Monmouth University Athletics

Final Score
#14/15 Monmouth (8-2, 7-0 CAA) – 21
North Carolina A&T (4-6, 3-3 CAA) – 17
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Monmouth University football clinched at least a share of the CAA regular-season championship with a 21-17 victory over North Carolina A&T on Saturday at Kessler Stadium. The Hawks (8-2, 7-0 CAA) extended their winning streak to seven games and remained unbeaten in conference play, while holding the Aggies (4-6, 3-3 CAA) scoreless in the second half.
 
Monmouth can secure the outright conference title with a win at Campbell on Nov. 21 or a Campbell loss at Elon next week. The Hawks will play an out-of-conference game next Saturday.
 
The Hawks came out firing, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead. Elijah Jennings set up the opening score with a 39-yard run down to the 2-yard line before Nazir Treadwell punched it in on the next play. After the defense forced a three-and-out, Monmouth put together a 10-play, 86-yard drive capped by a four-yard touchdown pass from Tra Neal to Frankie Weaver. Neal, a wide receiver, completed his third career touchdown pass on as many attempts, while Weaver hauled in the first receiving touchdown of his career.
 
A&T answered with a 29-yard touchdown pass before adding a 22-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Aggies then took a 17-14 lead with 1:48 remaining in the half on a 20-yard touchdown reception, but Monmouth responded in a hurry. Weaver connected with Christian Harrison for a 47-yard touchdown just 29 seconds later, putting the Hawks back in front, 21-17. Harrison finished with two catches for 61 yards, including his first touchdown reception at Kessler Stadium and longest catch of the season.
 

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The game slowed down in the second half, as the third quarter featured six consecutive drives that ended in punts. Monmouth's defense continued to hold firm in the fourth, coming up with the game's biggest turnover. With A&T threatening in the red zone, at the Monmouth 1-yard line, Mir Haskett forced a fumble by quarterback Kevin White, and Donovan Fey recovered for the Hawks with 9:02 remaining.
 
The defense added four sacks, including one each from JJ Lewis and Jahide Lesaine Jr., as Monmouth held A&T scoreless after halftime. White finished with 241 passing yards and two touchdowns, but A&T was held to 117 net rushing yards as a team.
 
Jennings led the Hawks with 115 rushing yards on 19 carries, while Kenny Smith Jr. added 59 yards on 14 attempts. Weaver completed 14-of-29 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. Gavin Nelson and Harrison each had 61 receiving yards, while Tra Neal led Monmouth with five catches for 47 yards.
 
Smith Jr. helped seal the victory with a 28-yard run to the A&T 28 with under two minutes remaining. He gave himself up short of the end zone, allowing the Hawks to run out the clock with three kneel-downs.
 
"This was for Lou D.," head coach Jeff Gallo said, referring to former defensive coordinator Lou DiRienzo Jr. "It was a full team win, and I'm really proud of all the fight."
 
Gallo praised the defense's second-half response and the team's ability to win a hard-fought November game. "These are the games you have to win," he said. "I'm incredibly proud of winning 21-17 games in November. That's a world that we have to be able to play in."
 
Monmouth will step out of conference play next week before returning to CAA action at Campbell on Nov. 21 with the opportunity to claim the title outright.
 
More Quotes
"We've been trying to honor Lou D. all year, on offense, defense and special teams, because he really affected every single one of us in this program. But today was a little bit extra. Seeing his family out there, seeing his kids, his wife and his parents, it sparks a little bit in you. That was the message at halftime: do it for Louie D. I think that pushed us over the edge." – Jaeden Jones
 
"Louie D. prided himself on execution and communication, and we've got to carry that into every game, every week. Once we get that straightened out, we're all good." – Charlie Sasso
 
"We talk about it all the time in the quarterback room. Sometimes we have to take the hit to be able to make the touchdown throw." – Frankie Weaver
 
Notes
- Monmouth is now 3-0 all-time against North Carolina A&T.
- The Hawks clinched at least a share of the CAA regular-season title with the victory.
- Nazir Treadwell scored his fifth touchdown of the season.
- Monmouth's last scoreless second half came against Bryant in 2025.
- The Hawks have held opponents to seven or fewer points in the second half three times this season.
- Elijah Jennings has rushed for more than 100 yards in three of the last four games.
- Christian Harrison's 47-yard touchdown reception was his first touchdown at home and his longest catch of the season.
- Tra Neal became the second non-quarterback in Monmouth history, joining Lavon Chaney, to throw at least three career touchdown passes.
- The last Monmouth quarterback to record a reception was Cody Williams, who caught a 9-yard pass against Fordham on Sept. 26, 2015.
- The last Monmouth quarterback to catch a touchdown pass was Brandon Hill, who hauled in a 6-yard scoring reception from Lavon Chaney on Oct. 11, 2014.
- Monmouth's seven-game winning streak is its longest since 2019.
- The Hawks have recorded at least four sacks in three games this season.
- After going 2-for-2 against A&T, Monmouth is 35-for-40 in the red zone this season, including 29 touchdowns.
 
Numbers Crunch
- Monmouth had more first downs, 18-16.
- Monmouth ran more offensive plays, 71-66.
- The Hawks outgained the Aggies, 374-358.
- N.C. A&T had more time of possession, 30:12-29:48.
- MU was 7-of-17 on third down and 1-of-1 on fourth down.
- A&T went 4-of-15 on third down and 2-of-2 on fourth down.
- Monmouth was 2-of-2 on redzone chances, and N.C. A&T went 2-of-3.
- Monmouth won the sack battle, 4-0.
- There was a total of eight penalties for 84 yards – MU had four for 45, while A&T had four for 39 yards.
 
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