STAT LINE: 304 yards total offense, 2 Rush TD, 2 Pass TD, 8.2 yards per pass attempt
Stuart directed the offense to a productive day at perennial Pioneer League contender Dayton. With the Dukes averaging 5.8 yards per play as a unit, the dual threat quarterback accounted for 304 yards and four touchdowns in the 28-23 road win. Stuart, who has thrown at least two touchdown passes in each of his first three starts as the Duquesne signal caller, went 19-of-31 passing for 253 yards and two scores while adding 51 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. After the host Flyers jumped out to a 7-0 lead, Stuart found Nehari Crawford for a 58-yard scoring strike to pull the Dukes even with 4:38 remaining in the opening quarter. Duquesne took a 14-7 lead when Stuart, who ran for two first downs during the drive, capped a 12-play, 80-yard march with a one-yard touchdown rush 10:00 before halftime. After a punt return touchdown allowed Dayton to tie it up late in the first half, Stuart executed the 2:00 drill to perfection and broke a 14-14 deadlock by hitting Kellon Taylor for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 00:32 to go in the quarter. Stuart gave the Dukes’ defense a little breathing room in the fourth quarter, engineering an 81-yard touchdown drive. After passing for first downs on back-to-back plays to set up a 1st-and-Goal from the 6, the Boise State transfer kept it on the ground and took it in himself for a 28-17 lead with 9:06 remaining.