Central Connecticut Blue Devils at Duquesne Dukes

Butts runs 254 yards, Duquesne wins shootout with Central Connecticut 38-33

Taj Butts rushed for a career-high 254 yards and scored three touchdowns, Antonio Epps intercepted a deflected pass in the end zone with less than 30 seconds to go and Duquesne defeated Central Connecticut State 38-33 on Saturday.

Brady Olson, who threw for 423 yards and four touchdowns, gave the Blue Devils a 33-32 with two long touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.

Butts, who had missed several games with an injury, burst up the middle for a 59-yard score with 3:19 to play. Olson guided the Blue Devils down field but his last pass was broken up by Henry Pickens III and Epps was there to grab the loose ball.

Butts carried only 14 times for the Dukes (6-5, 4-2 NEC) ,with his other two scoring runs covering 29 and 57 yards. Duquesne quarterback Tyler Riddell had three touchdown passes, two to Joey Isabella.

Elijah Howard had 113 yards and a touchdown on the ground for the Blue Devils (7-4, 5-1), who could have clinched a playoff berth with a win. Olson was 28 of 45 with two picks. Peter Cleary had five receptions for 111 yards and a score, Michael Trovarelli had two scoring catches and Donovan Wadley had the fourth.

Wadley had a 50-yard scoring catch and Trovarelli a 40-yarder on consecutive possessions for a 33-32 lead with four minutes to go.

CCSU had 588 yards of offense to 525 for the Dukes.