2026 Monmouth Football Gameday Preview: Game Seven
 
No. 20/23 Monmouth (4-2, 3-0 CAA) at New Hampshire Wildcats (1-5, 1-3 CAA)
Saturday, October 17, 2026 – 1:00 p.m.
Wildcat Stadium, Durham, N.H.
 
Please find attached PDF labeled 'Monmouth Notes' for full notes.
 
Watch on FloCollege
New Hampshire will be celebrating Family Weekend and will host its UNH Winter Clothing Drive.

Listen on MonmouthHawks.com
Play-by-Play: Joe Vasile
 
More Links
- Follow Live Stats
- Wildcat Stadium Information
- Tickets

Coming off the Bye Week
Following the midseason bye week, #20/23 Monmouth hits the road again to take on CAA foe New Hampshire on Saturday at Wildcat Stadium. The Hawks are 20-13 all-time, have won five straight and eight of their last nine when coming out of their yearly bye week.
 
A Thrilling Win Over Towson
The Hawks enter their seventh contest of the 2026 season following a thrilling 41-40 conference win over Towson on Homecoming at Kessler Stadium. The Tigers led by 10 in the third before MU stormed back. Towson found the endzone late but missed the game-tying PAT after a 15-yard penalty made it a long-distance try.
 
A Win Would ...
- Be the fifth straight win vs. FCS opponents for the Hawks.
- Be MU's first win over UNH (UNH leads the all-time series, 4-0).
- Be Monmouth's 21st victory in the week following a bye (20-13 all-time).

The Coaching Matchup
Jeff Gallo
1^st Season / 4-2 / 3-0 in-conference
 
Sean Goldrich
1^st Season at New Hampshire / 1-5 / 1-3 in-conference
 
All-Time Series
Series Record: UNH, 4-0
at Monmouth: UNH, 2-0
at New Hampshire: UNH, 2-0
Most Monmouth points: 24, 11/11/23
Most New Hampshire points: 34, 11/8/22
Most combined points: 55, 11/11/23
Biggest Monmouth win: n/a
Current streak: UNH, W4
 
A Fourth-Quarter Comeback
Monmouth overcame a 10-point third-quarter deficit to edge Towson, 41-40, on Homecoming at Kessler Stadium. Freshman Amori McNeil's 71-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter was Monmouth's second pick six of the season and capped a 17-0 Monmouth run, giving the Hawks a 34-27 lead. After Towson tied the game, Frankie Weaver connected with Gavin Nelson for a 41-yard touchdown with 5:09 remaining, and the Hawks held on when the Tigers scored late but missed the potential game-tying extra point after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed the attempt back. Nelson finished with eight catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns, while Monmouth rushed for a season-high 198 yards.
 
Back in the Top 25
Monmouth returned to the national rankings following its 41-40 win over Towson, checking in at No. 20 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 23 in the STATS Perform FCS Top 25. The Hawks enter the second half of the regular season at 4-2 overall and 3-0 in CAA play, holding sole possession of first place and controlling their own path toward a conference title and the program's fourth FCS Playoff appearance.
 
No Sacks Allowed, Pressure Applied
Monmouth has allowed just two sacks through six games, tied for the fewest in the FCS at 0.33 per contest alongside Lehigh. The Hawks have not allowed a sack since the first play from scrimmage at Western Michigan, with center Kevin Shriner, a Preseason All-CAA selection, playing every offensive snap this season. Defensively, Monmouth ranks second in the CAA and 14th nationally with 2.50 sacks per game, while continuing to utilize a seven-man offensive line rotation.
 
A Tale of Two Sides of the Ball
Monmouth's offense leads the CAA and ranks among the FCS leaders by converting 43-of-84 third-down attempts (51.2%). Defensively, however, opponents have converted 42-of-84 third downs (50.0%), the highest rate allowed in the CAA. The Hawks are averaging 23.5 first downs per game while allowing 24.2. New Hampshire could present an opportunity to improve those defensive numbers, as the Wildcats convert just 32.7% of their third downs, 12th among 13 CAA teams, and average 15.7 first downs per game, also 12th in the conference.
 
Jones Living Up to All-American Pedigree
Preseason CAA Defensive Player of the Year Jaeden Jones continues to lead the Monmouth defense, pacing the Hawks with 63 total tackles through six games. The junior captain has recorded 31 solo stops and reached 204 career tackles, continuing the production that earned him Stats Perform Second Team All-America and Phil Steele First Team All-America honors entering the season. He ranks second in the CAA and 9th in FCS with10.5 tackles per game.
 
Balanced Running Attack
Elijah Jennings and Kenny Smith Jr. continue to lead a productive Monmouth ground game, with both backs ranking among the top five rushers in the CAA. Jennings has 441 yards on 90 carries, while Smith has gained 415 yards on 98 attempts. The pair has provided a consistent one-two punch throughout the opening six games, giving the Hawks two of the conference's most productive rushing threats.
 
Offensive Leaders Through Six Games
Frankie Weaver ranks third in the CAA with 1,436 passing yards, while his 138 completions are second in the conference and his 11 touchdown passes rank third. Tra Neal and Gavin Nelson are also among the CAA's top five receivers, with Neal totaling 467 yards and Nelson 400. The pair has combined for 69 receptions and seven touchdowns, with Neal having surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards earlier this season at Western Michigan.
 
The Win at Dartmouth
Monmouth won the first meeting in program history with Dartmouth, 31-28, on a 31-yard field goal from Sky Sholder with 1:09 remaining. The Big Green had one final chance, but a 59-yard field goal attempt fell short as time expired, giving the Hawks their first win over an Ivy League opponent since 2014.
 
Win No. 200
Monmouth's victory at Dartmouth marked the 200th win in program history. Jeff Gallo earned his third career victory as head coach, while 197 of Monmouth's first 200 wins came during Kevin Callahan's 33-year tenure; the Hawks now own 102 road victories and 98 at home.
 
Weaver's Best Outing of 2026
Frankie Weaver turned in his best performance of the season at Dartmouth, completing 33-of-42 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns without an interception or a sack. Christian Harrison and Greg Genross each finished with a team-high 79 receiving yards, with Harrison recording the first touchdown of his FCS career on one of his nine catches. Tra Neal also found the end zone for the third consecutive game.
 
Hawks Win at UAlbany
Monmouth rallied for a 28-20 victory at UAlbany last Saturday, moving to 2-0 in CAA play and into sole possession of first place in the conference. The win was Monmouth's first in Albany since 2006 and avenged last season's 31-24 loss to the Great Danes that ended the Hawks' regular season and kept them out of the FCS Playoffs.
 
Defense Balls Out Against the Great Danes
Monmouth's defense turned in its strongest statistical performance of the season at UAlbany, recording season highs with five sacks and nine tackles for loss. Ryan Russo gave the Hawks an early lead with a pick-six on the second play from scrimmage, while Jaeden Jones added the second interception of his career.
 
Watson Comes Up Huge
Hunter Watson delivered one of the biggest plays of the season when he recorded a game-winning fourth-down sack late in the fourth quarter at UAlbany. The Great Danes had taken over inside the Monmouth five-yard line following a Frankie Weaver interception, but the Hawks kept UAlbany out of the end zone before Watson ended the threat on fourth down.
 
Big Plays Finally Arrive
Monmouth's offense broke loose for two of its biggest plays of the season at UAlbany, with Gavin Nelson connecting on a 46-yard touchdown and Tra Neal hauling in a 60-yard touchdown. The two plays are the longest plays from scrimmage for the Hawks this season.
 
A Historic Third-Down Night in Kalamazoo
Monmouth converted 11 third downs at Western Michigan, the second-highest single-game total by an FCS team during the 2026 season. Despite falling 49-14 to the Broncos, the Hawks' 11 conversions were a major bright spot for the offense.
 
Bright Spots in Kalamazoo
Monmouth dropped a 49-14 decision at Western Michigan in front of 24,605 fans, the largest crowd the Hawks have ever played in front of. Despite the result, Monmouth produced several strong individual and team performances, including 11-of-20 third-down conversions on offense while holding the Broncos to 4-of-9 on third down defensively.
 
Weaver Looks Poised Versus FBS Competition
Frankie Weaver continues to settle into the starting quarterback role, completing 28-of-46 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown at Western Michigan. His best stretch came in the third quarter, when he completed 9-of-11 attempts for 102 yards and a score while making several big throws against the Broncos.
 
Hawks Win Home Opener
Monmouth rallied past Sacred Heart, 31-24, on Sept. 5 to move to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in CAA play. Kenny Smith Jr.  was the first player to score on the newly named Kevin Callahan Field and later scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:54 remaining, Frankie Weaver threw three touchdown passes and freshman DB Amori McNeil sealed the victory with a fourth-down stop in Monmouth territory in the final minute.
 
Midnight Blue Lids are Back
Monmouth sported midnight blue helmets for the first time since 2013 at Western Michigan, then wore them twice more. Now, the Hawks sport a 63-49 all-time while wearing them, as they are fully in the rotation this season after being the primary look from 2004-2013.
 
Gallo: The Offensive Guru
Monmouth enters its fourth game of the 2026 season looking to build on an offense that led the FCS in total offense in 2025. The Hawks averaged 498.7 yards per game last season, including 322.5 through the air and 176.2 on the ground, while their 40.0 points per game ranked fifth nationally and first in the CAA. Gallo's offense ranked among the FCS's top 12 in total offense in six of his seven seasons as offensive coordinator.
 
Six of Eight on the Road
Monmouth will play six of its first eight games away from home in 2026. The Hawks prepare for a two-game swing away from home at New Hampshire (Oct. 17) and at Hampton (Oct. 24). Gallo & Co. will cap 2026 at Campbell on Nov. 21.
 
Three More Home Dates at Kessler
Monmouth won't return home until the end of the month for three consecutive home games to host Bryant on Oct. 31, North Carolina A&T on Nov. 7 and Merrimack on Nov. 14.
 
*****
To follow along with everything Hawks Athletics follow @muhawks on Instagram and @MonmouthHawks on X and Facebook. For everything Hawks Football follow @muhawksfb on Instagram, X and Facebook.