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Pittsburgh, PA -- The first-ever NEC Football Championship game lived up to the billing and then some.
Need overtime to settle matters, second-seeded Sacred Heart downed top-seeded Duquesne, 34-27, to take home its fifth NEC title and earn the conference's AQ to the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 2014.
On the first series of OT, Duquesne’s AJ Garson sacked SHU QB Marquez McCray on a third-down play, but on fourth-and-14 from the 29, McCray hit Nasheim Brantley for a touchdown and Noah Gettman’s extra point made it 34-27.
The Dukes (4-1) moved the ball down to the three, but on a first-and-goal, Omar Frazier forced a fumble by Dukes quarterback Joe Mischler that was recovered by Sacred Heart’s Frank Alfano in the end zone to seal it.
SHU's Julius Chestnut had 173 yards rushing, including a 6-yard touchdown run. It marked his fourth consecutive game with 150+ yards. McCray finished 15-of-23 passing for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Brantley had four receptions for 74 yards and hit Garrett Lynn for a 6-yard touchdown on a reverse pass to open the scoring in the first quarter.
Mischler completed 23 of 40 passes for 335 yards and three touchdowns, Billy Lucas had 22 carries for 110 yards and a score, and Cyrus Holder had eight receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown for Duquesne. Joey Isabella added six catches for 76 and two scores.
Sacred Heart's (3-1first scoring drive was set up by a career-long 88-yard punt by Noah Gettman. After a defensive stand, the Pioneers got the back on their own 46-yard line.
The Pioneers converted two third downs, one a nine-yard pass from McCray to Rob DiNota and the other a 12-yard run by Chestnut to set up first in goal. On the end around, wide receiver Brantley hit Lynn for the six-yard touchdown, but the Pios missed the extra point.
With ten seconds remaining in the first quarter, Duquesne's Billy Lucas ran it in from one yard out to take a 7-6 lead.
Brantley played a big role in the second SHU score, hauling in a 25-yard pass to set up first and goal. The McCray to DiNota connection came through again, this time resulting in a touchdown to give SHU a 12-7 lead - after failing to convert a two-point try - it took into the half.
That lead held up due in part to an interception by Randy Brito that ended a Duquesne drive on the SHU four yard line.
The Dukes went up 13-12 on a Mischler to Joey Isabella hookup just 3:19 into the third quarter, but failed on a two-point conversion.
SHU immediately responded. Chestnut's 36-yard run got SHU inside the 10-yard line. Two players later Malik Grant plunged into the end zone from one yard out to regain the lead for the Pios at 20-13 with 7:57 to play in the third.
Chestnut himself found the end zone five minutes later on a six yard run and to boost SHU's lead to 27-13.
Duquesne capped a nine play, 57-yard drive when Mischler found Holder for a 12-yard TD with 11:54 to play.
Trailing by a touchdown, Duquesne took over at its own two with 5:54 to play in the fourth quarter and marched rught down the field. Mischler completed passes of 25 yards to Holder and 30 yards to Davie Henderson before hitting Isabella for a 35-yard touchdown that made it 27-all with 4:18 to play.
The two teams traded punts and SHU ran out to the clock deep in its own territory to send the game to OT.
Duquesne had downed SHU, 30-27, in both team's season opener on March 7.
The Pioneers will learn their FCS Playoff dance partner on April 18 when the bracket is revealed on ESPNU at 11:30 am.