Central Connecticut football clinches FCS playoff spot Saturday with win over Mercyhurst

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Yale and Harvard aren’t the only state teams vying for a postseason football berth this weekend. Central Connecticut is on the cusp of going back to the FCS playoffs, too.

The Blue Devils’ winning streak was stopped at Duquesne last Saturday, but with only one loss in Northeast Conference play can clinch the league’s championship outright and capture its automatic playoff spot with a victory over Mercyhurst at Arute Field on Saturday at noon.

The Blue Devils began this season with a 59-13 loss at UConn, but have since been successful at the FCS level. After nonconference’s losses to Merrimack and Dartmouth, they won five in a row once conference play began. Mercyhurst, Duquesne and Wagner are all 4-2 in conference play, alive to win a share of the title and throw the bid to tie-breakers.

CCSU, and its star running back, looking to make a mark vs. UConn

Quarterback Brady Olson has completed 51 percent of his passes for 2,239 yards, 17 TDs and 12 interceptions to anchor CCSU’s offense. Michael Plaskon (47 catches) has been Olson’s favorite target. Elijah Howard, with 934 yards, is poised to top the 1,000-yard rushing mark in this critical game.

Central is trying to reach the 24-team FCS tournament for the fourth time since 2017 and second year in a row. The Devils lost at Rhode Island, 21-17, last year and are still looking for a postseason win. The FCS playoffs begin Nov. 29, with the championship game in Nashville on Jan. 5.

The Ivy League is allowing its teams to compete in the playoffs for the first time. Harvard and Yale will play at Yale Bowl Saturday to determine that automatic bid. If Yale and Central both win, Yale has already submitted a bid to host a first-round game. With FCS officials considering geography in its pairings, a Central-Yale meeting at Yale Bowl would not be far-fetched.

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