2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football team

American college football season

2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football

Conference	Pioneer Football League
Record	2–9 (2–6 PFL)
Head coach	Dave Cecchini (5th season)
Offensive coordinator	Jason Miran
Defensive coordinator	Ernest Moore
Home stadium	Brown Field
Seasons← 2017 2019 →

2018 Pioneer Football League standings
v t e
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

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.

Preseason

Preseason All-PFL team

The PFL released their preseason all-PFL team on July 30, 2018, with the Crusaders having three players selected.

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.

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	Tenney Stadium at 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 (16 °C) • Weather: Rainy, cool • Wind: ENE 13 mph (21 km/h)
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, 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 (28 °C) • Weather: Partly cloudy • Wind: E 5–10 mph (8.0–16.1 km/h)
Referee: Andy Speciale
Television network: ESPN+

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 (18 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: E 9 mph (14 km/h)
Referee: Aaron Adams
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, 2018
Location: Brown Field • Valparaiso, Indiana
Game start: 1:04 pm CDT
Game attendance: 4,605
Game weather: Temperature: 62 °F (17 °C) • Weather: Partly cloudy • Wind: NE 3 mph (4.8 km/h)
Referee: Marcel Kerr
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, 2018
Location: Welcome Stadium • Dayton, Ohio
Game start: 1:07 pm EDT
Elapsed time: 2:38
Game attendance: 2,592
Referee: Grant Henderson
TV announcers (Facebook Live): Alex Mikos, Jason Phillips

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
Game weather: Temperature: 51 °F (11 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: SW 10 mph (16 km/h)
Referee: C. J. Jackson
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, 2018
Location: Jayne Stadium • Morehead, Kentucky
Game start: 1:05 pm CDT
Elapsed time: 3:15
Game attendance: 8,145
Game weather: Temperature: 55 °F (13 °C) • Weather: Mostly rainy
Referee: Lamar Gresham
TV announcers (ESPN+): Chuck Mraz, Jason Blanton

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 (12 °C) • Weather: Partly cloudy • Wind: N 10 mph (16 km/h)
Referee: Andy Speciale
TV announcers (ESPN+): 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, 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 (11 °C) • Weather: Mostly cloudy, windy • Wind: W 14 mph (23 km/h)
Referee: Tom Kichline
TV announcers (Red Fox Network): Geoff Brault, Ed Weir

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 (−2 °C) • Weather: Extremely cold • Wind: W 7 mph (11 km/h)
Referee: Matt Packowski
TV announcers (ESPN+): Todd Ickow, Dave Huseman

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 (22 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: NE 7 mph (11 km/h)
Referee: Terrance Lamar
TV announcers (ESPN+): Evan Weston, Tom James

References

"Twelve First-Team All-PFL returnees highlight Preseason All-PFL Team".
"Defending Champion San Diego edges Dayton in PFL Preseason Coaches' Poll".
"Duquesne 23 Valparaiso 21". Go Duquesne. Duquesne University. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
"Youngstown State 42 Valparaiso 7". YSU sports. Youngstown State University. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
"Truman State 34 Valparaiso 20". Truman State Athletics. Truman State University. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
"Davidson 40 Valparaiso 35". Davidson Wildcats. Davidson University. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
"Dayton 53 Valparaiso 20". Dayton Flyers. University of Dayton. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
"2018 Football Game Notes" (PDF). valpoathletics.com. Valpo Sports Media Relations.
"Game 6 Notes". valpoathletics. Valparaiso University. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
"Valparaiso 35 Butler 17". Butler Sports. Butler University. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
"Game 7 Box Score". Valpo Athletics. Valparaiso University. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
"Morehead State 31 Valparaiso 24". msueagles.com. Morehead State University. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
Lucia, Joe (October 17, 2018). "Your 2018 college football Week 8 announcing schedule". Awful Announcing. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
"Drake 42 Valparaiso 25". Drake University Athletics. Drake University. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
"Game 8 Preview" (PDF). Valpo Athletics. Valparaiso University. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
"Marist 35 Valparaiso 24". Go Red Foxes. Marist College. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
"Your 2018 college football Week 10 announcing schedule". Awful Announcing. Awful Announcing. November 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
"Valparaiso 48 Jacksonville 30". JU Dolphins. Jacksonville University. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
"Week 11 Preview" (PDF). Valpo Athletics. Valparaiso University. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
"Stetson 45 Valparaiso 31". Go Hatters. Stetson University. Retrieved November 18, 2018.

v t e Valparaiso Beacons football
Venues	Brown Field (1919–present)
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