Duquesne Dukes Fan Forum / UMASS Game... Dukes getting respect but big underdogs.

**Posted by coffee** 8/25/2018 8:11 am

The spread is around 10-23 points. Good article below from Massachusetts. Do we have a starter picked at QB yet?

Sportsbooks list UMass as a 23-point home favorite. The over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 66.5. I'd take the points here.

https://www.gazettenet.com/UMass-can-t-overlook-FCS-foe-Duquesne-19656643

Oddsshark has UMass by 10.5...

https://www.oddsshark.com/ncaaf/duquesne-massachusetts-odds-august-25-2018-973860

Last edited by coffee (8/25/2018 8:42 am)

**Posted by coffee** 8/25/2018 8:30 am

MyBookie says take the points...
https://mybookie.ag/news/ncaaf/duquesne-umass-preview-pick/

**Posted by ElDuque** 8/25/2018 8:45 am

Looks like Bumbraugh, but Schmitt says he may use two QBs this season.

**Posted by PhoenixRising2** 8/25/2018 9:24 am

The betting line seems to have settled - Dukes are around a 20 point underdog. Over/Under is 57½ makes the Over bet look even more tempting.

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-football/odds/las-vegas/

Last edited by PhoenixRising2 (8/25/2018 9:25 am)

**Posted by ElDuque** 8/25/2018 3:56 pm

Let's kick some UMass.

**Posted by PhoenixRising2** 8/25/2018 10:10 pm

That was embarrassing.

**Posted by levon1975** 8/27/2018 8:44 am

I hope Duquesne was well compensated for being embarrassed on the field. Hawaii could be much worse; and WVU in 2023 will likely score at will. Keep the clock running and please don’t televise these non competitive massacre games.
I don’t have any idea where Duquesne is heading with this football program; so it is hard to understand why they would want to subject themselves to such beatings by playing teams that are anywhere from 1-3 levels higher. Unless they are willing to upgrade expenditures for facilities, coaching staff, recruiting and conference affiliation; I see no point in getting your butts kicked in games that are decided when they are scheduled!

**Posted by ElDuque** 8/27/2018 12:26 pm

Maybe a little hasty, guys. Couple years ago Buffalo seemed like a sure bet to wallop us at their place and the game was a lot closer than anyone thought. I think the talent level keeps going up. It's not easy when the opponent has that many more scholarships.

**Posted by PhoenixRising2** 8/27/2018 1:32 pm

Agree that it is not easy, and it is nearly impossible to squeeze out a win on the road against a FBS or top tier FCS team. But that game should have been more competitive (the bookies had this as a 3 touchdown game) against an independent FBS team (and they weren't playing Notre Dame ) - it certainly wasn't one of the better efforts by the Dukes. As you mentioned, they were very competitive with both Buffalo (and Liberty who was stepping up) in the FBS. And it may have been having another new quarterback, Daniel Parr, leading them; the Dukes did get smacked around last year by South Dakota St. with Tommy Stuart starting his first game for the Dukes. Long season ahead.

Last edited by PhoenixRising2 (8/27/2018 1:34 pm)

**Posted by levon1975** 8/27/2018 4:32 pm

Although the final score was disappointing, my comments were more in relation to the plan for the program. Is there an end game to playing out of your class? Is there a firm vision as to where this takes us? Do we have goals beyond just getting wacked for a pay check?
In terms of the talent level improving, as mentioned above, I just don't see the results of that on the field. Is the talent level any greater now than it was when Gattuso was coaching? I recall that Leigh Bodden, who played several years ago was a pretty talented guy that eventually became a starter in the NFL. Are there any guys of that caliber on the present team?

**Posted by ElDuque** 8/27/2018 6:16 pm

Nehari Crawford should get a look in the NFL. Graham Larson currently has a good shot at Steelers' practice squad.

I don't know what the master plan is for football. Would be a good question for Mr. Harper next time he is interviewed.

**Posted by yak-rbc** 8/27/2018 9:01 pm

i think it's fair to speculate that the West Virginia game is a sign that the Dukes are trying to move out of the NEC.

On a second note, these buy games can fund a lot for a program like us. As was mentioned on this board last season, the South Dakota State game paid for the salary of a new assistant for an entire year

**Posted by kcc173** 8/27/2018 9:16 pm

I don’t understand all the angst over this game. What did you expect? More and more 1AA schools are taking their shot st FBS teams. Look at Albany taking on Pitt as well as NEC Wagner playing Syracuse. You could make a list a mile long. Yes, it is a big payday for a probable hefty loss in many cases. We bit off more than we could chew this year with 2 FBS opponents but everyone seemed excited before the debacle unfolded. As for a long season ahead? 9-2 is not impossible and 7-4 not a disastrous failure. The focus should be getting to 9-2 - difficult but attainable. Yes, the blowout showed us the gap between FBS and, frankly, lower rated FCS conferences. Let’s just take our medicine and enjoy what still shapes up as a fine season.

**Posted by PhoenixRising2** 8/28/2018 7:20 am

kcc173, a clarification, I’m not throwing in the towel at all. It was a bad choice of words using “long season ahead”; I wanted to convey that there were many games left this season and to put the UMass game behind them (like they did last year after a similar blowout at SDSU).

**Posted by kcc173** 8/28/2018 7:38 am

Did not really intend to single you out but just questioned overall tone on the board. Yes- fans AND team must turn the page. I certainly believe in the program and the direction - Go Dukes.

**Posted by Judge Jack McVay Jr** 8/28/2018 6:48 pm

Hello all and thank you everyone for posting about Duquesne football. I would have posted earlier except that I couldn't sit down for a few days after that butt whoopin!I attended the game Saturday and saw what you guys saw but the yeam kept playing and
couple of bright spots too including AJ O lineman did okay Reid Ducrois db from boise made plays etc.Parr was off and missed Kellon and Nehari a few times but showed heart and surprised me running with the ball Hopefully there are more schollies in tbe future for football but Dave Harper is committed to improving all 3 major sports and first wants to dominate NEC and then go from there especially if NEC breaks up

Last edited by Judge Jack McVay Jr (8/28/2018 6:51 pm)

**Posted by levon1975** 8/29/2018 2:08 pm

Thanks Judge,
I keep looking for that first goal to be attained, dominating the NEC; but they seem to fall just short of the goal. You would think that Duquesne would be positioned well to dominate the NEC; especially with the struggles of RMU lately; but it hasn’t transpired.

**Posted by Judge Jack McVay Jr** 8/29/2018 10:52 pm

Levon1975 you raised valid questions and I appreciate them and Dukes need to win NEC outright with a degree of regularity and FCS playoffs. I believe that they are on the verge of this and hopefully we're going to win NEC this season. Thanks again

**Posted by coffee** 8/30/2018 8:49 pm

The Dukes weren't going to win this one but the mistakes they made were not all forced by UMass. It started with the first juggled interception that should have been a first down. The coup de gras was the fumbled punt at the end. You do that against any NEC team and we lose too.

If the Dukes played a good game they would have not been as embarrassed.