2025 Monmouth Football Gameday Preview: Game One
 
No. 21/22 Monmouth (0-0, 0-0 CAA) at Colgate (0-0, 0-0 Patriot)
Friday, August 29, 2025 – 7:00 p.m.
Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium, Hamilton, NY
 
Please find PDF of full notes attached.
 
Watch
ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Eric Malanoski
Analyst: Terry Dow
Sideline: Faith Cain

Listen
MonmouthHawks.com
Play-by-Play: Joe Vasile
Analyst: Jack Barteck

Andy Kerr Stadium Information
For information and directions click HERE

Ticket Information
Click HERE to buy tickets

Riding Momentum into the Season Opener
#21/22 Monmouth, nationally-ranked for the first time since 2021, enters the 2025 season at Colgate on Friday night. The Hawks are riding a two-game win streak dating back to last season, with both victories coming over ranked opponents (Villanova, Stony Brook).

33 Years at the Helm
Kevin Callahan enters his 33rd season as the leader of the Hawks, as he continues to be longest-tenured head coach in the FCS. Callahan's 188 career wins ranks first among active FCS head coaches.

A Win Would ...
- Give Monmouth its first win in a season opener sine Spring 2021.
- Be Monmouth's ninth win all-time in a season opener (8-24).
- Be Head Coach Kevin Callahan's 189th career victory.

The Coaching Matchup
Kevin Callahan
33rd Season / 188-148
 
Curt Fitzpatrick
First Season / 0-0
 
All-Time Series
Series Record: Colgate leads 3-1
At Monmouth: Colgate leads 1-0
At Colgate: Colgate leads 2-1
Most Monmouth points: 29, 9/4/2010
Most Colgate points: 35, 9/5/2009
Most combined points: 59, 9/4/2010
Biggest Monmouth win: 5, 9/23/2006
Current streak: Colgate, W3

A 33rd Season Under Callahan
Kevin Callahan is currently the longest-tenured head coach in the FCS and has amassed the most wins by an active FCS head coach with 188. The veteran has been with the program since its inception in 1993 and is a five-time conference Coach of the Year (3x NEC, 2x Big South). The 2025 campaign will be Callahan's 33rd with the program.
 
The Hawks in Season Openers
Monmouth is 8-24 all-time in season openers with the last campaign-opening victory occurring at home versus Charleston Southern on March 27, 2021, during the Spring 2021 season. Callahan and the Hawks seek their first road win in an opener since September 6, 2016, when Monmouth defeated Lehigh in Bethlehem, 23-21.
 
Early Three-Game Road Trip
The Hawks open up with three games away from home to start the 2025 season. Monmouth travels to Hamilton, NY to take on Colgate in Week 1, and then will follow that up with trips to Fordham in Week 2 and FBS Charlotte in Week 3. All three games are evening kickoffs and will be aired on ESPN+.
 
Youngsters Join a Renewed Rivalry
The last time the Hawks defeated the Raiders was September 23, 2006 - a 17-12 victory on the road. Sixteen (16) players on the current roster, and nearly all of the freshman class, were not even born yet. Graduate quarterback Derek Robertson, the eldest Hawk player, was 10 years old the last time these two teams met (October 8, 2011).
 
Monmouth in the Polls
The Hawks enter Week 1 as the nation's #22 team in the AFCA Coaches Preseason Poll, while Stats Perform FCS ranked them #22. The last time the Hawks played as a ranked team was November 20, 2021, as the 24th-ranked team in FCS according to the AFCA Coaches Poll. The Hawks are 9-7 all-time in games played as a ranked team with their last victory coming as #20/20 on September 18, 2021, at Charleston Southern (W, 41-14).
 
CAA in the Polls
CAA Football has four teams ranked in the first editions of the FCS Top 25 polls. Rhode Island enters as the league's top team ranked #10 in the AFCA poll and #9 in the Stats poll. Villanova appears as the #13 team in both polls. Monmouth sits at #21 and #22 in the AFCA and Stats rankings, respectively. Stony Brook also earned a spot on both lists, entering at #25 in the AFCA poll and #24 in the Stats poll. New Hampshire received votes in both polls.
 
Derek's Dominance
Derek Robertson had an exceptional 2024 for Monmouth, emerging as one of the top quarterbacks in the FCS. He finished as the nation's leader in total passing yards (3,937) and passing yards per game (328.1) while leading the CAA and ranking third in the nation with 31 passing touchdowns. His 161.8 passing efficiency ranked seventh nationally, as well. Robertson broke single-season program records for passing yardage and touchdowns and became the second Hawk to ever record a 3,000-yard passing season (Kenji Bahar, 2019). He leads the one of the nation's top offenses for his final year of eligibility in 2025.
 
The Nelson Connection
Brothers Gavin (redshirt junior wide receiver) and Rodney (redshirt sophomore running back) Nelson are both set to shine in starting roles in 2025. Each of the Nelsons have found the endzone in the same game once during their collegiate careers - Gavin hauled in a receiving touchdown and Rodney ran in for a score in Monmouth's historic 45-42 upset of FIU in 2024.
 
50 Piece x4
Last year's squad became the first team in program history to put up for 50-point performances. On the year, MU is averaging 37.6 points per game, with the program record sitting at 36.4 points per game set in 2022. The 63 points Monmouth scored against Fordham are the most for a CAA team in a game last season. In their six wins, the Hawks have outscored their opponents 306-183. Overall, Monmouth scored 468 points, while surrendering 402 points.
 
The Biggest Win in Program History
Kevin Callahan and the Hawks picked up the program's first ever victory over an FBS opponent in 2024, defeating FIU on September 21 by a final score of 45-42. In the final seconds, safety Deuce Lee forced and recovered a fumble inside the MU five-yard line after kicker Michael Calton Jr. gave the Hawks the lead on a 43-yard field goal with 1:52 remaining.