Jack Coffey Field will be home to the “Battle of the States” this upcoming Saturday, when Fordham University hosts Monmouth University. Call it an Empire State vs. Garden State duel if you will. The 1:00 p.m. kickoff will feature a 2-1 Rams team coming off a blowout victory over Columbia in last week’s homecoming game. The Hawks of Monmouth, on the other hand, hope to right the ship as they enter with a 1-2 season record so far.

This meeting will mark nine years since the teams last faced off, when the Rams lost 23-9. Many things have changed since then, beginning with a new impetus led by fourth year Head Coach Joe Moorhead. He has spearheaded the football program at Fordham, as evident with his 31-11 overall record. This makes Fordham the winningest football team in the New York City area since 2012, beating out Stony Brook, Sacred Heart, and yes, even Tom Coughlin’s New York Giants.

As the Hawks make their trip over the George Washington Bridge, traffic may be the least of their concerns. Their coach, Kevin Callaghan, will have to prepare his team to face off against the reigning Patriot League Champions, a team powered to run the spread offense. Sophomore running back Chase Edmonds best captured this system when he said, “We’re a young team this year. It’s us against the world.”

Junior quarterback Kevin Anderson will play a pivotal role in the success of the Rams during this week three matchup. Following the Columbia game, he was named the Corvias Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week as well as the College Sports Madness Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week. Against Columbia, he completed 22 of 30 passes for 330 yards, and rushed for another 70 yards, for a total of five touchdowns. In fact, his five touchdown passes fell one shy of the school record set by Kevin Eakin at Rhode Island in 2003. Anderson has been averaging 245.7 passing yards per game, which ranks him 2nd in the Patriot League; he also leads the league with the highest passing efficiency rating.

The second key thing to watch out for is Chase Edmonds. Edmonds has been averaging 65 receiving and 108.3 rushing yards per game, ranking him 1st and 2nd in the Patriot League respectively. When asked, he stated, “I don’t settle for mediocrity.” He sets the bar high and the results have definitely been reflective of that.

To win against Monmouth, the Rams must continue to utilize their spread offense, which has yielded them an average 29.3 points per game, a Patriot League best. Anderson’s ability to connect with receivers such as Chase Edmonds, Phazahn Odom, Robbie Cantelli, and Austin Longi among others, has made Fordham a threat for any opponent.

Be sure to pack the Jack this Saturday and support Fordham as they host Monmouth.