2021 Northeast Conference Football Championship Game

2021 Northeast Conference Football Championship Game
Conference Championship
Sacred Heart Pioneers Duquesne Dukes (3–1) (4–0) 34 27 Head coach:  Mark Nofri Head coach:  Jerry Schmitt
1 2 3 4 OT Total Sacred Heart 6 6 15 0 7 34 Duquesne 7 0 6 14 0 27
Date	April 11, 2021
Season	2020
Stadium	Arthur J. Rooney Athletic Field
Location	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN3
Announcers	Paul Dottino (play-by-play), Rasheed Marshall (color)

2020 Northeast Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Duquesne y		4	–	0					4	–	1
Sacred Heart y$^		2	–	1					3	–	2
LIU		2	–	2					2	–	2
Bryant		2	–	2					2	–	2
Wagner		0	–	2					0	–	2
Merrimack*		0	–	3					0	–	3
Championship: Sacred Heart 34, Duquesne 27 (OT)
$ – Conference champion y – Championship game participant ^ – FCS playoff participant Note: Due to COVID-19, the Northeast suspended the 2020 football season. * – Merrimack ineligible for NEC title and FCS postseason play due to transition to NCAA Division I Central Connecticut and Saint Francis (PA) opted out of the spring season. Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2021 Northeast Conference Football Championship Game was a college football game played on Sunday, April 11, 2021, to determine the 2020–21 champion of the Northeast Conference. The game featured the Sacred Heart Pioneers and the Duquesne Dukes in the conference's first championship game.

Sacred Heart Pioneers

Main article: 2020 Sacred Heart Pioneers football team

Sacred Heart entered the game with a 3–1 record. Sacred Heart had been the Northeastern Conference champions 4 times prior in 2001, 2013, 2014, and 2018.

Duquesne Dukes

Main article: 2020 Duquesne Dukes football team

Duquesne entered the game with a 4–0 record, claiming home field advantage in the game by virtue of their better record. Sacred Heart had been the Northeastern Conference champions 5 times prior in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2018.

Game summary

2021 Northeastern Conference Football Championship Game

Quarter	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Sacred Heart	6	6	15	0	7	34
Duqsense	7	0	6	14	0	27

at Arthur J. Rooney Athletic Field, Pittsburgh, PA

• Date: Sunday, April 11, 2021
• Game time: 2 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 55 °F (13 °C) • Wind: NW 6 mph
• Game attendance: 400
• TV announcers (ESPN3): Paul Dottino (play by play), Rasheed Marshall (color)

Game information

First quarter (8:08) Sacred Heart – Garrett Lynn 6 yard pass from Naseim Brantley (Noah Gettman PAT failed) (Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 4:28; Sacred Heart 6–0) (14:50) Duquesne – Billy Lucas 1 yard run (Brian Bruzdewicz kick) (Drive: 12 plays, 69 yards, 6:32; Duquesne 6–7) Second quarter (10:32) Sacred Heart – Rob DiNota 7 yard pass from Marquez McCray (Two-point run conversion failed) (Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:51; Sacred Heart 12–7) Third quarter (3:19) Duquesne – Joey Isabella 11 yard pass from Joe Mischler (Two-point pass conversion failed) (Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards, 3:19; Duquesne 12–13) (7:03) Sacred Heart – Malik Grant 1 yard run (Marquez McCray pass to Liam Cabri for two-point conversion) (Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 3:35; Sacred Heart 20–13) (3:25) Sacred Heart – Julius Chestnut 6 yard run (Noah Gettman kick) (Drive: 4 plays, 45 yards, 5:41; Sacred Heart 27–13) Fourth quarter (3:06) Duquesne – Cyrus Holder 12 yard pass from Joe Mischler (Brian Bruzdewicz kick) (Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 2:45; Sacred Heart 27–20) (10:42) Duquesne – Joey Isabella 35 yard pass from Joe Mischler (Brian Bruzdewicz kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 98 yards, 1:36; Tied 27–27) Overtime Sacred Heart - Naseim Brantley 29 yard pass from Marquez McCray (Noah Gettman Kick) (Drive: 4 plays, 25 yards, 0:37; Sacred Heart 34–27)