2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football team

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.

2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football
Conference	Pioneer Football League
2018 record	2–9 (2–6 PFL)
Head coach	Dave Cecchini (5th season)
Offensive coordinator	Jason Miran
Defensive coordinator	Ernest Moore
Home stadium	Brown Field (Capacity: 5,000)

2018 Pioneer Football League standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 25 San Diego $^		8	–	0					9	–	3
Stetson		6	–	2					8	–	2
Drake		6	–	2					7	–	4
Marist		5	–	3					5	–	6
Dayton		5	–	3					6	–	5
Davidson		3	–	5					6	–	5
Butler		2	–	6					4	–	7
Morehead State		2	–	6					3	–	8
Valparaiso		2	–	6					2	–	9
Jacksonville		1	–	7					2	–	8
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

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*	Rooney Field Pittsburgh, PA	NECFR	L 21–23	943
September 15	1:00 p.m.	at Youngstown State*	Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	ESPN+	L 7–42	14,913
September 22	1:00 p.m.	Truman State*	Brown Field Valparaiso, IN	ESPN3	L 20–34	1,840
September 29	1:00 p.m.	Davidson	Brown Field Valparaiso, IN	ESPN3	L 35–40	4,605
October 6	12:00 p.m.	at Dayton	Welcome Stadium Dayton, OH	Facebook Live	L 20–53	2,592
October 13	1:00 p.m.	Butler	Brown Field Valparaiso, IN (Hoosier Helmet Trophy)	ESPN+	W 35–17	1,724
October 20	1:00 p.m.	at Morehead State	Jayne Stadium Morehead, KY	ESPN+	L 24–31	8,145
October 27	1:00 p.m.	Drake	Brown Field Valparaiso, IN	ESPN+	L 25–42	1,945
November 3	11:00 a.m.	at Marist	Leonidoff Field Poughkeepsie, NY	Red Fox Network	L 24–35	1,227
November 10	12:00 p.m.	Jacksonville	Brown Field Valparaiso, IN	ESPN+	W 48–30	1,150
November 17	12:00 p.m.	at Stetson	Spec Martin Stadium DeLand, FL	ESPN+	L 45–31	1,961
*Non-conference game Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

• Source: Schedule

Game summaries

at Duquesne

1 2 3 4 Total Crusaders 0 14 0 7 21 • Dukes 7 0 10 6 23 Date: September 8, 2018 Location: Rooney Field • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game start: 12:05 pm EDT Elapsed time: 2:28 Game attendance: 943 Game weather: Temperature: 60°F • Weather: Rainy, cool • Wind: ENE 13 mph[5] Television network: NEC Front Row

See also: 2018 Duquesne Dukes football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
0–3	2017	DUQ, 45–40

at Youngstown State

1 2 3 4 Total Crusaders 7 0 0 0 7 • Penguins 7 14 14 7 42 Date: September 15, 2018 Location: Stambaugh Stadium • Youngstown, Ohio Game start: 2:05 pm EDT Elapsed time: 3:13 Game attendance: 14,913 Game weather: Temperature: 82°F • Weather: Partly cloudy • Wind: E 5-10 mph[6] Referee: Andy Speciale Television network: ESPN+

See also: 2018 Youngstown State Penguins football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
0–2	2012	YSU, 59–0

Truman State

1 2 3 4 Total • Bulldogs 6 0 11 7 24 Crusaders 7 0 3 10 20 Date: September 22, 2018 Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana Game start: 1:04 pm CDT Elapsed time: 2:58 Game attendance: 1,840 Game weather: Temperature: 65° F • Weather: Sunny • Wind: E 9 mph Referee: Aaron Adams[7] TV announcers (ESPN3): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
First meeting

Davidson

Homecoming

1 2 3 4 Total • Wildcats 14 20 0 6 40 Crusaders 14 7 7 7 35 Date: September 29, 2018 Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana Game start: 1:04 pm CDT Game attendance: 4,605 Game weather: Temperature: 62°F • Weather: Partly cloudy • Wind: NE 3 mph Referee: Marcel Kerr[8] TV announcers (ESPN3): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman

See also: 2018 Davidson Wildcats football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
4–7	2016	VALPO, 24–20

at Dayton

1 2 3 4 Total Crusaders 7 6 0 7 20 • Flyers 14 23 16 0 53 Date: October 6, 2018 Location: Welcome Stadium • Dayton, Ohio Game start: 1:07 pm EDT Elapsed time: 2:38 Game attendance: 2,592 Referee: Grant Henderson[9] TV announcers (Facebook Live): Alex Mikos, Jason Phillips[10]

See also: 2018 Dayton Flyers football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
3–23	2017	VALPO, 8–7

Butler

Hoosier Helmet Trophy

1 2 3 4 Total Bulldogs 0 14 3 0 17 • Crusaders 14 0 7 14 35 Date: October 13, 2018 Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana Game start: 1:04 pm CDT Elapsed time: 2:52 Game attendance: 1,724[11] Game weather: Temperature: 51°F • Weather: Sunny • Wind: SW 10 mph Referee: C. J. Jackson[12] TV announcers (ESPN+): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman

See also: 2018 Butler Bulldogs football team and Hoosier Helmet Trophy

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
26–50	2017	VALPO, 36–28

at Morehead State

1 2 3 4 Total Crusaders 0 7 0 17 24 • Eagles 0 21 7 3 31 Date: October 20, 2018 Location: Jayne Stadium • Morehead, Kentucky Game start: 1:05 pm[13] CDT Elapsed time: 3:15 Game attendance: 8,145 Game weather: Temperature: 55°F • Weather: Mostly rainy Referee: Lamar Gresham[14] TV announcers (ESPN+): Chuck Mraz, Jason Blanton[15]

See also: 2018 Morehead State Eagles football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
4–18	2017	VALPO, 63–32

Drake

1 2 3 4 Total • Bulldogs 7 14 0 21 42 Crusaders 3 0 7 15 25 Date: October 27, 2018 Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana Game start: 1:04 pm CDT Elapsed time: 3:18 Game attendance: 1,945 Game weather: Temperature: 54°F • Weather: Partly cloudy • Wind: N 10 mph Referee: Andy Speciale[16] TV announcers (ESPN+[17]): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman

See also: 2018 Drake Bulldogs football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
3–22	2017	DRAKE, 38–13

at Marist

1 2 3 4 Total Crusaders 3 7 7 7 24 • Red Foxes 0 28 0 7 35 Date: November 3, 2018 Location: Leonidoff Field • Poughkeepsie, New York Game start: 12:05 pm EDT Elapsed time: 2:51 Game attendance: 1,227 Game weather: Temperature: 51°F • Weather: Mostly cloudy, windy • Wind: W 14 mph Referee: Tom Kichline[18] TV announcers (Red Fox Network): Geoff Brault, Ed Weir[19]

See also: 2018 Marist Red Foxes football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
1–6	2017	VALPO, 49–15

Jacksonville

1 2 3 4 Total Dolphins 0 10 7 13 30 • Crusaders 14 13 14 7 48 Date: November 10, 2018 Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana Game start: 12:04 pm CST Game attendance: 1,150 Game weather: Temperature: 29°F • Weather: Extremely cold • Wind: W 7 mph Referee: Matt Packowski[20] TV announcers (ESPN+): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman[21]

See also: 2018 Jacksonville Dolphins football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
3–7	2017	JACK, 20–17

at Stetson

1 2 3 4 Total Crusaders 7 17 0 7 31 • Hatters 7 14 21 3 45 Date: November 17, 2018 Location: Spec Martin Stadium • DeLand, Florida Game start: 1:04 pm EST Elapsed time: 3:12 Game attendance: 1,961 Game weather: Temperature: 71°F • Weather: Sunny • Wind: NE 7 mph Referee: Terrance Lamar[22] TV announcers (ESPN+): Evan Weston, Tom James

See also: 2018 Stetson Hatters football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result[23]
2–1	2017	VALPO, 27–24

References

1. "Crusaders Play Dayton for First Winning Season Since 2003". ValpoAthletics.com. Valparaiso University Athletics. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
2. "Hollywood Ending: Valpo Clinches First Winning Season Since 2003". ValpoAthletics.com. Valparaiso University Athletics. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
3. http://www.pioneer-football.org/news/archives/2018/1361/twelve-first-team-all-pfl-returnees-highlight-preseason-all-pfl-team/
4. http://www.pioneer-football.org/news/archives/2018/1362/defending-champion-san-diego-edges-dayton-in-pfl-preseason-coaches-poll/
5. "Duquesne 23 Valparaiso 21". Go Duquesne. Duquesne University. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
6. "Youngstown State 42 Valparaiso 7". YSU sports. Youngstown State University. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
7. "Truman State 34 Valparaiso 20". Truman State Athletics. Truman State University. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
8. "Davidson 40 Valparaiso 35". Davidson Wildcats. Davidson University. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
9. "Dayton 53 Valparaiso 20". Dayton Flyers. University of Dayton. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
10. "2018 Football Game Notes" (PDF). valpoathletics.com. Valpo Sports Media Relations.
11. "Game 6 Notes". valpoathletics. Valparaiso University. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
12. "Valparaiso 35 Butler 17". Butler Sports. Butler University. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
13. "Game 7 Box Score". Valpo Athletics. Valparaiso University. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
14. "Morehead State 31 Valparaiso 24". msueagles.com. Morehead State University. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
15. Lucia, Joe. "Your 2018 college football Week 8 announcing schedule". Awful Announcing. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
16. "Drake 42 Valparaiso 25". Drake University Athletics. Drake University. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
17. "Game 8 Preview" (PDF). Valpo Athletics. Valparaiso University. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
18. "Marist 35 Valparaiso 24". Go Red Foxes. Marist College. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
19. "Your 2018 college football Week 10 announcing schedule". Awful Announcing. Awful Announcing. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
20. "Valparaiso 48 Jacksonville 30". JU Dolphins. Jacksonville University. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
21. "Week 11 Preview" (PDF). Valpo Athletics. Valparaiso University. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
22. "Stetson 45 Valparaiso 31". Go Hatters. Stetson University. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
23. Lucia, Joe. "Your 2018 college football Week 12 announcing schedule". Awful Announcing. Awful Announcing. Retrieved 17 November 2018.