American college football season
2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football Conference Pioneer Football League 2018 record 2–9 (2–6 PFL) Head coach Offensive coordinator Jason Miran Defensive coordinator Ernest Moore Home stadium Brown Field (Capacity: 5,000)Seasons
The 2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football team represented Valparaiso University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season . They were led by fifth-year head coach Dave Cecchini and played their home games at Brown Field . They competed in the Pioneer Football League . They finished the season 2–9, 2–6 in PFL play to finish in a three-way tie for seventh place.
Previous season [ ]
The Crusaders finished the 2017 season 6–5, 5–3 in PFL play to finish in a three-way tie for third place. The Crusaders had a winning season for the first time since 2003 and had five league wins for the first time since 1961.[1] [2]
Preseason [ ]
Preseason All-PFL team [ ]
The PFL released their preseason all-PFL team on July 30, 2018, with the Crusaders having three players selected.[3]
Offense
Tom Schofield – OL
Defense
Nick Turner – LB
Special teams
Bailey Gessinger – RET
Preseason coaches poll [ ]
The PFL released their preseason coaches poll on July 31, 2018, with the Crusaders predicted to finish in a tie for fourth place.[4]
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
San Diego
81 (9)
2
Dayton
72 (1)
3
Drake
58
T–4
Butler
48
T–4
Valparaiso
48
6
Jacksonville
47
7
Marist
44
8
Morehead State
22
9
Stetson
19
10
Davidson
11
Schedule [ ]
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance September 8 11:00 a.m. at Duquesne * NECFR L 21–23943
September 15 1:00 p.m. at Youngstown State * ESPN+ L 7–4214,913
September 22 1:00 p.m. Truman State * ESPN3 L 20–341,840
September 29 1:00 p.m. Davidson Brown Field Valparaiso, IN ESPN3 L 35–404,605
October 6 12:00 p.m. at Dayton Facebook Live L 20–532,592
October 13 1:00 p.m. Butler ESPN+ W 35–171,724
October 20 1:00 p.m. at Morehead State ESPN+ L 24–318,145
October 27 1:00 p.m. Drake Brown Field Valparaiso, IN ESPN+ L 25–421,945
November 3 11:00 a.m. at Marist Red Fox Network L 24–351,227
November 10 12:00 p.m. Jacksonville Brown Field Valparaiso, IN ESPN+ W 48–301,150
November 17 12:00 p.m. at Stetson ESPN+ L 45–311,961
*Non-conference game Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time
Game summaries [ ]
at Duquesne [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Crusaders
0
14 0 7
21
• Dukes
7
0 10 6
23
Date: September 8, 2018Location: Rooney Field • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game start: 12:05 pm EDT Elapsed time: 2:28Game attendance: 943Game weather: Temperature: 60°F • Weather: Rainy, cool • Wind: ENE 13 mph[5] Television network: NEC Front Row
at Youngstown State [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Crusaders
7
0 0 0
7
• Penguins
7
14 14 7
42
Date: September 15, 2018Location: Stambaugh Stadium • Youngstown, Ohio Game start: 2:05 pm EDT Elapsed time: 3:13Game attendance: 14,913Game weather: Temperature: 82°F • Weather: Partly cloudy • Wind: E 5-10 mph[6] Referee: Andy SpecialeTelevision network: ESPN+
Truman State [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bulldogs
6
0 11 7
24
Crusaders
7
0 3 10
20
Date: September 22, 2018Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana Game start: 1:04 pm CDT Elapsed time: 2:58Game attendance: 1,840Game weather: Temperature: 65° F • Weather: Sunny • Wind: E 9 mphReferee: Aaron Adams[7] TV announcers (ESPN3): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman
Davidson [ ]
Homecoming
1
2 3 4 Total
• Wildcats
14
20 0 6
40
Crusaders
14
7 7 7
35
Date: September 29, 2018Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, IndianaGame start: 1:04 pm CDT Game attendance: 4,605Game weather: Temperature: 62°F • Weather: Partly cloudy • Wind: NE 3 mphReferee: Marcel Kerr[8] TV announcers (ESPN3): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman
at Dayton [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Crusaders
7
6 0 7
20
• Flyers
14
23 16 0
53
Date: October 6, 2018Location: Welcome Stadium • Dayton, Ohio Game start: 1:07 pm EDT Elapsed time: 2:38Game attendance: 2,592Referee: Grant Henderson[9] TV announcers (Facebook Live ): Alex Mikos, Jason Phillips[10]
Butler [ ]
Hoosier Helmet Trophy
1
2 3 4 Total
Bulldogs
0
14 3 0
17
• Crusaders
14
0 7 14
35
Date: October 13, 2018Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, IndianaGame start: 1:04 pm CDT Elapsed time: 2:52Game attendance: 1,724[11] Game weather: Temperature: 51°F • Weather: Sunny • Wind: SW 10 mphReferee: C. J. Jackson[12] TV announcers (ESPN+): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman
at Morehead State [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Crusaders
0
7 0 17
24
• Eagles
0
21 7 3
31
Date: October 20, 2018Location: Jayne Stadium • Morehead, Kentucky Game start: 1:05 pm[13] CDT Elapsed time: 3:15Game attendance: 8,145Game weather: Temperature: 55°F • Weather: Mostly rainyReferee: Lamar Gresham[14] TV announcers (ESPN+): Chuck Mraz, Jason Blanton[15]
Drake [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bulldogs
7
14 0 21
42
Crusaders
3
0 7 15
25
Date: October 27, 2018Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, IndianaGame start: 1:04 pm CDT Elapsed time: 3:18Game attendance: 1,945Game weather: Temperature: 54°F • Weather: Partly cloudy • Wind: N 10 mphReferee: Andy Speciale[16] TV announcers (ESPN+[17] ): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman
at Marist [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Crusaders
3
7 7 7
24
• Red Foxes
0
28 0 7
35
Date: November 3, 2018Location: Leonidoff Field • Poughkeepsie, New York Game start: 12:05 pm EDT Elapsed time: 2:51Game attendance: 1,227Game weather: Temperature: 51°F • Weather: Mostly cloudy, windy • Wind: W 14 mphReferee: Tom Kichline[18] TV announcers (Red Fox Network): Geoff Brault, Ed Weir[19]
Jacksonville [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Dolphins
0
10 7 13
30
• Crusaders
14
13 14 7
48
Date: November 10, 2018Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, IndianaGame start: 12:04 pm CST Game attendance: 1,150Game weather: Temperature: 29°F • Weather: Extremely cold • Wind: W 7 mphReferee: Matt Packowski[20] TV announcers (ESPN+): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman[21]
at Stetson [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Crusaders
7
17 0 7
31
• Hatters
7
14 21 3
45
Date: November 17, 2018Location: Spec Martin Stadium • DeLand, Florida Game start: 1:04 pm EST Elapsed time: 3:12Game attendance: 1,961Game weather: Temperature: 71°F • Weather: Sunny • Wind: NE 7 mphReferee: Terrance Lamar[22] TV announcers (ESPN+): Evan Weston, Tom James
References [ ]
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