Monmouth football stunned at home: turnovers fuel 34–13 loss to New Hampshire

Monmouth entered Saturday ranked inside the national top 10 and riding an unbeaten conference run. By late afternoon in West Long Branch, that momentum had vanished. New Hampshire seized control with a wave of second-half takeaways and short fields, handing the Hawks a 34–13 defeat that dents their Coastal Athletic Association title push and snaps their winning streak.

How New Hampshire flipped Monmouth football’s script

Monmouth started sharply, taking a 7–0 edge and later a 13–10 lead behind efficient early throws and a steady run game. The turning point came after halftime. Facing a narrow deficit, New Hampshire tightened coverage, crowded underneath windows, and baited two fumbles that completely changed game state. Both giveaways were cashed in for touchdowns on compressed fields, and what had been a one-score fight became a double-digit climb the Hawks couldn’t manage.

Quarterback Matt Vezza piloted the visitors with poise, throwing two touchdowns and adding a rushing score. Running back Myles Thomason’s patient, 90-plus-yard afternoon kept the chains moving, allowing the Wildcats to lean on play-action and clock control as the fourth quarter bled away.

The numbers behind the upset

• Final: New Hampshire 34, Monmouth 13

• By quarter: MON 7–6–0–0; UNH 0–13–14–7

• Monmouth record: 8–2 overall, 5–1 CAA

• New Hampshire record: 6–4 overall, 4–2 CAA

• Key stat: Two Monmouth fumbles in the third quarter, both converted into touchdowns.

• Leaders: Vezza (2 pass TDs, 1 rush TD); Thomason (~95 rush yards). For Monmouth, Frankie Weaver crossed 200 yards passing with an early scoring drive; Rodney Nelson and TJ Speight were frequent targets but found less space as the game tightened.

Beyond the raw turnover count, field position told the story. Monmouth’s average third-quarter starting spot drifted backward while New Hampshire repeatedly set up near midfield, compressing the Hawks’ margin for error. Monmouth finished with comparable yardage through two quarters but produced just zero points after halftime as pass protection and spacing eroded against disguised pressures.

Tactical snapshots: where it tilted

• Coverage disguise on money downs: New Hampshire mixed late-rotating safeties with robber looks that undercut Monmouth’s glance routes and in-breakers. The result: hesitations that invited strip attempts on extended plays.

• Edge setting vs. perimeter game: The Hawks’ early success on bubbles and quick outs faded as the visitors widened alignments and forced throws toward the sideline, shrinking YAC.

• Situational discipline: Pre-snap organization was crisp for the Wildcats after the break, while Monmouth’s substitutions and protections occasionally lagged, particularly on third-and-medium.

What it means for the CAA race

Monmouth football still holds a strong résumé at 8–2 (5–1 CAA), but the margin for a conference crown narrows. The loss opens the door for rivals to pull even on league record and complicates tiebreakers. The Hawks’ at-large credentials remain solid thanks to earlier ranked wins, yet seeding scenarios hinge on how quickly they rebound next week.

For New Hampshire, the win is a statement that repositions them squarely in the postseason conversation. A 4–2 league mark with a ranked road scalp is the sort of November data point selection committees notice.

The fix list for Monmouth

1. Ball security emphasis: Expect an immediate reset—glove/point-of-contact drills, added rib protection on in-breaking routes, and stricter scramble rules.

2. Third-quarter scripts: The staff has excelled at opening scripts; replicating that precision after halftime is the next step. A hurry-up series to start the third could reassert rhythm before defenses adjust.

3. Protection IDs vs. simulated pressure: Several key snaps were lost not to heavy blitz but to late movement up front. Cleaner center/QB mic points and hot rules can restore timing.

4. Red-area answers: The Hawks moved between the 20s early, then stalled. Compact bunch stacks, quick pivots, and TE crossers should resurface to create leverage in tight spaces.

What’s next

Monmouth football returns to practice with everything still in play—but less cushion. The blueprint to reset is straightforward: protect the ball, reclaim early-down efficiency, and reestablish the vertical threat that forces safeties deep. If the Hawks convert those fixes into four clean quarters next time out, this loss will read as a sharp correction rather than a turning point. For now, the league table tightens, the film room gets louder, and November pressure arrives a week early on the Jersey Shore.