Duquesne University
7-5 2025 finalDuquesne is the Northeast Conference veteran and 'City Game' rival—a program that resumed the Pittsburgh football rivalry after 86 years of silence, anchored by Jerry Schmitt's 21-year coaching legacy.
The Dukes hold the line.
Duquesne is the Northeast Conference veteran and 'City Game' rival—a program that resumed the Pittsburgh football rivalry after 86 years of silence, anchored by Jerry Schmitt's 21-year coaching legacy.
Duquesne finished 2025 at 7–5 (5–2 NEC), a solid season under 21-year head coach Jerry Schmitt, the program's all-time winningest coach. The 2025 season included the historic resumption of the City Game vs. Pitt at Acrisure Stadiu…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
The Pulse on Duquesne University
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Duquesne University
The baseline expectation.
The annual recruiting proof point.
Conference qualifier or at-large.
Championship weekend. Top-4 in the country.
Duquesne University · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
Fanbase Health Index · Duquesne University · medium confidence
Growing (54)
Home-Field Advantage · Duquesne University · 2018-present
Elite
79% home win rate vs 43% on the road. margin runs +26.6 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Mixed
Three of five. Trending up, not yet hot.
NEC Standing · 2025
2nd in the NEC
Duquesne University is 2nd in the NEC at 7-5. 1 team above — that's the direct path to the title game.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Connecticut | 8-5 |
| 2 | Duquesne | 7-5 |
| 3 | Long Island University | 6-6 |
| 4 | Mercyhurst | 5-7 |
| 5 | Wagner | 5-7 |
| 6 | Stonehill | 4-8 |
| 7 | Robert Morris | 3-9 |
| 8 | St. Francis (PA) | 0-11 |
Schedule Strength · Duquesne University · 2025
Soft
Average opponent win rate 41% across 12 finalized games. 1 FBS top-25 opponent played (Pittsburgh).
Moment of the Year · Duquesne University · 2025
Won 55-14 vs Lincoln (PA)
Week 2 of 2025. A statement margin. Recruiting boards re-rendered overnight.
Playoff History
Recent postseason (2023): 0-1
Most recent: 2023 — loss 40-7 (away). Last 5 postseason: 0-1.
From the Archive — Duquesne University
2025: Won 52-7 vs St. Francis (PA)
In 2025, the program won 52-7 vs St. Francis (PA) — a blowout home result that left the 45-point margin on the books.
Go Dukes.