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FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart football team will dive back into Northeast Conference play for the first time in nearly a month this Saturday afternoon with a trip to in-state conference foe Central Connecticut State.

The Pioneers (3-3, 1-0 NEC) will look to snap a three-game losing skid and rebound from their lowest offensive output of the season last week at Dartmouth. CCSU (4-3, 2-0 NEC), the reigning conference champion and preseason favorite, is coming off a 48-14 road win over Bryant and has won eight consecutive conference matchups.

Kickoff from Arute Field in New Britain is set for 1 p.m. with live coverage available exclusively on ESPN3.

OPENING KICK:

•  Sacred Heart will play on the road for the fifth time in six games with a trip to in-state rival Central Connecticut.

•  SHU and CCSU are the only two remaining unbeaten teams in NEC play.

•  SHU's defense ranks fourth in the nation in passing defense (141.8 ypg), and 22nd in total defense (326.6 ypg).

•  SHU has gone three straight games without an interception on defense for the first time since 2009.

STARTING OFF:

• Senior quarterback Kevin Duke has spread the ball around this season, throwing 10 touchdown passes to eight different receivers.
• SHU has allowed season highs in rushing (323/Penn), passing (254/Dartmouth) and total yards (531/Dartmouth) over the last two games.
• SHU put out 175 yards of total offense at Dartmouth, its first time under 200 yards since 2011 (199 at Wagner) and their lowest since 2009 (118 at Robert Morris).
• SHU drove inside the Dartmouth 35-yard line on two occasions during the game, including only one trip into the red zone in the fourth quarter.

CARRYING THE LOAD:

• First-year tailback Julius Chestnut has averaged 49.2 yards on the ground over the last two games, including a team-high 48 yards at Dartmouth.

BEWARE OF AGYEMANG:

• Junior defensive end Chris Agyemang ranks T-12th in the nation in sacks per game (0.92) and third in the NEC.

PICKING THEM OFF:

• Sacred Heart has now gone three straight games without an interception for the first time since a four-game stretch in 2009.
• SHU previously had not gone two straight games without an interception since September 2012.
• SHU has come away with an interception in 47 of its last 61 games.
• SHU ranked fifth in the NEC with 10 interceptions last season, led by graduated senior Khaamal Whitaker (5). Lukert is the only returning defensive player to have an interception last season.

ON THE DEFENSE:

• In the last two games, SHU has allowed its two highest yards totals of the season.
• SHU's defense ranks 10th in the nation in passing defense (160.5 ypg), and 34th in total defense (360.7 ypg).
• SHU currently sits 40th in the nation (27-of-78/34.6%).

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

• The Blue Devils enter the game 4-3 after an impressive 48-14 win over NEC rival Bryant on Oct. 13.
• The reigning Northeast Conference champion CCSU Football team was picked to finish first in the NEC Preseason Poll.
• Central returns eight starters on offense and had four players named to the Preseason All-NEC Team.
• Leading the returnees is senior quarterback Jacob Dolegala. A three-year starter, Dolegala became the program's all-time leading passer last season. In 40 career games, he has thrown for 7,432 yards and 41 touchdowns.
• Senior defensive lineman Chris Tinkham, senior linebacker Kenneth Keen and junior defensive back Tajik Bagley represented the CCSU defense on the NEC Preseason Team. Tinkham, an All-NEC Second Team pick in 2017, had 40 tackles last season, including three in the FCS playoff game. He finished with 5.5 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks. 

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