The 2018 Sacred Heart Pioneers football team represented Sacred Heart University as a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC) during the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by seventh-year head coach Mark Nofri, the Pioneers compiled an overall record of 7–4 with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, sharing the NEC title with Duquesne. Due to a head-to-head win over Sacred Heart, Duquesne earned the NEC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship plays. The Pioneers did not received an at-large bid. Sacred Heart played home games at Campus Field in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Preseason
NEC coaches poll
The NEC released their preseason coaches poll on July 24, 2018, with the Pioneers predicted to finish in sixth place.[1] They did not place any players on the preseason all-NEC team.
| Predicted finish
|
Team
|
| 1 |
Central Connecticut
|
| 2 |
Duquesne
|
| 3 |
Bryant
|
| 4 |
Saint Francis
|
| 5 |
Wagner
|
| 6 |
Sacred Heart
|
| 7 |
Robert Morris
|
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | Lafayette* | | W 35–6 | 4,157 |
| September 8 | 3:30 p.m. | at Bucknell* | | W 30–14 | 1,872 |
| September 22 | 6:00 p.m. | at Wagner | | W 41–14 | 3,178 |
| September 29 | 1:00 p.m. | at Cornell* | | L 24–43 | 3,620 |
| October 6 | 3:00 p.m. | Penn* | - Campus Field
- Fairfield, CT
| L 27–31 | 4,503 |
| October 13 | 6:00 p.m. | at Dartmouth* | | L 0–42 | 3,138 |
| October 20 | 1:00 p.m. | at Central Connecticut | | W 28–25 | 5,117 |
| October 27 | 1:00 p.m. | Bryant | - Campus Field
- Fairfield, CT
| W 49–26 | 1,678 |
| November 3 | 12:00 p.m. | Robert Morris | - Campus Field
- Fairfield, CT
| W 38–7 | 1,556 |
| November 10 | 12:00 p.m. | at Duquesne | | L 24–28 | 1,304 |
| November 17 | 12:00 p.m. | Saint Francis (PA) | - Campus Field
- Fairfield, CT
| W 13–7 | 1,852 |
|
[2][3]
Game summaries
Lafayette
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Leopards
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
0 |
6 |
| Pioneers
|
7
|
14
|
7
|
7 |
35 |
At Bucknell
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Pioneers
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
9 |
30 |
| Bison
|
0
|
14
|
0
|
0 |
14 |
At Wagner
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Pioneers
|
7
|
21
|
6
|
7 |
41 |
| Seahawks
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
0 |
14 |
At Cornell
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Pioneers
|
3
|
7
|
7
|
7 |
24 |
| Big Red
|
16
|
20
|
7
|
0 |
43 |
Penn
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Quakers
|
7
|
10
|
7
|
7 |
31 |
| Pioneers
|
0
|
0
|
21
|
6 |
27 |
At Dartmouth
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Pioneers
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
0 |
| Big Green
|
21
|
14
|
7
|
0 |
42 |
At Central Connecticut
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Pioneers
|
7
|
0
|
14
|
7 |
28 |
| Blue Devils
|
3
|
14
|
0
|
8 |
25 |
Bryant
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Bulldogs
|
14
|
6
|
0
|
6 |
26 |
| Pioneers
|
14
|
13
|
13
|
9 |
49 |
Robert Morris
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Colonials
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
0 |
7 |
| Pioneers
|
21
|
14
|
0
|
3 |
38 |
At Duquesne
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Pioneers
|
0
|
7
|
14
|
3 |
24 |
| Dukes
|
14
|
7
|
7
|
0 |
28 |
Saint Francis (PA)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Red Flash
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
0 |
7 |
| Pioneers
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
0 |
13 |
References