Football opens season with win over Duquesne
By Jon Campbell-Copp
Senior Writer
As if on cue, the clouds parted over Christy-Mathewson Stadium Saturday evening, setting the stage for a season-opening 48-42 Bison victory over Duquesne.
The high-scoring duel saw each team take a turn to showcase its talents, the Orange and Blue running the show for the first half, with the Dukes nearly stealing it after the break. Both quarterbacks were among the game’s top performers, and Bison quarterback Marcello Trigg ’10 went 14-16 for 290 yards and two touchdowns to be named Patriot League offensive player of the week.
“It feels great to win,” Head Coach Tim Landis said after the game. “It doesn’t matter if it’s by one or 35—it’s great to win.”
From kickoff until the whistle at halftime, the Bison proved successful. The offense showed its versatility with big yardage passes from Trigg to Shaun Pasternak ’11 and Josh Lee ’10, coupled with backfield bursts from Ryan Smith ’11 and A.J. Kizekai ’10.
“I play every game like it’s a new one,” Trigg said. “I forget about last year or last week, because the only change you can make is right now.”
The Bison defense was stifling through the first half, allowing only one touchdown and causing multiple turnovers.
Sam Nana-Sinkam ’10, returning after sitting out all of last year with a shoulder injury, led the Bison with eight tackles, followed by Todd Manjuck ’09 who chalked up seven.
The Bison started slowly as their second offensive play resulted in a fumble recovered by the Dukes. The defense held to force a punt, returning the ball to Trigg, who drove the Bison downfield with an array of passes, screens and the patented option pitch. He scored the first touchdown of the game with seven minutes and 52 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The Bison struck again several minutes later as Smith broke loose from midfield and burned a path 48 yards long into the end zone.
“So much of our success really had to do with the offensive line,” Trigg said following the game. “They dominated the line, protecting us, and the coaches called just the right plays.”
Leading 14-0 to start the second quarter, the Bison forced another Duquesne punt and capitalized shortly after as Trigg found Lee downfield for a 44-yard touchdown reception and a 21-0 lead.
Penalties were costly for the Bison all game, and the Dukes, finding the flags falling their way, were able to hold on and set up a 22-yard connection between the Dukes’ quarterback Connor Dixon and wide-out Sean Bunevich.
With 6:35 left in the half, Trigg faked a handoff in the backfield before zipping a bullet straight to Pasternak.
After a little shake on the safety, Pasternak broke free for a 42-yard score and a 28-7 advantage.
Bison defensive back Jason Davis ’10 forced a fumble in Duquesne territory on the next drive. The offense used the opportunity again, this time with a two-yard goal line charge from Smith to make it 35-7 for the Bison with 4:12 remaining in the second quarter.
The Dukes tried to hold onto the ball into halftime, but Trigg and his offense were soon back in the huddle after Julius Hopson ’09 got a hand in forcing another Duquesne fumble.
Several plays later found fans on their feet as Kizekai made a dash to the outside for the score, plowing over the line and through the Dukes’ linebacker.
The Bison came just short of tying the school record of 49 points in a single half, as they headed into halftime with a score of 42-7.
The Orange and Blue were unable to hold onto the momentum in the second half. Dixon, the Dukes’ quarterback and a Michigan State transfer, now took his turn to make big plays from the pocket, while the Bison seemed to mirror the first half play of Duquesne.
Though the Bison did score on their opening drive, a long push from end-to-end, with Trigg converting for the touchdown with 8:21 left in the third, these were the last points the team posted all night.
Will Carney ’09 missed the extra point, giving the Bison a 48-7 lead. Dixon threw two big passes to start the Dukes’ next drive, the second one hitting wide receiver Conrad Carter for a 16-yard score.
Trailing 48-14, Duquesne closed out the third quarter with almost another touchdown, but the Bison’s steely goal line defense forced a fumble for a touchback and a fresh set of downs heading the other way.
“I sure give them credit for their surge in the second half,” Landis said. “They played excellent, and we’ll go back and learn from it. We’ll get in that film room and fix what needs to be fixed.”
The final stanza was to Duquesne what most of the first half was to the Bison.
Dixon threw four touchdowns, setting a new school record for Duquesne of six touchdown passes, supported gracefully by 429 total passing yards.
The Bison fumbled twice and never threatened the Dukes’ end zone for the remainder of the game. The final Dukes score came with just 15 seconds left on the clock: Dixon tucked an 18-yard pass into Alex Roberson in the corner of the end zone for Duquesne to trail just 48-42.
The Dukes went with an onside kick in hopes of perhaps pulling off a miracle recovery, but the Bison special teams covered it up and ran out the clock on the following play.
“We practice hard every week,” Nana-Sinkam said. “We got a little lackadaisical there at halftime, but that’s what practices are all about, going back and fixing what you did wrong. I am just grateful to be playing football.”
The win was the fifth straight for the Bison against Duquesne, and keeps Landis undefeated against the Dukes.
The Bison will travel to Moon Township, Pa., tomorrow, heading into their first-ever match-up with Robert Morris. The Bison will look to make two straight wins to start the season before returning home next week to face Ivy League opponent Cornell at 6 p.m. on Sept. 20.
