Jamar Shegog remembers standing on the Robert Morris sideline as a freshman in street clothes, not even a year removed from his senior season at Seton LaSalle.
AJ Ackerman, an Elizabeth Forward graduate, was in his freshman season at Duquesne as well with the game taking place at the Colonials’ home Joe Walton Stadium in Moon.
“I actually didn’t travel,” said Ackerman, now a standout graduate student defensive lineman. “I was still on the O-line at the time, the last time we played them. It seemed like a big deal. It was a very big thing across practice the entire week. It was fun. It was a fun environment.”
The game, which Robert Morris won, 41-21, Nov. 9, 2019, was the last in a stretch of 17 consecutive seasons with a showdown between the then Northeast Conference rivals, whose NCAA Division I FCS universities are separated by a mere 18 miles driven mainly along the Parkway West.
“That was six years ago now so it’s all different personnel,” said Shegog, a Pittsburgh native, who is now a graduate student linebacker. “The energy and the excitement is all the same. We played pretty well as a defense that year, we had, I think, seven turnovers, two pick-6s.
“I was on the sideline,” he added of his role in the game, “just cheering trying to bring some energy to the sideline.”
The two former WPIAL standouts will be creating new memories — right in the center of the action — once the rivalry is renewed this weekend.
Duquesne (6-2, 3-0) will host Robert Morris (6-3, 3-0) at Arthur J. Rooney Field at noon Saturday with first place in the NEC standings on the line.
The No. 24 Dukes earned their first national FCS ranking this week since 2018. Duquesne is one of six unbeaten teams in FCS play, with a victory against then No. 20 Youngstown State earlier in the season to its credit.
“It’s really exciting,” Ackerman said. “We haven’t played them in a long time.”
The Colonials, meanwhile, have won six of their past seven contests, earning shutout victories in three of their past four games.
“It’s awesome to finally be a part of this rivalry again,” said Shegog, who is Robert Morris’ second-leading tackler with 78 tackles, five for a loss, with three sacks. “I was here, I was on the team back in ’19, but it was my true freshman year, so I didn’t get to play. Just being able to play verse a team in the city for my first and last year, I’m just super excited to finally be a part of that.
“The history between the two teams and just what’s at stake right now with first place in the conference,” he added, “it’s going to be a big game for both of us.”
Since losing their first two games of the season to FBS opponents Toledo and Boston College, the Dukes have been one of the hottest teams at the FCS level.
At the center of that streak is Duquesne quarterback Darius Perrantes. The 6-foot, 220-pound senior has thrown for 1,418 yards with 17 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
Perrantes’s leading targets in the passing game are Joey Isabella, who has 28 catches for 459 yards and six touchdowns, while John Erby has racked up 426 yards and three scores and Tedy Afful has accumulated 332 yards and five touchdowns.
“My job is to distribute the ball as much as I can,” Perrantes said. “I try to make everybody happy. Obviously I’m not trying to stat pad or anything like that, but I like to get everybody the ball. Somebody is always open on any play, so it might not be the first play, but if you’ve got a route be ready.”
Add in running back JaMario Clements, who is averaging 7.2 yards per carry and has rushed for 865 yards with six scores, and Duquesne’s offense becomes a nightmare for any opposing defense.
“I think it’ll be a fun game to watch,” Dukes coach Jerry Schmitt said. “The defenses will have some challenges on their hands.”
As good as Perrantes has been, Robert Morris quarterback Anthony Chiccitt has been just as strong.
The Bethel Park graduate has thrown for 1,992 yards with 13 touchdowns and only five interceptions.
Chiccitt’s top target has been Noah Robinson, who has 46 catches for 670 yards and four touchdowns, while the Colonials ground game has been paced by Tyvon Edmonds Jr., who has 555 yards and five scores on 143 carries.
“It’s going to be a great game,” Robert Morris coach Bernard Clark Jr. said. “We are just going to do the best we can to put our team together in the right position to score some points.”
For Clark, though, it’s all about his defense.
The Colonials are conceding just 18.1 points per game with 24 sacks.
In addition to Shegog, graduate student linebacker Keon Freeman has been very strong with 80 tackles, while defensive backs Rob Carter Jr. and Tyris Harvey have three and two interceptions, respectively.
“We’re playing together as a team,” Clark said. “I think that’s what’s really helping us more than anything else. When you go through an 0-11 season like we did a couple of years ago, and you still have some of those guys on this team, their mindset is, ‘Hey, we just have to play together.’ I think that’s what they’re doing.”
While Duquesne’s defense hasn’t been as stout, the Dukes feature their fair share of playmakers.
Sophomore defensive lineman Jack Dunkley has 5½ sacks, while defensive back CJ Barnes has a team-high 43 tackles with an interception.
Defensive back Antonio Epps, a South Allegheny product, also has 39 tackles with an interception and forced fumble, and sophomore linebacker Luke Miller, a Pine-Richland graduate, has accumulated 34 tackles, 3½ for a loss, with an interception and forced fumble of his own.
“I think it’s hard to predict the flow of this game,” Schmitt said. “It could go a lot of different ways. All of the story lines will be interesting to see.”
For Duquesne, the key will be getting a victory to remain in control of its own destiny and win a second straight NEC title and qualify for the FCS playoffs for a second year in a row.
“It’s football on the field,” Schmitt said. “I know they’re going to play hard. We’re going to play hard.”
Robert Morris is ready for the chance to start a postseason streak of its own.
“We went through a whole lot of adversity,” Shegog said. “We’re just really ready for this moment. You can’t take anything for granted. It’s not easy. Every Saturday, it’s hard to get a win. For us to be in this position, it just goes back to our preparation and our leadership.”
John is a copy editor and page designer at the Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at jsanta@unionprogress.com.