Monmouth University (2-2, 0-0 Big South) at Wagner College (1-4, 1-0 NEC)
Saturday, October 5, 2019; 6:00 p.m.
Wagner College Stadium (3,300), Staten Island, NY

Television/Streaming Video: NECFrontRow.com

                                 Keith Raad (play by play), Stuart Johnson (analyst)Shaun Rainey (sideline)

Monmouth Radio Coverage: Shore Sports Network (Shoresportsnetwork.com, Andriod/IOS App/ 1310 AM)
                               Eddy Occhipinti (Play by Play); Kevin O'Rourke (Color Analyst) 

Ticket Info: 
For tickets visit HERE for more information.

Directions to Wagner College Stadium:
For directions visit HERE
                             
A LOOK AT THE GAME:

• Today is the 25th meeting between Monmouth and Wagner, separated by 40 miles, with the Hawks owning a 14-10 series advantage. The Hawks have won five straight in the series, the longest streak for one team.
• The Hawks are coming off a bye week after traveling out to No. 17 Montana two weeks ago, falling late after making it a six point game in the fourth quarter.
• The Seahawks look to extend their winning streak to two games after defeating LIU Post in their Northeast Conference opener last weekend, 24-14.
• The Hawks bring one of the nation's best backs in Pete Guerriero into the game, who has rushed for over 100 yards in three of four games this season and four of his last five. Wagner's defense features two of the best defenders in the NEC in linebackers Cam Gill and Santoni Graham.
• Today's game can be watched for free on NECFrontRow.com
• The game will also air on The Shore Sports Network with Eddy Occhipinti (pxp) and Kevin O'Rourke (analyst) on the call.

THE COACHING MATCHUP:
Kevin Callahan is in his 27th season at Monmouth as the Hawks' head coach. Callahan owns a 154-123 career coaching record, all with Monmouth. Coming into the season, Callahan's 154 victories ranks him 8th among active coaches in the Football Championship Subdivision. He is one of three FCS coaches with 150+ wins all at one institution and his 26 years as a head coach is the seventh most among active coaches. The only coach in Monmouth history, he has led the Blue & White to five conference championships, in 1996, 1998, 2003, 2004 and 2006 and its first at-large playoff berth in 2017. Callahan has earned conference coach of the year accolades in 1998, 2003 and 2006 and was named as an Eddie Robinson Award finalist in 2017, finishing 10^th in the voting. Prior to arriving in West Long Branch, Callahan served as defensive coordinator at Colgate for eight seasons and at Wagner for three years. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Albany (1977-79) and Syracuse (1980) before becoming a Seahawk assistant in 1981.

Jason Houghtaling is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Seahawks. In four plus seasons he has amassed a 16-33 record, including a 12-14 NEC mark. Houghtaling was the Seahawks' offensive coordinator for the last three seasons before being elevated to head coach. While he was offensive coordinator, the Seahawks amassed a 16-6 NEC record with league titles in two of the last three seasons. Last year the Seahawks offense ranked 4th nationally in time of possession and did not commit a turnover in the last three games of the season. In 2006, Houghtaling first served as running backs coach, before heading the Seahawk offensive lines from 2007-2009. As a defensive end in college, injuries ended his time with the Lafayette Leopards. Houghtaling transferred to the University of Binghamton, where he graduated in 2004.

VIEW THE GAME WITH OTHER HAWKS FANS AT OFFICIAL "WATCH" LOCATIONS 
If you can't make it out to the game, catch Saturday's game with other Hawks' fans, at one of two official watch party locations. You can catch the game at  Asbury Ale House in Asbury Park and Jack's Goal Stand in West End, Long Branch. Both locations will host viewing parties for the remainder of Monmouth's games this season, both home and away. 

INSIDE THE MU-MU SERIES

25th Overall Meeting

Overall Record: MU leads 14-10
                West Long Branch: WC, 7-5
                Staten Island: MU, 9-3
First Meeting: Nov. 6, 1993
Last Meeting: Sep. 29, 2018
Longest MU Win Streak: 5 gms
Longest WC Win Streak: 3 gms
Largest MU W Margin: 44 pts (97)
Largest WC W Margin: 32 pts (99)
Smallest MU W Margin: 5 pts (14)
Smallest WC W Margin: 1 pt (02)
Shutouts: 1 (2003)
Overtime Games: None

MONMOUTH AGAINST THE NORTHEAST CONFERENCE

• Today's game marks the 13th non-conference game against a Northeast Conference opponent since Monmouth left the league at the conclusion of the 2012 season.
• Monmouth holds a 76-49 record against NEC teams, while a member of the NEC for 16 seasons, the Hawks owned a 69-45 record.
• Monmouth's best winning percentage comes against Saint Francis (Pa.), whom the Hawks are 17-4 against all-time.
• Monmouth holds a winning record against every team in the NEC with the exception of Robert Morris (series tied 10-10).
• Head Coach Kevin Callahan led his squad to five NEC Championships, earning Co-Champion honors in 1996, 1998, 2003 and 2004 while winning the outright championship in 2006. 

INSIDE THE MONMOUTH-WAGNER SERIES

• Today's game marks the 25th meeting between Wagner and Monmouth. MU has face the Seahawks more than any other team in the school's 27-year history.
• Monmouth owns a 14-10 record against Wagner, including winning five straight contests dating back to 2012. Monmouth is 9-3 on Staten Island against WC, while 5-7 in West Long Branch.
• Last season Monmouth wideout Reggie White Jr. took a 84 yard screen to the house with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter to defeat the Seahawks in a shootout. On the next Wagner possession junior Evan Powell intercepted a pass over the middle to secure the 54-47 win.
• The two teams were set to play in West Long Branch in 2016 but Wagner cancelled, snapping a 23-consecutive year series. The Hawks filled that game with its first showdown with Howard.
• The visiting team has won 10 out of the last 13 contests.
• In the 2015 meeting Monmouth scored on the second play from scrimmage and never looked back while the defense forced four turnovers and held the Wagner offense off the board until the final minute of the game. The Hawks walked away 31-16 winners, their fourth straight in the series.
• The teams first met back on 11/6/93, with Wagner beating MU 14-7 in West Long Branch.

 BAHAR SETS CAREER HIGHS AGAINST GRIZ
Monmouth fifth-year senior quarterback Kenji Bahar threw for 393 yards and two touchdowns on 34 of 50 passing - both career highs. Bahar's 393 yards was the fourth most passing yards by a Monmouth QB and the signal caller now occupies two of the top four single game passing marks. 

HAWKS PLAY IN FRONT OF LARGEST CROWD IN SCHOOL HISTORY
In last week's game at Montana the Hawks played in front of the largest crowd in the 27-year history of the program. In fact, this season Monmouth has played in front of two of the top-two largest crowds in history. After opening the season in front of 21k at Bobcat Stadium, Monmouth playd in front of an active 18,467 fans, including a huge student section at Liberty's Williams Stadium. Previsouly, the largest crowd the Hawks ever played in front of was 21,431 at Delaware in 2007, the year the Joe Flacco led the Blue Hens to the National Championship game.

 MONMOUTH FOOTBALL LARGEST CROWDS

                                Home Team                          Stadium                                 Season   Attendance
                1.             Montana                                Washington-Grizzly              2019       23,119
                2.             Delaware                               Tubby Raymond Field         2007       21,431
                3.             Central Michigan                  Kelly/Shorts Stadium           2015       21,092   
                4.             Montana State                     Bobcat Stadium                    2013       21,007
                5.             Old Dominion                       S.B. Ballard Stadium            2009       19,782   
                6.             Liberty                                   Williams Stadium                 2013       18,467
                7.             Liberty                                   Williams Stadium                 2016       16,687                   
                8.             Liberty                                   Williams Stadium                 2014       16,053
                9.             Western Michigan               Waldo Stadium                     2019       15,021
                10.          Eastern Michigan                 Rynearson Stadium              2018       14,357 

DID YOU KNOW?
Monmouth quarterback Kenji Bahar threw his fifth 300+ yard passing game last time out against Montana, tying him with Brandon Hill for the most 300-yard games in school history. Bahar has 16 career 200-yard passing games which is third most for a Monmouth quarterback and three behind career-leader Dan Sabella.

LISTEN TO THE GAME ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE OR TABLET FOR FREE
Fans with a mobile phone or tablet using Apple's IOS or Googles Android operating systems can download the FREE Shore Sports Network application to listen to all of the action.

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