The No. 14 Rhode Island Rams (7-1, 4-0 CAA) are looking to continue their winning ways this Saturday, facing off against the Monmouth Hawks (4-4, 2-2 CAA) in what promises to be a high-stakes clash at Meade Stadium. With Family Weekend festivities set to bring a packed house, this matchup marks only the fourth encounter between the two teams since 2008, with Rhody holding a narrow 2-1 series edge.
Last year’s marathon showdown between Rhode Island and Monmouth etched itself into FCS history with a seven-overtime thriller that ended in a 48-46 Rams victory. The game, which doubled as the longest in both CAA and FCS history, saw former Rhody star Marques DeShields amass 256 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, giving Head Coach Jim Fleming his milestone 50th win.
Though Rhode Island leads the series, Monmouth has outscored the Rams 111-81 in their meetings, making this matchup far from predictable. The Hawks arrive with a 2-1 road record and two of the nation’s top offensive threats in quarterback Derek Robertson and running back Sone Ntoh. Robertson leads FCS with 322.4 passing yards per game, while Ntoh paces the nation with 18 rushing touchdowns, setting up a classic battle between Monmouth’s offensive power and Rhode Island’s unyielding defense.