Final Score
#18/21 Monmouth (2-0) – 49
Fordham (0-2) – 28
 
BRONX, N.Y. – Derek Robertson set multiple program records as the Monmouth University Football Team stayed unbeaten with a 49-28 victory over Fordham on Saturday night at Moglia Stadium at Jack Coffey Field.
 
Robertson accounted for a program-best seven total touchdowns, including another school-record six passing scores, as the Hawks improved to 5-2 all-time against the Rams and opened 2-0 for the first time since the Spring 2021 campaign. It also marked the first time since 2016 that Monmouth has started a season with back-to-back road wins.
 
The graduate quarterback was sharp all evening, completing 29-of-43 passes for 342 yards while breaking the program record for 300-yard passing games with his 10th. He added his first career rushing touchdown on a one-yard keeper early in the fourth quarter.
 
Wide receiver Josh Derry was Robertson's top target and etched his name in the Monmouth record book. Derry hauled in a career-high 10 receptions for 144 yards and tied the school record with four touchdown catches, matching the marks set by Miles Austin in 2005 and Reggie White in 2018. He scored twice in the first quarter, including a 67-yard strike which was well-blocked downfield by Maxwell James, and capped the win with a 3-yard touchdown grab with less than two minutes remaining.
 
Rodney Nelson added balance with his fifth career 100-yard rushing game, carrying 25 times for 113 yards. He also caught four passes for a career-best 46 yards. TJ Speight contributed four receptions for 41 yards and two touchdowns, finding the end zone in both the first and second quarters.
 
The Hawks scored touchdowns on four straight possessions in the first half, racing to a 34-21 halftime advantage. After Fordham closed within 34-28 in the third quarter, Monmouth's defense stiffened, and Robertson sealed the game with two fourth-quarter touchdown drives.
 
Defensively, Josiah Graham had a breakout performance with 2.5 sacks, his first in a Monmouth uniform. Linebacker Ryan Russo intercepted a pass and added eight tackles, while Jaeden Jones led the team with nine stops. The Hawks' defense sacked Fordham quarterback Gunnar Smith five times and forced two turnovers.
 
Quotes
"I was very happy with the way this team rallied again. It started off similar to last week, the other team went down and scored, and then we really got on track offensively. And then the defense settled down. We are starting to play the type of team football you need to win games. We're not all the way there yet, but we're getting a lot closer." – Head Coach Kevin Callahan on the win
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"We were just playing our game tonight. Being able to run and pass the ball and do what we do best. It's as simple as that. But it feels great. We know we aren't playing our best ball yet, but we are getting better every week." – Wide receiver Josh Derry on the offense
 
Notes
-With the win, the Hawks are 2-0 with both wins coming on the road for the first time since 2016, when they beat Lehigh and Delaware State to open the season.
-Derek Robertson broke single-game program records with six passing touchdowns (Kenji Bahar and Brian Boland each had five) and seven total scores (Doug Rossback had six in 1994).
- Robertson breaks program record for 300-yard games with the 10th of his two-year Monmouth tenure.
- Robertson's fourth-quarter one-yard touchdown was the first rushing touchdown of his Monmouth career.
- Josh Derry ties the program record with four touchdown receptions (ties Miles Austin (10-18-2005) and Reggie White's (11-17-2018) mark).
- Derry's 10 receptions set a new career best, breaking his previous mark of seven. This is the eighth game in his career with at least six catches.
- Rodney Nelson ran for 113 yards, his fifth career game breaking the century mark. He also set a new career-best with 46 receiving yards.
- MU scored touchdowns on four consecutive first-half possessions.
- Monmouth has now scored at least 40 points in 12 straight wins, the longest such streak in program history.
- Defensive end Josiah Graham had 2.5 sacks against the Rams, the first of his Monmouth career. The Newport News, Va., product tallied five career sacks in two years at Emory & Henry University.
- Linebacker Ryan Russo tallied the first interception of his Monmouth career.
- Makhi Green provided an 81-yard kickoff return in the first quarter, his longest since his 100-yarder vs. Fordham in 2024.
- Luke Schabel notched his 14^th career punt inside the 20.
 
Numbers Crunch
- Monmouth had more first downs, 25-23.
- The Hawks ran more plays from scrimmage, 80-74.
- MU had more total yards, 469-421.
- Fordham won the time of possession battle, 31:13 – 28:47.
- Monmouth was 5-of-16 on third downs and 6-of-7 on fourth downs.
- Fordham was 6-of-15 on third downs and 1-of-2 on fourth downs.
- MU was a perfect 4-of-4 on redzone chances, while Fordham went 3-of-4.
- The Hawks tallied five sacks for 33 yards, outperforming Fordham in that category which had two for 11.
- Each team committed nine penalties with the Hawks racking up more yardage, 90-85.
- Monmouth now leads the all-time series, 5-2, and has won four of the last five meetings.
 
Up Next
The Hawks look for their second FBS win in as many tries as they travel to Charlotte to take on the 49ers on Saturday, September 13. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ at 6 p.m.