2026 Monmouth Football Gameday Preview: Game Three
 
Monmouth (1-1, 1-0 CAA) at Western Michigan Broncos (0-1, 0-0 MAC)
Saturday, September 12, 2026 – 6:30 p.m.
Stafford-Smith Field at Waldo Stadium, Kalamazoo, Mich.
 
Please find attached PDF labeled 'Monmouth Notes' for full notes.
 
Watch on ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Evan Stockton
Analyst: Marcus Ray

Listen on MonmouthHawks.com
Play-by-Play: Gary Kowal
Analyst: Jack Barteck
 
More Links
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- Ticket, Tailgating & Stadium Information

Second Meeting with Western Michigan
Monmouth and Western Michigan meet for the second time, with the Broncos winning the first matchup, 48-13, in 2019. The Hawks are 1-7 all-time against FBS opponents, while both teams enter Saturday receiving votes in their respective FBS and FCS national polls.
 
"The Best Opportunity in College Football"
Jeff Gallo has called Saturday's matchup at Western Michigan "the best opportunity in college football this week" as the Hawks head to Kalamazoo for their second flight of the season. The Broncos are coming off a controversial 13-12 loss at No. 16 Michigan and will host Monmouth for their home opener and annual CommUniverCity game.
 
A Win Would ...
Be Monmouth's second ever victory over an FBS opponent (1-7).
Be the first Hawks win over an FBS team since 2024 (defeated FIU 45-42).
Give Monmouth its second straight win overall and 101st road win in program history.

The Coaching Matchup
Jeff Gallo
1^st Season / 1-1 / 1-1 in-conference
 
Lance Taylor
4^th Season at WMU / 20-20 / 15-9 in-conference
 
All-Time Series
Series Record: Western Michigan, 1-0
at Monmouth: n/a
at Western Michigan: Western Michigan, 1-0
Most Monmouth points: 13, 8/31/2019
Most Western Michigan points: 48, 8/31/2019
Most combined points: 61, 8/31/2019
Biggest Monmouth win: n/a
Current streak: Western Michigan, W1
 
Hawks Back in Kalamazoo
Monmouth and Western Michigan will meet for the second time in program history Saturday, with the Broncos claiming the first matchup, 48-13, on Aug. 31, 2019. Pete Guerriero rushed for 107 yards in that meeting as the Hawks totaled 322 yards.
 
Easy Motivation
Jeff Gallo has told his team that Saturday's trip to Western Michigan represents "the best opportunity in college football this week." The Broncos are coming off a controversial 13-12 loss at No. 16 Michigan in which a replay review restored one second to the clock, allowing the Wolverines one final play and a game-winning touchdown. With an expected strong crowd for Western Michigan's home opener and CommUniverCity game, the Hawks enter Saturday facing one of the most notable environments on their 2026 schedule. "We can't wait to show the world what our Monmouth Football program is about," Gallo said.
 
FBS Success on the Table
Monmouth owns a 1-7 all-time record against FBS opponents, with the lone victory coming in 2024 at FIU, 45-42. The Hawks nearly added another last season, falling 42-35 at Charlotte after the 49ers scored in the final two minutes.
 
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.
 
Gallo Gets Win No. 1
Saturday's comeback marked Jeff Gallo's first career victory as a head coach and Monmouth's 198th all-time football win. The victory also made Gallo the first head coach other than Kevin Callahan to win a game at Kessler Stadium. Gallo spent the previous 21 seasons on the Monmouth sideline, first as a player from 2000-03 before joining Callahan's staff in 2005. During his time as offensive coordinator, Gallo helped produce four straight CAA Offensive Players of the Year from 2022-25 and 23 All-CAA selections since Monmouth joined the league in 2022.
 
Balanced Backfield
Through two games, Elijah Jennings and Kenny Smith Jr. have split the rushing workload almost evenly, combining for 47 carries. Jennings has 23 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown, while Smith has 24 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns; each has also caught a touchdown pass. Together, the pair has accounted for five of Monmouth's six touchdowns in 2026.
 
Weaver Settles In
Frankie Weaver turned in a much better passing performance against Sacred Heart, completing 26-of-37 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Weaver also guided the Hawks through the decisive 68-yard touchdown drive in the final minutes, completing six of nine passes on the possession.
 
Jones is Simply Unreal
Jaeden Jones recorded another 12 tackles against Sacred Heart, matching his career high for the seventh time. The Preseason CAA Defensive Player of the Year also added a quarterback hurry and now has 24 tackles through two games, the most on the Monmouth roster.
 
A Busy Start for the Offensive Line
Seven different Monmouth offensive linemen have seen significant action, with Matt Fries, Collin Goetter, Kevin Shriner, Michael Petito and Josh Duran starting from left tackle through right tackle. Reed Collins and Brady O'Hara rotated into the lineup, with O'Hara seeing time at both tackle spots and Duran also working on both sides. Goetter, Shriner and quarterback Frankie Weaver were the only Hawks to play every offensive snap in both Monmouth games.
 
All Midnight Blue in the Zoo
Monmouth will break out an all-midnight blue uniform combination Saturday at Western Michigan, with midnight blue helmets, jerseys and pants. The Hawks last wore midnight blue helmets on Nov. 23, 2013, vs. Duquesne, closing a stretch in which midnight blue helmets were the primary look from 2004-13. Monmouth is 61-48 all-time when wearing midnight blue helmets, while the full midnight blue combination has been used just five times, most recently on Sept. 14, 2013, vs. Lehigh, with the Hawks owning a 1-4 record in the look. The last road game in midnight blue jerseys came Oct. 10, 2015, at Charleston Southern. This year's new midnight blue helmet features an all-white Hawk head with MONMOUTH text on the left side, white player numbers on the right and a white facemask.
 
Defense Finding its Rhythm
Monmouth received several standout performances from its defense in the win over Sacred Heart. Hunter Watson recorded a career-high nine tackles, Donovan Fey added a career-best seven and Charlie Sasso registered his second career sack, while Jahide Lesaine Jr. recorded his second sack in as many games.
 
Lightning Fast Start for Lesaine
Jahide Lesaine Jr. has made an immediate impact after transferring from Syracuse, recording a sack in each of his first two games as a Hawk. He is the first Monmouth player since Lorenzo Hernandez in Spring 2021 to record a sack in each of the team's first two games of a season.
 
FBS Transfers: A Two-Way Pipeline
Monmouth's 2026 roster features 11 players who have transferred to the Hawks from FBS programs, including Ryan Russo (Rutgers), Hasson Manning Jr. (Delaware), Omar Ibrahim (Temple), Spencer Kishbaugh (Coastal Carolina), Sky Sholder (Delaware), Donovan Dyson (UMass), Brady O'Hara (Penn State), Matt Fries (Illinois), Alec Grijalva (Ole Miss), Greg Genross (West Virginia) and Jahide Lesaine Jr. (Syracuse). The group includes contributors on both sides of the ball, with several already seeing significant action early in the season.
 
The Other of the Portal
Monmouth also saw nine players depart for FBS programs following the 2025 season, including CAA Offensive Player of the Year Rodney Nelson to Miami (Ohio), All-American WR Josh Derry to UCF and All-American DL Lamont Lester Jr. to Colorado. The outgoing group also included six other players who moved on to FBS programs.
 
A Tough Opener in Cookeville
Monmouth opened the season with a 38-14 loss at No. 15/14 Tennessee Tech, with the Golden Eagles pulling away after the Hawks led early in the contest. Elijah Jennings and Kenny Smith Jr. each scored a rushing touchdown, while Jaeden Jones led the defense with 12 tackles. Jones added another double-digit tackle performance to his program-record pace from 2025.
 
Gallo: The Offensive Guru
Monmouth enters 2026 looking to follow up on the nation's No. 1 total offense in 2025. The Hawks averaged 498.7 yards per game, 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 has been at the center of that production, with his offense ranking among the FCS' top 12 in total offense in six of his seven seasons as offensive coordinator.
 
Ranked No More, But Still Receiving Votes
Monmouth remains in the national conversation despite dropping out of the Top 25 following the Tennessee Tech loss. The Hawks received votes in both the latest STATS Perform and AFCA polls, while CAA opponents Campbell, Elon and Monmouth are among the teams receiving votes in both. Western Michigan is receiving votes in both FBS polls.
 
Four More Home Dates at Kessler
Following the 31-24 win over Sacred Heart, Monmouth will host Towson on Oct. 3, Bryant on Oct. 31, North Carolina A&T on Nov. 7 and Merrimack on Nov. 14.
 
The Road Slate Ahead
The Hawks opened the season with one of three scheduled road flights in 2026, but their next two road contests are a pair of significant trips - to Western Michigan and UAlbany. Six of the Hawks' first eight games are on the road in 2026. Monmouth's schedule features seven road games and five at home.

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