The eight-hour bus ride back to Pittsburgh was agonizingly silent for the Duquesne Dukes. Following a stunning 21-14 upset loss to Central Connecticut State in last year’s regular-season finale, the team had just watched an outright NEC championship and an FCS playoff berth slip through its fingers.
“I don’t think there has ever been a quieter bus ride than that one,” said defensive back Antonio Epps. “It ended just like that. It was an eight-hour drive. You could hear a pin drop. It hit everyone really hard.”
The defeat was particularly jarring. Duquesne had stormed through its first five conference games, outscoring opponents 206-89. But a shocking eight-turnover performance from All-NEC quarterback Darius Perrantes and a resilient Blue Devils team abruptly halted their championship run.
For Jerry Schmitt, now in his 21st season as head coach, the loss presented a unique challenge. While his teams are coached to quickly move on from defeats, there was no next game to prepare for. The failure lingered for nearly nine months.
“That was a tough one,” Schmitt said. “It probably took a little bit longer for some guys. But we focused right away on moving on. Always use what happened to learn and get better. Our failures help us learn to be better.”
That message has resonated with a team that, while featuring a new starting quarterback in Gardner-Webb transfer Tyler Riddell, returns 16 of 21 starters on offense and defense.
“That loss was something that we don’t want to feel again,” Epps said. “A lot of us on this team are in our last year, and that feeling will never go away. It sticks with me to this day. We are determined not to let that happen again this year.”
The team’s resolve will be tested immediately. The Dukes open their 2025 season Saturday at Acrisure Stadium as 37.5-point underdogs against Pitt. However, the excitement surrounding the renewal of a local rivalry dormant since 1939 has helped to overshadow any lingering disappointment from last season.
“The environment is going to be loud, and it is going to be fun,” defensive lineman A.J. Ackerman said. “I’m excited to be on the field. I’m really excited about the guys who were brought in and the guys we have coming back.”
Duquesne is no stranger to facing formidable opponents, having recently played ACC and Big 12 schools like Florida State, TCU, and West Virginia. Ackerman said those games provided valuable lessons on the precision required to compete at a higher level.
“You notice it on tape. You can see how consistent FBS teams are,” Ackerman explained. “When you get a shot, you have to take it because it is only going to happen every so often, as compared to an FCS school where there is more opportunity.”
Whatever Saturday’s outcome, the journey home will be far less daunting. The 2.7-mile drive from Acrisure Stadium back to Duquesne’s campus will be a swift trip, a stark contrast to the long, silent ride that defined their offseason.
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