Rowan Dubois & Jack Morgan | staff writers

Duquesne’s heavily anticipated 2025 season opener is a revival of a rivalry that has been dormant for 86 years. For the first time since 1939, the Dukes will play the University of Pittsburgh in ‘The Battle for the ‘Burgh’ on Saturday.

After falling short of expectations in 2024, players and fans alike are eager to see what this season holds. The Dukes lost their final game of the season last year to Central Connecticut State, forcing them to split the NEC title and eliminating them from the FCS playoffs. The tough end to the season made the spring even longer, but Duquesne is ready to get back on the field.

“Our guys are chomping at the bit to go play football,” said Duquesne Head Coach Jerry Schmitt.

The Dukes first faced off against the Panthers in 1932, where Duquesne took a 33-0 stomping from the Panthers. The two teams continued to play regularly until 1939, with the series going 4-2 in Pitt’s favor. Duquesne won the last match up 21-13.

Even though they may seem outmatched, Duquesne players will not shy away from adversity. Since 2015, the Dukes have achieved a winning record in nine out of 10 seasons. Pitt will be a tough opponent, but the players say they are up for the challenge.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s Alabama or the Sisters of the Poor,” said the Dukes’ offensive lineman and team captain Cameron McLaurin. “We’re going to prepare the same way every time.”

The team consists of 47 in-state recruits, with 27 from the Pittsburgh region.

“It’s a dream come true for a lot of us,” said Duquesne defensive back and team captain Antonio Epps. “You know a lot of us are from Pittsburgh, so it’s going to be a really exciting moment.”

The game is just one part of Pitt’s ‘Pittsburgh Day,’ meant to celebrate the city and the impact of the universities. The day will include tailgates for both teams, live music, food, Pittsburgh-themed trivia and games, and exclusive merchandise.

Duquesne had seven players named to the preseason All-NEC team, three of which made the 2024 All-NEC team. Wide receiver Joey Isabella was a unanimous pick.

The Panthers started their 2024 campaign flawlessly, achieving a 7-0 record and were ranked as high as number 18 in the Associated Press top 25. Pitt went on to lose the rest of their regular season games and their bowl game, ending the year at 7-6.

The bowl game loss was a historic one for the Panthers, who fell to the Toledo Rockets 48-46 in six overtimes. Their bowl loss is the longest bowl game in recorded history, marking a devastating end to their season.

“I don’t think their record was indicative of how good they are,” Schmitt said.

Pitt will look to be more successful this season after having a combined record of 10-15 in the last two years. Much of the weight will fall on the shoulders of quarterback Eli Holstein and tailback Desmond Reid, who helped improve Pitt’s scoring to 31st in the country, an 83-place jump from the previous season.

Pitt’s most recent FCS matchup was last season against Youngstown State, who they beat 73-17. Duquesne also beat Youngstown State in the 2024 season, but by a much slimmer margin, 28-25. But that doesn’t mean they can’t upset Pitt.

“The confidence is really high,” Epps said. “We have a lot of experience, a lot of older guys who have played in games like this before.”

Offensively, the Dukes will lean on running back Taj Butts, who is returning from an injury-ridden season in 2024. Isabella is Duquesne’s top receiving threat, who was first in conference-play receiving yards and touchdowns, with 547 and nine respectively.

As uncommon as this matchup has been for both school’s football programs, it’s been a regular sight in other sports. The so-called “City Game” has been played 87 times between the schools Men’s Basketball programs, while Duquesne and Pitt’s Women’s Basketball programs have faced off annually since 1986.

Rowan DuBois can be reached at duboisr1@duq.edu

Jack Morgan can be reached at morganj10@duq.edu