Five of seven Northeast Conference teams posted victories during Week 1. The only two setbacks came on the road at the hands of an ACC member and the No. 4 team in the Division I FCS Top 25.

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SATURDAY
Triumphant in its first season opener since 2008, ROBERT MORRIS erased a 10-0 deficit to defeat perennial Pioneer League contender Dayton in dramatic fashion. Jimmy Walker's 72-yard touchdown pass to Tavin Allison pulled the Colonials even at 10-10 and freshman Nick Bisceglia's 26-yard field goal with 00:04 remaining broke the tie.

SACRED HEART cruised to a 42-3 victory over Pioneer League member Stetson behind four touchdowns from senior quarterback Kevin Duke. With a pair of rushing scores sandwiched around a 26-yard touchdown pass to Andrew O'Neill, Duke and the Pioneers shot out to a 21-0 lead and never looked back as the defense bottled up the visiting Hatters.

BRYANT scored 29 fourth-quarter points to win a wild season-opening affair over Merrimack in Smithfield. Price Wilson tossed four touchdown passes, two of which went to senior receiver Matt Sewall who totaled 214 yards from scrimmage.

Playing in front of its home crowd for the first time since clinching the 2016 NEC title, SAINT FRANCIS used a complete effort to outclass Lock Haven in the season opener for both sides. The Red Flash, who scored two first-half defensive touchdowns, sprinted out to a 38-0 lead before the game was 20:00 old.


FRIDAY NIGHT
ACC member Syracuse used its size advantage to build a 31-0 halftime lead over CENTRAL CONNECTICUT. The visiting Blue Devils pieced together an eight-play, 74-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter, but could get no closer the rest of the way.


THURSDAY NIGHT
Veteran quarterback Alex Thomson completed 75 percent of his pass attempts for 256 yards and one touchdown while junior running Denzel Knight found the endzone three times during WAGNER’s convincing victory over Saint Anselm. Topping the Division II opponent for the second straight season opener, the Seahawks held Saint Anselm off the scoreboard for the first 49:46.

South Dakota State’s high-powered attack proved too much for DUQUESNE on opening night in Brookings. The No. 4 Jackrabbits, the highest-ranked opponent the Dukes have ever faced at the FCS level, rolled up 609 yards of offense and limited 2016 Jerry Rice Award winner AJ Hines to 49 yards on 13 carries.