2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football team

2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football
Conference Pioneer Football League
2018 record 1–5 (1–2 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 
Drake  2 –0     3 –1  
San Diego  2 –0     3 –2  
Dayton  2 –1     3 –3  
Davidson  2 –1     5 –1  
Stetson  1 –1     3 –1  
Butler  1 –1     3 –2  
Marist  1 –1     1 –4  
Jacksonville  0 –2     1 –3  
Morehead State  0 –2     1 –4  
Valparaiso  0 –2     0 –5  
Rankings from STATS FCS Poll

The 2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football team represents Valparaiso University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They are led by fifth-year head coach Dave Cecchini and play their home games at Brown Field. They compete in the Pioneer Football League.

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]

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)
1San Diego81 (9)
2Dayton72 (1)
3Drake58
T–4Butler48
T–4Valparaiso48
6Jacksonville47
7Marist44
8Morehead State22
9Stetson19
10Davidson11

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 811:00 a.m.at Duquesne*
NECFRL 21–23943
September 151:00 p.m.at Youngstown State*
ESPN+L 7–4214,913
September 221:00 p.m.Truman State*
ESPN3L 20–341,840
September 291:00 p.m.Davidson
  • Brown Field
  • Valparaiso, IN
ESPN3L 35–404,605
October 612:00 p.m.at Dayton
Facebook LiveL 20–532,592
October 131:00 p.m.Butler
ESPN+W 35–171,724
October 202:00 p.m.at Morehead State
ESPN+
October 271:00 p.m.Drake
  • Brown Field
  • Valparaiso, IN
ESPN+
November 31:00 p.m.at Marist
November 101:00 p.m.Jacksonville
  • Brown Field
  • Valparaiso, IN
ESPN+
November 1712:00 p.m.at Stetson
ESPN3

Game summaries

at Duquesne

1 234Total
Crusaders 0 1407 21
• Dukes 7 0106 23
Overall record Last meeting Result
0–3 2017 DUQ, 45–40

at Youngstown State

1 234Total
Crusaders 7 000 7
• Penguins 7 14147 42
Overall record Last meeting Result
0–2 2012 YSU, 59–0

Truman State

1 234Total
• Bulldogs 6 0117 24
Crusaders 7 0310 20
Overall record Last meeting Result
First meeting

Davidson

Homecoming
1 234Total
• Wildcats 14 2006 40
Crusaders 14 777 35
  • Date: September 29, 2018
  • Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana
  • Game start: 1:04 pm CDT
  • Game attendance: 4,605
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman
Overall record Last meeting Result
4–7 2016 VALPO, 24–20

at Dayton

1 234Total
Crusaders 7 607 20
• Flyers 14 23160 53
Overall record Last meeting Result
3–23 2017 VALPO, 8–7

Butler

Hoosier Helmet Trophy
1 234Total
Bulldogs 0 1430 17
• Crusaders 14 0714 35
  • Date: October 13, 2018
  • Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana
  • Game start: 1:04 pm CDT
  • Game attendance: 1,724[6]
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman
Overall record Last meeting Result
26–50 2017 VALPO, 36–28

at Morehead State

1 2Total
Crusaders 0
Eagles 0
Overall record Last meeting Result
4–18 2017 VALPO, 63–32

Drake

1 2Total
Bulldogs 0
Crusaders 0
  • Date: October 27, 2018
  • Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana
  • Game start: 1:00 pm CDT
Overall record Last meeting Result
3–22 2017 DRAKE, 38–13

at Marist

1 2Total
Crusaders 0
Red Foxes 0
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–6 2017 VALPO, 49–15

Jacksonville

1 2Total
Dolphins 0
Crusaders 0
  • Date: November 10, 2018
  • Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana
  • Game start: 1:00 pm CST
Overall record Last meeting Result
3–7 2017 JACK, 20–17

at Stetson

1 2Total
Crusaders 0
Hatters 0
Overall record Last meeting Result
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. ↑ "2018 Football Game Notes" (PDF). valpoathletics.com. Valpo Sports Media Relations.
  6. ↑ valpoathletics. Valparaiso University http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/boxscore/2018-19/6911/butler-vs-valpo-10-13-2018/. Retrieved 14 October 2018. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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