GAME 9
RMU (3-5 / 2-3 Big South) @ Monmouth (6-3 / 5-0 Big South)
Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021 • Noon
Kessler Stadium (4,200) • West Long Branch, N.J.
 
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Matt Harmon (pxp) & Emory Hunt (color)
Audio: RMU Athletics Gameday App
Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp) & Ray "Smoke" Thomas (color)
Twitter: @RMU_Football • Instagram: RMU_Football
 
Slant Routes
 
- The RMU football team concludes the road portion of its 2021 schedule Saturday with a Noon kickoff against Monmouth in West Long Branch, N.J., at Kessler Stadium.
 
- The Colonials had a seven-game home winning streak snapped in their last outing, a 45-21 setback to No. 8/12 Kennesaw State at Joe Walton Stadium. The Owls turned a pair of RMU turnovers into 14-0 advantage en route to the win.
 
- Quarterback George Martin completed 25 of his 35 passing opportunities for 293 yards and two touchdowns against Kennesaw State. He hit wide receiver Jaylon Brown for a 28-yard touchdown pass with six minutes to go in the second quarter that closed the Colonials to within 14-7 and also connected with tight end Jake Kupchella for a three-yard touchdown pass with 3:29 remaining. Martin has completed 60.5 percent (159-for-263) of his passes during the 2021 season for 1,748 yards and 12 touchdowns.
 
- Running back Alijah Jackson finished with 115 all-purpose yards against Kennesaw State, rushing for 91 yards and a touchdown while also catching five passes for 24 yards. Jackson has compiled 502 yards on the ground during the 2021 campaign on 146 attempts, an average of 3.4 yards per carry. He has rushed for two scores and caught two other touchdowns.
 
- Brown's 28-yard score against the Owls marked the first touchdown reception of his career, and he finished with three catches for 48 yards. Wide receiver Demonte Martin led the receiving corps against Kennesaw State with six catches for 64 yards.
 
- Linebacker Jamar Shegog led the defense against Kennesaw State with 10 tackles, including four solo. Defensive lineman Matthew Holmes added eight stops, including three solo, while linebacker Aniello Buzzacco, defensive lineman Supilani Mailei and safety Miles Hayes each recorded seven takedowns.
 
- RMU is led Bernard Clark, Jr., who is in his first head coaching position. He was named the 2019 Northeast Conference (NEC) Co-Coach of the Year and owns an overall record of 12-22 (.353).
 
- According to a poll of Big South head coaches and a media panel, the Colonials were picked to finish eighth in the league for the 2021 fall season. Senior linebacker Aniello Buzzacco was named to the 2021 Big South Football Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
- RMU wraps up its 2021 fall season Saturday, Nov. 20, with a Noon kickoff against Campbell at Joe Walton Stadium after taking on the Hawks.

MONMOUTH LINKS
- Two-Deep
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
- RMU Athletics Gameday App
 
The All-Time Series (Monmouth) – The Hawks and Colonials renew a rivalry that goes back to 1994, as Saturday's game marks the 21st in the all-time series. The two programs have split the previous 20 games, with Monmouth owning a three-game winning streak in the series. In the last meeting between the two programs, which came at Joe Walton Stadium, the Hawks posted a 51-20 victory. On the coaching staff at Monmouth is former RMU all-time leading rusher Sam Dorsett (1999-03), who rushed for 3,847 yards and a school record 29 touchdowns during his time with the Colonials. In addition, Mike Iuliucci, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in sport management at RMU, serves as Associate Athletic Director for Equipment for the Hawks.
 
Freshman Finds – Wide receiver Jaylon Brown is the only receiver for the Colonials to appear in all eight games for the Colonials during 2021 campaign, and he picked up his first career touchdown catch against Kennesaw State, finishing with three catches for 48 yards and a score. The freshman duo of Brown and James Westry has combined this season for 45 catches for 634 yards and four touchdowns, as Westry leads RMU in receiving yards (402) while ranking second in receptions (29) and touchdown catches (3).
 
Action Jackson – The Colonials put together arguably their most balanced attack offensively in a 38-35 win over Hampton (10/30), with running back Alijah Jackson racking up 163 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. Jackson posted a season-high 127 yards on 25 carries, an average of 5.1 yards per rush. Jackson enters RMU's 2021 road finale with 2,211 career rushing yards on 495 attempts, an average of 4.5 yards per carry. He ranks fifth all-time in program history for career rushing yards and is 252 yards of moving into fourth place in the RMU record book, which is currently held by Archie Wannamaker (1996-98) with 2,462 yards.
 
Capitalizing – Kicker Nick Bisceglia enters Saturday's game against Kennesaw State leading the Colonials in scoring with 42 points. He produced his third career game-winning field goal in a 38-35 win over Hampton (10/30) with his 38-yarder with five seconds remaining, and it also marked the second consecutive home game Bisceglia hit a trio of field goals. In the second quarter of the win over the Pirates, Bisceglia nailed a 43-yard field goal, a new personal best. Thanks to the performance, Bisceglia earned the first weekly honor in program history from the Big South, as he was tabbed Special Teams Player of the Week. Bisceglia has compiled 194 career points, which ranks third all-time at RMU, including second among kickers. Former kicker Jeff Carlo (1998-2001) owns the RMU career mark for points with 250, while running back Tim Hall (1994-95) ranks second with 208.
 
Did You Know? Kicker Nick Bisceglia has converted 57 consecutive point after attempts dating back to the 2018 season. He converted each of his final three opportunities of 2018, finished 33-for-33 in 2019 and was 3-for-3 in the abbreviated 2021 spring season. So far during the 2021 fall campaign, Bisceglia is 18-for-18 in point after attempts.
 
Joining The Club – Senior Aniello Buzzacco finished with seven tackles in RMU's Big South opener @ North Carolina A&T (10/2), helping him become the 23rd student-athlete in program history to eclipse 200 career stops. Thanks to 10 stops in a 38-35 win over Hampton (10/30), Buzzacco pushed his career total in the category to 222. The 14th linebacker to wear an RMU uniform to compiled at least 200 career tackles since the program began in 1994, Buzzacco ranks 15th in the career record book for takedowns. To crack the top 10 in school history, Buzzacco needs 27 tackles.
 
Swarm & Smash – The RMU defense recorded six sacks in a 22-16 triumph over Howard (9/25), the most sacks in a game in the Bernard Clark, Jr., era. In addition, the six sacks are the most for the Colonials since recording seven @ Albany (11/3/07). Leading the way for RMU in the department was redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Ricardo Watson, who posted a pair of sacks. Redshirt senior defensive end Matthew Holmes, meanwhile, notched a sack and two quarterback hurries in the win while also blocking an extra point attempt by Howard in the third quarter that kept the Colonials on top, 14-13. As a team in 2021 the Colonials own 19 sacks, with 12 different student-athletes registering at least half a sack. RMU ranks fourth in the Big South in sacks, trailing North Carolina A&T (30), Monmouth (27) and Campbell (21).
 
Student-Athlete – Not only is the credentials for Aniello Buzzacco impressive on the field, he's no slouch off of it, either. Buzzacco was named to the 2020-21 Academic All-District 2 Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and was also one of 54 student-athletes named to the 23rd Annual Academic All-Star Team by the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA). A finance major, Buzzacco has compiled a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.46.
 
A Memorial – The RMU Department of Athletics was saddened to learn of the passing of the program's first coach, Joe Walton, who died Sunday, August 15, 2021, at the age of 85. Walton spent 20 years as head coach of the Colonials, claiming six Northeast Conference (NEC) titles during his tenure and helping RMU earn the first automatic bid to the NCAA FCS Playoffs from the NEC in 2010. RMU hosted a memorial service for Walton after its 22-16 win over Howard (9/25) against Howard in the stadium named in his honor. The event took place on the field, featured a number of guest speakers and can be viewed in its entirety by using the following link.
 
Still On Top – The program's first running back, Tim Hall (1994-95), spent two seasons with the Colonials and during his career rushed for 2,908 yards. He accomplished the feat on 393 carries, an average of 7.40 yards per attempt. That total remains No. 1 in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) record book entering the 2021 season, a span that hits 26 years this fall.

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