Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Robert Morris University football team fell at Duquesne University in the 18th meeting between the teams, 31-24, Saturday night at Arthur J. Rooney Field. The Colonials slip to 1-6 and 0-2 in Northeast Conference play while the Dukes move to 4-2 and 1-0 in league games.
 
The Colonials turned a pair of muffed points into 10 points and scored a touchdown on a blocked field goal return. Warren Robinson added a 26-yard punt return on a night when the RMU special teams did their best to keep the game tight.
 
Joe Carroll made his debut at quarterback and finished with a pair of touchdowns, hitting Trey Edwards and Tim Vecchio for scores. Carroll finished 7-18 for 122 yards and an interception. Malik Wells carried 10 times for 40 yards for an RMU offense that tallied 155 yards.
 
The Dukes rolled up 491 yards, 233 on the ground and 258 through the air. Dillon Buechel went 22-of-33 for 258 yards and three touchdowns. A.J. Hines rushed 27 times for 182 yards and P.J. Fulmore added 75 more yards on 15 carries. Wayne Capers collected six passes and 91 yards.
 
A fumble by Neharl Crawford on a 35-yard punt by Adam Check was recovered by Gee Stanley and gave RMU the ball deep in Dukes territory. Two plays later, Carroll found Vecchio in the endzone from 17 yards away and the Colonials went on top, 7-0, with 6:09 left in the first quarter.
 
Duquesne answered on the next drive leaning on the arm of Buechel. He completed passes of 21 yards and 34 yards to two different receivers before finding Chavas Rawlins from 11 yards in the end zone. The seven-play, 72-yard drive tied the game with 2:15 to play in the opening frame.
 
Another muffed punt by Crawford put RMU in prime position at the Duquesne 13-yard line. After moving the ball to the Dukes six-yard line, Connor Shennan hit a 23-yard field goal to put the blue and white on top, 10-7. Again, Duquesne matched the score when Austin Crimmins hit a 32-yard field goal on the next drive.
 
Special teams again came up big again for the Colonials late in the second quarter. Marcelis Branch blocked a 47-yard field goal attempt by Crimmins. He then chased the ball down and rambled 65 yards, putting Robert Morris on top, 17-10. Buechel and the Dukes, however, were able to go 77 yards in six plays to tie the game before the break when the quarterback found Kellon Taylor in the back of the touchdown from six yards out.
 
Robert Morris took over at their own 32-yard line after the defense force a turnover on downs by Duquesne. On a second-and-seven, Carroll zinged a pass out to the right sideline to Trey Edwards who rambled 65 yards to put the Colonials on top, 24-17, midway through the third quarter. The Dukes again had the answer, this time riding the legs of Hines and Fulmore. Buechel finished the 11-play drive with an eight-yard pass to the left corner for Blair Roberts to tie the game.
 
Duquesne took its first lead of the game midway through the fourth quarter. Buechel kept the drive alive with a 26-yard heave to Wayne Capers. Three straight rushes by Fulmore ended with the sophomore hitting pay dirt from nine yards away to give the Dukes a 31-24 advantage with 7:54 to play.
 
The Colonials return to the field Saturday, Oct. 22, when they travel to Sacred Heart for a 1:00 p.m game.
 
Notes: The 65-yard blocked field goal return for a touchdown by Branch was the first in team history … RMU has four special teams touchdowns this season, the most in team history for a season … Linebacker Zack Cooper finished with a career-best 12 tackles … Freshman linebacker Gee Stanley tied the freshman record for sacks picking up another one Saturday. He has 7.5 this season tying the mark set by Matt Grayson in 1998.