WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ- Princeton University (4-0, 1-0 Ivy) handed Monmouth University (3-3, 2-0 Big South) its second home loss in the last three games with a 35-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining to complete a second half comeback and edge the Hawks 31-28 Saturday at Kessler Stadium.
 
Anthony Budd's 22-yard interception return for a touchdown tied the game at 28-28 with just under three minutes to play but the Tigers drove 57 yards on 13 plays to convert a 35-yard Jeffrey Sexton field goal that would end up being the game-winner.
 
Monmouth built a 21-6 lead midway through the third quarter but would not score another offensive point as Princeton would tally 22 unanswered points to pull ahead 28-21. Budd snatched the ball and returned it to tie the game but Princeton converted two fourth downs to drive the length of the field and set up Sexton's field goal. Monmouth tried to lateral its way to paydirt but the play eventually ended in a turnover with no time remaining.
 
Princeton came out on the opening drive of the game and drove 71 yards in six minutes to take a 3-0 lead on a Sexton field goal. The Hawks would answer back, grinding out 84 yards over 14 plays. On fourth down, Tony Muskett stepped up in the pocket and found Joey Aldarelli in right side of the endzone all alone for a 12-yard scoring strike. Monmouth would go up 14-3 with 1:00 left in the half on a 19-yard hookup between Muskett and Zach Tredway. After the ensuing kickoff, the Tigers drove 46 yards on six plays to set up a 46-yard Sexton field goal as the first half time expired and the Hawks led 14-6.
 
Farri broke into the endzone for the first time on Monmouth's opening drive of the second half with the redshirt sophomore piling in from one yard out to put the Hawks ahead 21-6. The Tigers responded, going 64 yards on a six-play drive that took just 1:58 off the clock. Princeton converted a third and long in their own territory to keep the drive going which eventually ended in a one-yard Collin Eaddy touchdown run. The Tigers converted a pass on the PAT and the MU lead was cut to 21-14 late in the third.
 
Princeton tied the game up at 21-21 with 11:55 left in the fourth quarter, moving the ball seemingly at will on a drive that went 67 yards on eight plays and took just over three minutes.
 
QUOTES & NOTES
"I'm proud of the way our team played today. When you have two ranked teams playing each other that is probably the type of game you expect to see. Our players played hard, they played the entire 60 minutes and I think we just ran out of time. As I told the team down in the locker room if we can continue to play the way we did today we will be in a good spot and that is the thing we need to take away from this. The entire locker room is certainly not happy with the loss, we are certainly disappointed with it." Head Coach Kevin Callahan
 

• Prior to the game Princeton had allowed just seven points in the previous three contests
• Monmouth is now 0-2 against Princeton all-time and 3-3 against Ivy League opponents
• The Hawks are 20-3 at Kessler Stadium since 2017 but have lost twice in the last three weeks
• Monmouth finished with 105 rushing yards, Princeton's defense came into the game allowing a NCAA best just 3.0 yards per game
• Defensive tackle Lorenzo Hernandez finished with five tackles, three for a loss which included a pair of sacks
• Farri finished with 22 carries giving him 370 for his career which moves him into 10^th all-time
• He also scored his 25^th career touchdown, which is seventh in the Monmouth annals
• With 7:42 left in the game Princeton took its first lead since the opening drive
• Budd's interception return for a TD was the first for a Monmouth player since Tymere Berry had one against Kennesaw State in 2019
• It was his ninth career interception, which moves him into a tie with Matt Hill for fifth all-time
• Joey Aldarelli caught his fourth touchdown in the last three games

NUMBERS CRUNCH

• Princeton threw for 299 yards but only could muster 53 on the ground
• Ryan Kost averaged 44.8 yards per punt with a long of 52 and had two of his four punts downed inside the 20
• Monmouth lost two fumbles in the contest
• Princeton was three-of-four on fourth down conversions, Monmouth was two-of-three
• The Hawks were 7-of-14 on third down while the Tigers finished 6-of-15
• Princeton held a 352-286 advantage in yardage
• Monmouth's defense had three sacks and seven tackles for a loss
• The Hawks allowed just one sack and only three negative plays

 
UP NEXT
Monmouth will jump back into Big South play next week at Campbell. Kickoff is slated for 1 PM in Buies Creek, NC.