DeNobile's 2 TD passes in final minute rallies Lafayette to 40-35 win over Monmouth
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. -- — Dean DeNobile threw a pair of touchdown passes in the final minute, including the winner to Elijah Steward, to lead Lafayette to a 40-35 win over Monmouth on Saturday.
Sone Ntoh scored on a 17-yard run to give Monmouth a 35-28 lead with 1:54 remaining. The Leopards took only a minute to respond on DeNobile's 12-yard pass to Chris Carasia but a two-point conversion pass failed leaving them a point short. Lafayette recovered an onside kick and DeNobile found Steward deep down the left side for the 42-yard score with 36 seconds remaining.
Monmouth got it to Lafayette's 35-yard line with 22 seconds left before Gabe DuBois intercepted a pass over the middle to seal it.
DeNobile was 31-of-45 passing for a career-high 394 yards and the two touchdowns for the Leopards (1-1), ranked 19th in the FCS coaches' poll and the Patriot League preseason favorites. Steward had 15 catches for 244 yards, second-most in school history behind Joe Ort's 274 in 2006. Jamar Curtis scored three touchdowns and finished with 87 yards on 21 carries.
Derek Robertson was 24-of-36 passing for 355 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions for the Hawks (0-2). TJ Speight had 97 yards receiving, 89 coming on an end-around that had given Monmouth its first lead, 28-21, early in the fourth quarter.
The teams combined for 955 yards offense.
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Game Information
2024 Patriot League Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Lehigh | 5-1 | 9-4 |
Holy Cross | 5-1 | 6-6 |
Bucknell | 4-2 | 6-6 |
Lafayette | 2-4 | 6-6 |
Georgetown | 2-4 | 5-6 |
Fordham | 2-4 | 2-10 |
Colgate | 1-5 | 2-10 |
2024 Coastal Athletic Association Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Richmond | 8-0 | 10-3 |
Rhode Island | 7-1 | 11-3 |
Villanova | 6-2 | 10-4 |
Delaware | 6-2 | 9-2 |
New Hampshire | 6-2 | 8-5 |
Stony Brook | 5-3 | 8-4 |
Towson | 5-3 | 7-5 |
Elon | 5-3 | 6-6 |
William & Mary | 4-4 | 7-5 |
Monmouth | 4-4 | 6-6 |
Maine | 3-5 | 5-7 |
UAlbany | 2-6 | 4-8 |
Hampton | 2-6 | 5-7 |
Campbell | 1-7 | 3-9 |
Bryant | 0-8 | 2-10 |
North Carolina A&T | 0-8 | 1-11 |