The "Wall's" Peninsula Playoff Game of the Week - Duquesne drops wild playoff game to William & Mary 52-49

From today's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review  -- The "Wall" Hits the Road

Duquesne drops wild playoff game to William & Mary

WILLIAMSBURG, VA – Duquesne scored two touchdowns in the first six minutes of  play in their first round FCS playoff game against 13^th-ranked William and Mary, then succumbed to 28 unanswered first-half points by the Tribe, before valiantly fighting back, only to lose a wild 52-49 decision on Saturday.

Trailing 52-41 with under 1:30 remaining in the game, quarterback Dillon Buechel found Wayne Capers for a 42-yard scoring pass. Chris King’s conversion catch cut the lead to 52-49 with 1:11 remaining. But the ensuing onside kick was unsuccessful and the Tribe ran out the clock, but only after a crucial two-yard gain by Kendell Anderson on third-and-two from the Duquesne 36 with 54 seconds left.

Buechel finished the game with 423 passing yards on 33 completions and six touchdowns, tying a Duquesne record.

“I’m proud of our players. We showed great resiliency, but just ran out of time,” said Duke coach Jerry Schmitt, whose team was aiming to win the second ever FCS playoff game by an Northeast Conference team. “It says a lot about our program, and how the NEC has grown that we can come in here and play a #13 team hard like that.”

The key turnover for Duquesne was a blocked field goal, which was returned for a touchdown by William and Mary, resulting in a potential 10-point turnaround.

With 5:34 left in the third quarter, and trailing 31-24, the Dukes (8-4) had failed to convert a first-and-goal situation and opted for a 24-yard field goal attempt by Austin Crimmins. However, Crimmins’ kick was blocked by Tyler Claytor and picked up by DeAndre Houston-Carson, who returned the loose ball 65 yards for the score. With the change in momentum, a possible 31-27 deficit became 38-24.

Fearlessly and immediately, the visiting Dukes went to work from the opening kickoff. Starting at their 29, quarterback Dillon Buechel found Chris King streaking down the right sideline and caught him mid-stride to complete a 71-yard touchdown on the game’s first play.

After the Tribe’s first possession stalled, Duquesne constructed an eight-play, 54-yard scoring drive, culminating with a six-yard pass in the right corner of the end zone from Buechel to Nehari Crawford to build a 14-0 lead in the game’s first six minutes.

But the Tribe was just getting warmed up. They got their offense in gear and put together a six-play, 64-yard drive of their own, capped with a 38-yard scoring pass over the middle from Steve Cluley to DeVonte Dedmon.

The Tribe scored three more touchdowns, but the Dukes came back in the final four minutes of the first half. King (12 catches, 221 yards) caught three passes, while a 16-yard run by Klartel Claridy was also instrumental in the ten-play, 75-yard scoring drive which ended with Crawford’s second touchdown, a nine-yard reception from Buechel. Carter Henderson’s interception at the W&M 38 set up Crimmins’ 39-yard field goal, which closed the scoring gap to 28-24 at halftime.

King spoke of the reality of the Dukes’ task coming into Zable Stadium on Saturday.

“I knew that we were the underdogs. But I’m still proud of my team.” Both King’s 221 receiving yards and 12 catches set a career-high.

After a William and Mary field goal to open the second half, King continued to haunt the Tribe defense, catching two long balls (26 and 28 yards) on Duquesne’s ensuing drive. But, with the Dukes on the Tribe 5 with third-and goal, Wayne Capers caught a pass, but was dropped on the 1. Duquesne drew a penalty on the next play and set up the botched field goal attempt.

However, the Dukes scored again, with Capers hauling in a Buechel pass for an 18-yard score. But a 38-yard TD reception by Dedmon, his third, gave the home team a 45-31 advantage early in the fourth quarter.

Duquesne continued to fight back. Capers scored a second touchdown, rolling toward the left corner of the end zone to grab Buechel’s fifth touchdown pass, from five yards out, to put the Tribe lead back at seven, 45-38, with 10:27 remaining in the game.

DUQUESNE                    –   14, 10, 7, 18 -- 49

WILLIAM AND MARY  -   14, 14, 10, 14 -- 52         

First quarter

D – King 71 pass from Buechel (Crimmins kick) 14:44

D – N. Crawford 6 pass from Buechel (Crimmins kick) 9:14

W&M – Dedmon 38 pass from Cluley (Dorka kick)  6:05

W&M – Dedmon 24 pass  from Cluley (Dorka kick) 4:37

Second quarter

W&M – Anderson 3 run (Dorka kick) 10:01

W&M – Abdul-Saboor 2 run (Dorka kick) 3:58

D – N. Crawford 9 pass from Buechel (Crimmins kick) :41

D – Crimmins 39 FG :02

Third quarter

W&M – Dorka 20 FG 9:45

W&M – Houston-Carson 65 blocked kick return (Dorka kick) 5:34

D – Capers 18 pass from Buechel (Crimmins kick) 1:23

Fourth quarter

W&M – Dedmon 37 pass from Cluley (Dorka kick) 14:50

D – Capers 5 pass from Buechel (Crimmins kick) 10:27

D – Crimmins 35 FG 7:01

W&M – Anderson 8 run (Dorka kick) 3:17

D – Capers 42 pass from Buechel (King pass) 1:11

         DUQ      W&M

First downs;    29, 23

Rushes-yards;  26-117, 47-229

Passing yards;   423, 251

Comp-att-int;   33-53-2, 11-15-2

Penalties-yards; 5-42, 2-23

Punts-avg;      1-41.0, 1-36.0

Fumbles-lost;  0-0, 3-2