No. 25 Duquesne surges past Robert Morris for 7th straight win in NEC showdown

Darius Perrantes and John Erby became friends while at Rhode Island, and they’ve remained close years later at Duquesne.

That bond never was stronger than Saturday at Rooney Field.

Perrantes threw four touchdown passes — three to Erby — and No. 25 Duquesne raced to its seventh straight victory, 31-6 over Robert Morris, to seize control of first place in the Northeast Conference with two regular-season games remaining.

“Every game is a big game,” said Erby, a graduate transfer receiver from Rhode Island. “These opportunities don’t always come along, and we have to take advantage. We don’t take any opponent lightly.”

Duquesne, in a renewal of its series with Robert Morris, certainly didn’t take the Colonials lightly in administering a sound beating in their latest meeting, an outcome that vaulted the Dukes to the top of the NEC standings.

Duquesne outgained Robert Morris, 383-237, in total yards. The Dukes defense sacked RMU quarterback Anthony Chiccitt six times and intercepted one of his passes.

“I’m very, very proud of our team in all three phases of the way they played today,” Duquesne coach Jerry Schmitt said.

After finding its way through a pair of lopsided losses against FBS programs to start the season, Duquesne (7-2, 4-0) is on a roll. Robert Morris had no answer all day for the Dukes.

“I wasn’t sure if any of our guys knew about the Robert Morris rivalry,” said Schmitt, who’s in his 20th season as Duquesne’s coach. “In the old days, you didn’t have to get their attention.”

Just one player remains from the previous game in 2019.

“I wasn’t sure what to think, but these guys practiced really with a pace about them and a vibe to prepare for this game. Probably because it was for first place. In the conference, every week is a playoff game right now. You’ve got to keep playing and keep playing.”

Defending champion Duquesne, new to the Stats Perform FCS Top 25, holds a one-game lead over Robert Morris (6-4, 3-1) and Central Connecticut State (5-5, 3-1) in the NEC standings.

The regular-season winner earns an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

“Obviously, today was great, but it’s on to the next one,” Perrantes said. “We have two more games against great opponents. We can’t overlook anybody because everybody’s going to come at us with their best.”

Duquesne faces Wagner, and Robert Morris visits Central Connecticut State on Saturday before the Dukes play at Central Connecticut State, and the Colonials host Stonehill on Nov. 23.

“I’m just so proud that these guys came out and played like they practiced,” Schmitt said.

Robert Morris coach Bernard Clark said it was a one-sided affair from start to finish.

“We got outcoached. We got outplayed,” he said. “That’s what happens when you get outcoached and outplayed. You lose the football game. Coach Schmitt had his guys ready to play. They played outstanding. We’ll give them the credit. We didn’t play well at all.”

Perrantes, a 6-foot, 220-pound senior who spent just one season at Rhode Island before coming to Duquesne and building a stellar resume, finished 14 for 26 for 231 yards.

Erby, in his first season with the Dukes, had six receptions for 126 yards in the series’ first game since 2019 before Robert Morris joined the Big South/Ohio Valley Conference then returned to the NEC this year.

JaMario Clements rushed for 105 yards on 22 carries for Duquesne. Running back mate Taj Butts, out for much of the season with a knee injury, returned to the lineup for the first time in five weeks and finished with 40 yards on 12 carries.

Chiccitt played through those six sacks to finish 10 for 22 for 122 yards. He threw one interception in the third quarter that blunted a Robert Morris drive deep in Duquesne territory with the Dukes leading 21-0.

“They just outplayed us. That’s what it boils down to,” Clark said. “That’s what it looks like when you get your behind beat. There’s no sugarcoating it. We didn’t beat ourselves, they beat us. They had a great game plan.”

Duquesne, which opened the year with losses at Toledo and Boston College, dominated the first half as Perrantes completed 9 of 18 passes for 155 yards and Clements rushed for 63 yards.

The Perrantes-to-Erby tandem clicked on scoring plays of 13, 45 and 18 yards, the last coming with just 29 seconds remaining before halftime when Perrantes tossed to a diving Erby in the left corner of the end zone.

Duquesne punter Kyle Romenick boomed a pair of kicks 73 and 54 yards, pinning Robert Morris on its 4 on both occasions, and the Dukes found the end zone for a third time after taking possession at the Robert Morris 48 following Steven Earnest’s 42-yard punt from the Colonials 2.

Duquesne faced fourth-and-7 on its first possession at the Robert Morris 40, when Schmitt kept his offense on the field. Perrantes responded by throwing a 26-yard completion to Tedy Afful, setting up the 13-yard scoring pass to Erby three plays later.

Duquesne made it 14-0 on Perrantes’ 45-yard scoring pass to Erby on the second play of the second quarter, capping a seven-play, 88-yard drive.

Robert Morris threatened to get on the board in the third. But after Chiccitt drove the Colonials to the Duquesne 14, Ty Howard picked off his pass near the goal line to end the threat.

After a scoreless third quarter, Brian Bruzdewicz’s 25-yard field goal boosted Duquesne’s lead to 24-0 early in the fourth before the Robert Morris offense finally clicked.

Chiccitt led the Colonials on a four-play, 51-yard drive, completing three straight passes, including a 10-yard score to Delvecchio Powell II.

Duquesne responded when Perrantes took the Dukes 75 yards in eight plays, the capper a 44-yard touchdown pass to Joey Isabella, making it 31-6 with 6:59 remaining.

Butts rushed six straight times for 29 yards during the drive.

With Duquesne taking over first place in the conference, might it be a time to celebrate?

“Just go by the 24-hour rule on that,” Erby said.