Monmouth (2-2, 1-0 CAA) vs. Fordham (0-4, 0-0 Patriot)
Saturday, September 28; 1:00 p.m. ET
Kessler Stadium; West Long Branch, NJ
 
WATCH
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Play-by-Play: Matt Harmon
Analyst: Emory Hunt

LISTEN
WMCX 88.9 FM
Play-by-Play: Dan Yeserski
Analyst: Dean Heidel

Ticket Information
For tickets click HERE for more information
 
Kessler Stadium Information
For information and directions click HERE

Game Promotions
Join us at Kessler Stadium as we celebrate Family Weekend at Monmouth University. The Beer Garden returns in the east end zone and opens two hours prior to kickoff. Fans must be 21+ to enter and have a game ticket.
                          
Home, Sweet Home
Monmouth returns to Kessler Stadium for its final non-conference test of the season against Fordham in a 1 p.m. kickoff. The Hawks will play the first of four consecutive home games and will not travel until early November. 

Milestone Win
Monmouth enters Saturday's game following the biggest upset in program history as it knocked off an FBS opponent for the first time. The Hawks defeated FIU in a 45-42 thriller and continued their offensive dominance behind Derek Robertson and the nation's leading passing attack. 

A Win Would ...
Be Monmouth's first home victory of the season (0-1).
Improve the Hawks to 4-2 all-time against Fordham.
Push the Hawks above .500 for the first time this year.

The Coaching Matchup
Kevin Callahan
32nd Season / 184-144
 
Joe Conlin
7th Season / 29-35
 
All-Time Series
Series Record: Monmouth leads 3-2
At Monmouth: 1-1
At Fordham: 2-1
Most Monmouth points: 49, 09/10/22
Most Fordham points: 54, 09/26/15
Most combined points: 101, 09/10/22
Biggest Monmouth win: 14, 09/02/06
Current streak: Fordham, W1

Hot Rod
Sophomore running back Rodney Nelson has made a big impact on the Hawks' rushing attack over the last two games. Nelson has accumulated 247 rushing yards on 40 carries, averaging 6.2 yards per carry, with two rushing touchdowns. His standout performance came against FIU, where he ran for 117 yards and scored a touchdown, including a career-long run of 59 yards. Nelson also shined in the win at Maine, with 91 rushing yards and another touchdown. Nelson has shown his versatility in the passing game with seven receptions for 62 yards, averaging 8.9 yards per catch. 

Scary Derry
Sophomore wide receiver Josh Derry was honored by the Coastal Athletic Association as its Co-Offensive Player of the Week after his performance at Maine. Derry was pivotal to Monmouth's offensive success in the Hawks' 51-22 CAA victory, recording seven catches for 227 yards and two touchdowns. His 56-yard touchdown in the third quarter extended the Hawks' lead, while his program-record 94-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth helped seal the win. Derry hauled in the 94-yarder down the left sideline from Derek Robertson and eclipsed Zach Tredway's previous record 92-yard TD catch against Kennesaw State on Nov. 2, 2019. His totals were all new career highs and his 227 yards were the second-most by an FCS receiver in a game this season and ranked fourth in school history. Derry was also an Honorable Mention selection for the Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week award and earned a helmet sticker from Joey Galloway on ESPN's College Football Final. On the year Derry has 23 grabs for 470 yards and four touchdowns. He is third in the FCS in receiving yards per game (117.5) and is tied for fourth with four touchdowns.

Derek's Dominance
Derek Robertson has been exceptional for Monmouth this season, emerging as one of the top quarterbacks in the FCS. He currently leads the nation in passing yards with 1,496, and he ranks first in passing touchdowns with 13. Robertson is also responsible for 78 points, while his passing efficiency rating of 162.8 places him 14th nationally. Robertson is averaging 374 yards per game through the air. Robertson tied the program record with his 35 completions at FIU, equaling the effort by Kyle Frazier against Cornell on October 13, 2012. 

Within the CAA, Robertson is leading the conference in all major passing categories, including passing yards, touchdowns, and completions per game. His ability to consistently move the ball down the field has been crucial to Monmouth's high-powered offense, which ranks second in the nation in total offense at 510 yards per game. His 1,496 yards are the most ever for a Monmouth QB over a four-game stretch and Robertson occupies three of the top 10 single-game passing yard totals through his first four performances in a Monmouth uniform.

Debut Performance
Derek Robertson was excellent in his first game in a Monmouth uniform as he completed 27-of-42 passes and threw for three touchdowns. Robertson's 390 yards passing were the most for a Monmouth quarterback in his first start in program history. The 390-yard total was the most by a CAA passer in week one and is also tied for the sixth-most in a single game in Monmouth history with Brandon Hill, who had the same passing yardage against Lehigh in 2014. When he was the QB at Maine in 2023, Robertson set a career-high with 503 passing yards in a loss at Campbell.

Doubling Down
Derek Robertson followed up his performance in the season opener with another 350-plus yard performance against Lafayette. He totaled 355 yards, marking the first time a Monmouth quarterback has ever thrown for more than 350 yards in consecutive games. Robertson also threw four touchdown passes, all to different receivers, against the Leopards. 

A Ntoh for the End Zone
Running back Sone Ntoh found the end zone for the 21st time in 15 career games for Monmouth with his three scores in the win at FIU. Ntoh has scored at least one touchdown in all but two games over the last two seasons. His 21 rushing touchdowns are 11th in the Monmouth career record book. Ntoh needs two touchdowns to crack the top 10 in program history. Ntoh's three touchdowns were the most for a Monmouth running back in a game since Jaden Shirden had four against Hampton last season.

Spreading the Love
Derek Robertson has distributed the ball effectively this season, connecting with a variety of Monmouth receivers. Robertson has completed double-digit passes to six different players and leading the way is Josh Derry, who has emerged as Robertson's primary target, recording 470 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Maxwell James, TJ Speight and Jack Neri have each scored two touchdowns. In addition, Tra Neal and Gavin Nelson have played pivotal roles, with Neal catching 15 balls and one TD and Nelson totaling 193 total yards and a TD this season. The depth of Monmouth's receiving corps has been instrumental in their ranking as the top passing offense in the FCS, at 374 yards per game.

Tackling Totals
Deuce Lee (12), Sam Korpoi (10), Damir McCrary (8) and Isaiah Rogers (7) each set new career highs in total tackles against Eastern Washington. Miles Mitchell added six tackles to equal his career high, while Alex Odom made eight in his Monmouth debut, giving him more than 200 career tackles after coming over from Temple with 199 stops to his name. In the Lafayette game, Emmanuel Lane led Monmouth with a career-best nine stops. Justin Bennin made a career-best seven stops in the win over Maine.

Critical Conversions
Monmouth's dominance on third and fourth downs is a key reason for the offensive success this season. The 49.1% third-down conversion rate (27-for-55), ranks ninth in the FCS, has been driven by consistent performances in critical situations. Monmouth converted 11-of-15 on third downs in the win at Maine and was 7-for-12 on third down at Eastern Washington. Additionally, the team leads the FCS with 11 fourth-down conversions, with a 73.3% success rate (11-for-15), highlighted by a 5-for-7 showing at FIU.

Disciplined Football
Monmouth leads the CAA and ranks fourth in the FCS in fewest penalty yards per game with 27.7 this season. The Hawks have been penalized 16 times for a total of 111 yards, the best total in the conference. Monmouth's best game was the opener at Eastern Washington when it were penalized once for five yards. The most penalty yards came at FIU, where the Hawks drew six accepted penalties for 46 yards.  

CAA in the Polls
A season-high six CAA Football teams are ranked in the latest FCS Top 25 polls. Villanova leads at #6 in both polls, while William & Mary is ranked #11 by Stats and #12 by the AFCA. New Hampshire is ranked #24 by Stats and #20 by the AFCA, UAlbany is #21 by Stats and #23 by the AFCA, Rhode Island is #22 by Stats and received AFCA votes, and Richmond is #23 in the AFCA poll, with Stony Brook and Monmouth receiving votes in both polls.

Monmouth Against the Coastal Athletic Association
Monmouth is one of 16 current members of the CAA in football, with the new addition of former Northeast Conference opponent Bryant (6-1) in 2024. The Hawks are 33-38 all-time against current CAA opponents. The Hawks also played Stony Brook (7-4) during Monmouth's time as a member of the Northeast Conference. The Hawks are undefeated in two games against Villanova, 1-2 against Rhode Island, 1-4 against Maine and 2-8 against Towson. Monmouth is looking for its first wins opposite Delaware (0-2) and New Hampshire (0-2). 

Campbell Trophy Semifinalist 
Jack Neri has been a reliable target for Derek Robertson this season, catching 13 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Neri set new career highs with five receptions for 44 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown grab against Eastern Washington. He followed up with four catches for 29 yards and a touchdown at Maine and added four receptions for 37 yards in the win at FIU. Neri was recently named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, an award given to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance.

Strong Start
Monmouth opened the season with two opponents in the national FCS conversation. Eastern Washington was receiving votes in both the AFCA Coaches Poll presented by Hudl and Craig Haley's The Analyst FCS Poll, while Lafayette was ranked No. 19 in the Coaches' Poll and No. 19 in Haley's Poll. Monmouth opened CAA play on the road at Maine and traveled to Miami for an FBS game at FIU, a game the Hawks won 45-42 in thrilling fashion.

Shrine Bowl 1000
Running back Sone Ntoh was selected to the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List during the preseason. The list is compiled from all four levels of football in consultation with NFL and college personnel to put together the best 1000 players for the NFL level. Ntoh was one of 14 players from the Coastal Athletic Association recognized and his inclusion came following Jaden Shirden's invitation to the 2024 Shrine Bowl as Monmouth's first-ever participant. Ntoh is in his final season of eligibility after playing three seasons and graduating from Harvard in 2023. The running back made a big impact in Monmouth's backfield last year alongside Shirden. In his first season as a Hawk, Ntoh finished the regular season tied for the CAA lead with 14 rushing touchdowns. The Macungie, Pa. native earned Second Team All-CAA and Phil Steele Fourth Team FCS All-America honors after tallying 411 yards on 56 carries in 2023. Ntoh shined in a role that saw him as the primary back in short-yardage situations, though was able to flash his speed on a career-long 92-yard touchdown run versus Lehigh on Sept. 30 – the second-longest run in the CAA in 2023.

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