PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The Duquesne Dukes erupted for 28 points in the first quarter and never looked back, delivering a commanding 52-7 victory over the Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash in a non-conference football game Saturday at a rain-soaked Forbes Field.

The game was effectively decided in its opening moments. After receiving the opening kickoff, the Red Flash’s offensive struggles began immediately and were compounded by a spectacular special teams play. Duquesne defensive back Joel Kpassou fielded the ensuing kickoff at his own 6-yard line and weaved through the Saint Francis coverage unit for a 94-yard touchdown return, electrifying the home crowd and setting the tone for the lopsided affair.

Any hope for a Saint Francis response was quickly extinguished by a relentless Dukes offense led by quarterback Tyler Riddell. The Tampa, Florida, native connected on a 57-yard touchdown pass to Joey Isabella of Mayfield, Ohio, on Duquesne’s first offensive possession. Riddell would go on to throw four touchdown passes in the first half, also finding Ryan Petras from 12 yards out, Jermaine Johnson from 21 yards, and B.J. Alexander on a 7-yard score.

The Dukes’ defense was equally dominant, consistently pressuring Saint Francis quarterbacks and stifling the run game. Linebacker Tyson Meiguez of Fairburn, Georgia, was a disruptive force in the backfield, recording a key first-quarter sack. The unit also produced a takeaway when cornerback TJ Jones of Melbourne, Florida, intercepted a pass from Red Flash starter Nick Whitfield Jr. in the second quarter.

By the time Matt Marcinko of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, booted a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter, the Dukes had built an insurmountable 45-0 halftime lead. Riddell finished his day completing 12 of 24 passes for 185 yards and the four scores before giving way to the backups.

The Red Flash’s offensive woes were stark. Whitfield Jr., a 6-foot-5, 200-pound quarterback from Fredonia, New York, was held to just 58 yards passing on 11-of-20 attempts before being relieved. As a team, Saint Francis managed only 208 total yards of offense and failed to cross midfield until the fourth quarter.

Duquesne’s backup quarterback, Pittsburgh native Logan Kushner, kept the offense moving in the second half. The 6-foot, 200-pound signal-caller was efficient, completing all four of his pass attempts for 43 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown strike to fellow Pittsburgher Alex Gochis in the third quarter. Kushner also added 8 yards rushing.

The Red Flash finally broke up the shutout late in the fourth quarter. Backup quarterback Jeff Hoenstine engineered a 13-play, 80-yard drive, capping it with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Payton Wehner, a wide receiver from Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, who lined up under center for the scoring play.

Duquesne’s ground game was balanced, with Dazhaun Hopkins of Norristown, Pennsylvania, leading the way with 52 yards on 11 carries. The Dukes’ special teams were a highlight throughout, with punter Michael Berarducci of Allison Park, Pennsylvania, averaging 50.8 yards on four kicks, and returner Jahmil Perryman of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, providing one of the few bright spots for Saint Francis with 115 combined kick return yards.

The victory pushes Duquesne’s season record to an even 3-3 as they head into the heart of their conference schedule. The loss extends a difficult start for Saint Francis, which remains winless at 0-5. The Red Flash have now been outscored 187-47 through their first five games. The final score far exceeded the projection of Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a much closer 36-29 decision in favor of Duquesne. The Dukes’ ELO probability to win was listed at 91.5 percent.

Duquesne will look to build on the momentum next Saturday when they travel to face Mercyhurst. Saint Francis (PA) has a bye week before returning to action on Oct. 25 to host Robert Morris.