win its seventh straight. Central hasn't won seven straight games since the 1967 season. That season CCSU won the first seven games of the year and then finished the season 7-1 overall.

123 Yards • The Blue Devils allowed just 123 total offensive yards to St. Francis U in the 28-10 win last Saturday. Since moving to the FCS/I-AA level in 1993, it's the fewest yards the Blue Devils have ever allowed to another Division I opponents. That's a span of 264 games.

Defensive TD's • The Blue Devils lead the country in defensive touchdowns this season with six. The Blue Devils have returned two fumbles and four interceptions for a touchdown in the nine games this season. Senior Najae Brown and junior Tymir Hinton each have a pair of those touchdowns.

Interceptions for a Score • The Blue Devils have now returned seven interceptions for a touchdown in their last 19 games, dating back to last season. Junior Tymir Hinton returned an interception 100 yards in the four overtime win over Wagner on Oct. 14, the fourth pick for a score this year for the Blue Devils. Central has intercepted 11 passes during its six-game winning streak and has a pick-6 in four of the last six games. CCSU tied an NCAA record by returning an interception in four straight games from Sept. 23 through Oct. 14.

26 or More • The Blue Devils are riding a six-game winning streak and have scored 26 or more points in each of those six games. It's the first time in school history that CCSU has 26 or more points in six consecutive games.

Turnovers • The Blue Devils are third in the country in turnover margin this season (+14) having forced 11 fumbles and intercepted 12 passes this season, while losing just two fumbles and throwing seven interceptions in nine games this season.

Looking to Move to 5-0 • The Blue Devils are looking to move to 5-0 in Northeast Conference play for the first time since the 2010 season. CCSU started that season 5-0 in league play. CCSU also started the 2009 NEC season 5-0. The Blue Devils finished each of those seasons 7-1 in league play.

[BucBisonAtLarge]

Go, Central!

[Bluefish845]

Congrats!! you wouldn't want it any other way. Tough road through Duquesne. The Blue Devil opportunistic defense will have to find some magic one more time in order to escape with a W. The Dukes are very well balanced on both sides of the ball. Good Luck!

[Gangtackle11]

Pulling for Coach Rossomando also!!

[katss07]

Go Blue Devils! Hope to see you guys advance into the playoffs. First "play in" type game of the year. Good Luck!

[RedFlash]

I'll be rooting for CCSU this weekend, but will likely pick the Dukes in our weekly pick 'em. The Hines/Stuart combination has been really good as of late - and that field is such a strange place to play that I think it effects visiting teams for some reason. (Personally - as a visiting fan, I think it's great to be that close to the action, but I've heard from players from both SFU and RMU that they hate playing there.)

[aceinthehole]

CCSU and coach Ross need this one bad. The program isn't where needs to be, but a NEC Championship and playoff bid will go a long way in New Britain.


From Duquesne Game Notes (http://www.goduquesne.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/110817aaa.html):

OPENING KICK
• The Dukes (7-2, 4-0) and Blue Devils (6-3, 4-0) clash with the NEC title on the line Saturday at Rooney Field. The winner of the matchup will claim at least a share of the conference crown as well as earn the NEC's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.

• Duquesne will look to win its fifth NEC championship and its third conference title in a row. The Dukes are seeking their second FCS Playoff appearance after earning a bid to the postseason with an outright conference title in 2015. Duquesne also won a share of the league crown in 2011, 2013 and 2016.

• CCSU is seeking is first NEC title since 2010. The Blue Devils have won four NEC championships, sharing the crown in 2004, 2005 and 2010 with an outright title in 2009. CCSU is looking to make its first ever FCS Playoff appearance.

• The last team to finish undefeated in NEC play was Albany in 2008. The Great Danes finished with a perfect 7-0 ledger in league action.

• Quarterback Tommy Stuart (http://www.goduquesne.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/tommy_stuart_1040121.html) was recently one of five players added to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List.

• Running back A.J. Hines (http://www.goduquesne.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/aj_hines_1022803.html) had a career day last week at Liberty, tallying a career-high 253 rushing yards on 25 carries with a pair of touchdown runs.

QUICK HITS
• Duquesne battles Central Connecticut State for the NEC title and the conference's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. Both teams are looking for their fifth NEC crown.

• The Dukes won the conference outright in 2015, earning their first-ever bid to the FCS Playoffs, where they fell in a shootout to No. 13 William & Mary by a score of 52-49.

• The Blue Devils last won an NEC title in 2010. CCSU is seeking its first trip to the FCS Playoffs.

• The Dukes return to NEC play after stepping out of conference action last week for a matchup against Liberty, a member of the Big South Conference.

• Duquesne dropped a 27-24 decision to the Flames last week, who are in their last season in a transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

• DU is off to its first 4-0 start in the Northeast Conference (NEC) era. The Dukes last started 3-0 in conference play in 2005 as members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).

• DU is receiving 11 votes in the latest STAS FCS Top 25 released on Monday.

• Quarterback Tommy Stuart (http://www.goduquesne.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/tommy_stuart_1040121.html) (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall/Boise State) was one of five players added to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List released on Tuesday. The Payton Award is given to the offensive player of the year in FCS football. 33 players have been named to the watch list.

• Stuart was also recently named to the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy Midseason Watch List. Stuart was one of 36 FCS players named to the midseason watch list. The award winner will be announced Jan. 10, 2018.

• Dukes running back A.J. Hines (http://www.goduquesne.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/aj_hines_1022803.html) (Wilson, N.C./Fike) is coming off a pair of career performances, rushing for a career-high 253 yards on 25 carries with a pair of touchdowns last week at Liberty. This followed a three-touchdown day at Sacred Heart, a figure which matched a career-high for the sophomore. Hines' 253 rushing yards against Liberty are the fifth-most by a Duquesne player in a single game.

[aceinthehole]

CCSU - 14
Duquesne - 7

Halftime

[aceinthehole]

CCSU - 21
Duquesne - 27

5:16 Q4

[aceinthehole]

CCSU - 28
Duquesne - 27

2:17 Q4

[cx500d]

oh oh for duquesne

[cx500d]

oh oh for CCSU.....

[cx500d]

holy ****.....what a dumb play by duquesne

- - - Updated - - -

lucky lucky lucky for duquesne

[dwtime]

Central Conn just got jobbed, great play intercepts and he gets called for interference.

[cx500d]

holy ****, missed a 12 yard field goal

[dwtime]

Well that was justice, Duquesne kicker chokes they were on the 1 yard line!!!!!

[TheKingpin28]

holy ****, missed a 12 yard field goal

Are you ****ting me?

[dwtime]

holy ****, missed a 12 yard field goal

Epic choke.

[cx500d]

a short fieldgoal from the hash....too much angle....Sorry, 18 yds, not 12. It was snapped from the 1.

- - - Updated - - -

Great game CCSU.... Congrats!

[aceinthehole]

CCSU - 28
Duquesne - 27

Central Connecticut wins their first NEC Championship since 2010 and earns their first NCAA Playoff bid.

Absolutely amazing game. Dukes missed the game-winning FG to end the game.

[dwtime]

CCSU - 28
Duquesne - 27

Central Connecticut wins their first NEC Championship since 2010 and earns their first NCAA Playoff bid.

Absolutely amazing game. Dukes missed the game-winning FG to end the game.

Great comeback I was sure the game was over even earlier.

[aceinthehole]

Great comeback I was sure the game was over even earlier.

Me too. Duquesne scored 27 straight points and had a 13-point lead with 10:29 left in the game.

This wasn't Central's best game of the year by far, but they did show a lot of fight. I thought we played poorly at times, made too many mistakes, were not well coached in some aspects, and came out asleep in the 3rd quarter. But I will take the win and the trip to the playoffs.

Let the speculation begin on who we will play in the first round!!!

[aceinthehole]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DOYP8gwXcAA60D8.jpg

[blackbeard]

Congrats Ace and the CCSU Blue Devils.