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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bucknell | 3-1 | 5-5 |
| Lehigh | 3-1 | 6-3 |
| Holy Cross | 3-1 | 4-6 |
| Georgetown | 2-2 | 5-4 |
| Lafayette | 2-3 | 5-5 |
| Colgate | 1-3 | 2-8 |
| Fordham | 1-4 | 1-9 |
2024 Coastal Athletic Association Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 6-0 | 8-2 |
| Delaware | 5-1 | 8-1 |
| Villanova | 5-1 | 8-2 |
| Rhode Island | 5-1 | 8-2 |
| Stony Brook | 5-1 | 8-2 |
| New Hampshire | 4-2 | 6-4 |
| Towson | 3-3 | 5-5 |
| Elon | 3-3 | 4-6 |
| William & Mary | 3-3 | 6-4 |
| Maine | 3-3 | 5-5 |
| Hampton | 2-4 | 5-5 |
| Monmouth | 2-4 | 4-6 |
| Campbell | 1-5 | 3-7 |
| UAlbany | 1-5 | 3-7 |
| Bryant | 0-6 | 2-8 |
| North Carolina A&T | 0-6 | 1-9 |
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