Rowan DuBois | staff writer

Duquesne handed red-hot Central Connecticut State its first conference loss of the season 38-33 on Saturday off the back of a career-high 254 rushing yard performance from running back Taj Butts to keep its playoff hopes alive.

The high-scoring win was secured when defensive back Antonio Epps hauled in a game-sealing interception on the goal line with under a minute to go.

“We have battled with [CCSU] for years,” Duquesne Head Coach Jerry Schmitt said. “Our guys know that when we play there’s a lot on the line.”

The win moved the Dukes to 6-5 (4-2 NEC), meaning a win in their final matchup against Robert Morris and a CCSU loss to Mercyhurst would give Duquesne the NEC crown and a spot in the FCS playoffs.

“It’s huge that we have a chance to go win another football game,” Schmitt said. “[We] hope to get some help, but we’re in the battle, we’re in that conversion. That’s what we always talk about, our goal is to be in the playoff hunt in the last week or two of the season.”

CCSU came into the matchup on a five-game win streak, but fell to 7-4 (5-1 NEC) while the Dukes put an end to their two-game skid.

Butts’ 254 rushing yards was the most since Mike Hilliard set Duquesne’s school record in 2003 with 323 yards. The performance came after Butts had seen limited playtime throughout the year while battling injury.

“We had talked a little bit about how it’s [Taj’s] senior year, his last year, and he is not able to play,” Schmitt said. “I’m just happy for him to have a day like this, and I hope next weekend [he has] another great day to finish his career at Duquesne.”

Butts ran 14 times, averaging over 18 yards per carry. He also found the end zone three times, including a 29-yard burst up the middle to open the scoring, just under 2 minutes into the game.

“I knew I was going to be able to come out there and help my team be successful,” Butts said, “but to be as successful as I was today was just totally amazing. I just thank God.”

In a pattern that would be prevalent all game, the Blue Devils responded quickly with a five-play touchdown drive, and unlike Duquesne, converted the extra point to take a 7-6 lead.

The Dukes followed that up with a 32-yard touchdown lob over the defense to wide receiver Joey Isabella.

CCSU again answered, this time with a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Peter Cleary, who wreaked havoc all day, finishing with five catches for 111 yards.

After punts from both sides, Butts struck again, ripping up the middle for a 57-yard touchdown dart giving the Dukes an 18-13 lead.

Later in the half, the Dukes tacked on another touchdown as quarterback Tyler Riddell once again dumped one over the defense, finding wide receiver Ryan Petras for a 37-yard house call. Duquesne led 25-13 at half.

After a singular third quarter touchdown went to CCSU in the third, Riddell found Isabella in the end zone on a simple slant route to put the Dukes up 32-20.

The grab gave Isabella a career-high 12-touchdown season. That tally leads the NEC and is tied for first in the FCS.

The Blue Devils refused to lie down, though, as quarterback Brady Olson responded with two passing touchdowns of 50 and 40 yards to give CCSU a comeback lead 33-32 with 4:05 on the clock.

As the Dukes got the ball back with 4 minutes left in the game, Butts once again answered the call.

“I was just thinking in my head, you just have to be clutch,” Butts said. “We know what our offense is, and we know we can go score in less than a minute, so I just knew we had to keep doing what we were doing.”

Butts found his most wide open look of the afternoon, tearing through the defense on a 59-yard go-ahead touchdown run that gave the Dukes a 38-33 lead late in the fourth quarter.

CCSU’s resilience continued as it once again drove toward the goal line. On third-and-nine from the Duquesne 20, an Olson pass was broken up by defensive back Joel Kpassou, and Epps made the diving interception to secure the win.

“The way it ended, the way this game went,” Epps said, “It was the best possible way. I am just grateful, and I loved the way we played today.”

Rowan DuBois can be reached at duboisr1@duq.edu