Dukes on top of NEC

A balanced offensive attack and steadfast defensive play helped the Dukes (4-1, 2-0) beat the pouring rain, teeth-chattering temperatures in the mid-40s and Bryant University (3-2, 2-1) to stake a claim that they are the best team in the Northeast Conference, Saturday.

Larry McCoy rushed for 153 yards, his seventh straight 100-yard game and outperformed Bryant's stud running back Jordan Brown in the 31-28 victory. Brown entered the game averaging 149.8 yards per game and nearly met that average with 142 yards on the ground. But the relentless Dukes defense made Bryant's offense largely one-dimensional and helped the red and blue stand in first place atop the NEC with two conference wins

"I mean, [Brown's] a hell of a back," said defensive tackle Mike Passodelis, who had seven tackles. "That offensive line, I think, is the most physical offensive line I've ever played. So we just had to keep coming early and often, and it ended up working out in the end."

Coach Jerry Schmitt knew Brown would be a factor that could push the game in the Rhode Island school's favor.

"We contained him enough to win the football game, and that's about it. A slip here, a slip there, and he's gone," Schmitt said.

McCoy was called upon early and often with 21 carries in the first half alone, but he was also strong late, gaining 49 yards in the fourth quarter.

While it wasn't necessarily in the game plan to hand the ball off to McCoy so much early on, Schmitt said the weather took speedy outside options Bill Bair and Marcus Hughes out of the equation.

"We had hoped not to do that, but the game dictated it. He's our guy. He protects the football, does a good job with it," Schmitt said.

McCoy said he expected a heavy workload.

"Especially with the rain, I really had to make sure the ball was secure while also fighting for yards," McCoy said. "Both of those combined, I really had to work for yards today."

The Dukes were the dominant team early, entering the half up 17-7 after a 33-yard touchdown grab by Connor Dixon and a 2-yard run from McCoy. The Bulldogs score came on quarterback Mike Croce's 1-yard scramble directly over his center following a third-and-six play where Croce, despite being wrapped at the angles and nearly falling for a sack, connected with Matt Tracey for eight yards to the Duquesne goal line.

The Bulldogs came out firing in the second half, scoring two unanswered touchdowns in the first eight minutes of the third quarter.

"They're a good team. If you give them a short field, it's tough to defend," Schmitt said. "We threw the interception, and they put it in. They're going to capitalize."

Brown, who was held to 62 yards in the first half, picked up the slack for Croce's 9-yard first half performance and scored both third quarter touchdowns on an 18-yard dash and a 1-yard  run.

The Dukes defense then strapped down and allowed Sean Patterson to guide the offense back from a 21-17 deficit with a quarter and a half to play.

The consistent rain seemed to affect Patterson's performance the entire afternoon. The redshirt junior quarterback finished 13-for-25 for 160 yards and threw two picks to his three touchdowns, but the veteran's connection with Dixon was all he really needed. The 6-foot-5 receiver, who had five catches for 71 yards, has become Patterson's go-to, and often his greatest passing option in the red zone, where the Dukes scored four out of four times, including three touchdowns

Dixon said he likes to think he's Patterson's safety valve inside the 20.

"I don't know if that's what he thinks, but my size is to my advantage down there, so we try to use it," Dixon said.

Down 21-17, Dixon caught a Patterson pass at the 3-yard-line and, making one defender miss, slipped into the end zone for a 15-yard score. One drive later, Dixon followed with a 10-yard reception in the back of the end zone on a play where Patterson's eyes didn't leave the jersey of number 10 as he swept from the right side of the field to the left.

The final Dixon touchdown put the Dukes up 31-28 with 9:22 to play in the fourth.

The Bulldogs got as close as the Duquesne 38 on the ensuing drive but failed to convert a fourth-and-15 when Croce's pass to Brown fell incomplete.

The Dukes' next possession ticked 3:33 off the clock and left Bryant with four minutes to drive 94 yards. That hope was dashed when defensive back Richie Piekarski pulled in an errant Croce pass midfield and returned it to the Bryant 28, sealing the Dukes' victory.

The Dukes will take a four-game win streak to New York to face Albany (2-2, 1-0) this Saturday.