Final Analysis: Is Monmouth Now The Team To Beat In The CAA Following Its Blowout Of Villanova

WEST LONG BRANCH – Entering last Saturday’s game against No. 11 Villanova, one of the questions surrounding the 18th-ranked Hawks was, is this team good enough to beat the 'Blue Bloods' of the Coastal Athletic Association? Well, Monmouth answered that question and more on Saturday, rolling past the Wildcats 51-33 in front of a sold-out Kessler Stadium crowd, their first sellout since 2021.

The Hawks (3-1, 1-0) piled up 637 yards of total offense, the second time this season they’ve eclipsed the 600-yard mark. Once again, they were led by standout quarterback Derek Robertson, who completed 20-of-30 passes for 397 yards and four touchdowns. He has now surpassed 350 yards passing in six straight games, dating back to last season, and leads the country in passing yards (1662), passing touchdowns (18), passing yards per game (415.50), completions per game (30), and total offense (407.2).

In the first half alone, Robertson had 317 yards passing before the Hawks unleashed their ground attack behind explosive running back Rodney Nelson, who finished with 186 yards and two touchdowns on a career-best 33 carries. Nelson had 122 yards of his 186 total yards rushing in the second half, which helped keep the clock running and Villanova’s potent offense off the field.

Monmouth’s offense accumulated a season-high 34 first downs, which set the record for most first downs ever produced against a Villanova team. Monmouth also became the first conference opponent of the Wildcats to score 50 points against them since 2004.

All-CAA wideout, Josh Derry, hauled in eight passes from Robertson for 177 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard bomb on the Hawks' second play from scrimmage to take an early 7-0 lead. It marks the fourth consecutive game that he’s surpassed the 100-yard mark in receiving yardage.

Is there a better quarterback-wide receiver connection in the country?

Monmouth’s unheralded offensive line was again dominant. They kept Robertson upright all day, not surrendering a single sack, while clearing out the running lanes for the Hawks' backs.

Monmouth’s defense surrendered 498 yards of total offense, but part of that was in garbage time, as the unit as a whole took a big step towards respectability with its play Saturday. After allowing the Wildcats to march 67 yards in six plays to even the score at seven on their first possession of the game, the defense forced punts on their next two possessions before creating a turnover deep in their own territory. Jaeden Jones forced a fumble, and Chris Palmer Jr. recovered at the Monmouth six-yard line. On the Wildcats' ensuing possession, Evan Rutkowski’s third-down stop forced another punt.

The Hawks led 31-7 at one point before a late second-quarter Villanova score made it 31-14 at the half.

Villanova received the second-half kickoff and promptly went 72 yards in four plays to cut the Hawks' lead to 10 points, 31-21, turning a laugher into a nail-biter. However, the Hawks answered with their most pivotal drive of the game, going 59 yards in seven plays to regain the lead by 17 points, 38-21. Then, on the Wildcats' ensuing possession, the defense did its part. An eight-yard sack by Hunter Watson and a quarterback pressure by Lamont Lester Jr. on third down forced an incompletion and a Villanova punt. From there, it was all Hawks, as they never let the lead slip below 17 points. Those two possessions were the turning point of the game.

All things considered, Monmouth’s 51-33 win over Villanova should go down as one of the most significant victories in program history, with all its implications. The win definitely opened some eyes and made FCS pundits across the country take notice of a team that boasts an offense that has historic potential. The sky is the limit for this offense.

Monmouth moved up to No.14 in the most recent AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, with Villanova dropping to No.22, while Rhode Island remains at No.7. No other CAA team is ranked in the top 25. New Hampshire (2-2, 0-0), which lost 27-20 last Saturday to Dartmouth, received nine votes, while Dartmouth received 31 votes. UNH has wins against North Carolina Central (27-20) and Holy Cross (19-16), as well as a 34-29 loss to FBS opponent Ball State.

The Hawks were predicted to finish second in the 2025 Preseason CAA rankings, behind Rhode Island, with Villanova third, Stony Brook fourth, and New Hampshire fifth. Villanova, however, was oddly ranked ahead of the Hawks in every preseason poll.

Rhode Island is 4-0 and 2-0 in the CAA, having already beaten Campbell 31-20 and Stony Brook 31-17 in the first two games of the season. They then beat Holy Cross 9-7 and last Saturday downed Long Island University 28-7. Campbell is 1-3 and 1—1 in the CAA, having beaten Bryant 50-48 last Saturday. Stony Brook’s record is 1-3 and 0-1 in the CAA. Holy Cross is 0-4 while LIU is 1-3 with an upset win at Eastern Michigan.

The Rams are the Hawks' primary challenger for the CAA championship. However, that won’t be decided on the field since the Rams are not on Monmouth’s schedule this season. It’s unfortunate that the two teams won’t meet, since Rhode Island’s defense is ranked No.1 in the CAA in points allowed per game (12.8) and yards allowed per game (301.0), while Monmouth’s offense is obviously ranked No. 1 in points per game (44.3) and total yardage per game (560.5). A matchup between the No.1 offense and the No.1 defense would've been classic.

Rhode Island is the more balanced team, though. Its offense is fifth in scoring (24.8) and second in yardage (398.5), while the Hawks' defense is last in yards allowed per game (505.8) and eleventh in scoring (35.5). However, the Hawks' defense ranks second in sacks (11), is tied for first in forced fumbles (4), leads the CAA in fumbles recovered (5), and is tied for first with seven turnovers.

Monmouth’s defense opened the season with a lot of new faces, but there are signs that the unit is starting to jell as familiarity sets in. As noted, they’ve had some big stops at critical points in games, have a solid pass rush, and have the ability to force turnovers. However, consistency has been an issue. They look like gangbusters one moment, then swiss cheese the next. If they can tighten things up, especially on third downs, and be more consistent, it has the makings of a solid unit.

The Hawks lost to Rhode Island 37-28 last season in Kingston. The Hawks held a 28-24 lead with just over a minute left in the game, but the Rams scored with 1:17 remaining in the game on a 24-yard pass play. The Rams then scored on the last play of the game as Monmouth fumbled a lateral trying for a miracle finish. It was a heartbreaking loss for the Hawks, and a loss that I’m sure is still fresh in their minds. It's unfortunate the Hawks won't get a shot at redemption.

New Hampshire is probably Monmouth’s next biggest threat to claiming the CAA title behind Rhode Island, and the Wildcats come to town on Saturday, November 8. Another defensive-minded team, the Wildcats are second in points allowed per game (21.8) and third in yards allowed per game (342.8). Offensively, they’re ninth in total yards per game (329.3) and eighth in points per game (23.8). This is the most challenging remaining game on the Hawks' schedule, and a win would go a long way towards claiming the CAA title.

The Wildcats took last season’s matchup, 33-20, in Durham in a game that was probably the low point of the season for the Hawks.

Realistically, I don’t see any team on Monmouth’s schedule that can slow down their prolific offense. So, the burden falls on the Hawks' defense, and whether or not they can find their own identity as a cohesive unit in time to make a difference. The potential is there; now it’s up to them to put the pieces together.

As the season progresses, the picture will become clearer. But there’s one thing for sure: Monmouth’s offense can take this team on a run deep into the playoffs, if it gets a shot.