MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's improving football team showed it can compete with a top-tier program in the Midwest Conference.
 
The task this weekend is to sustain that level of play for 60 minutes against MWC co-leader Monmouth.
 
The Rams (2-4 overall, 2-3 MWC) travel to face the Fighting Scots (5-1 overall, 5-0 MWC) for a 2 p.m. Homecoming game at April Zorn Stadium in Monmouth, Ill.
 
Cornell comes in off a 47-21 home loss to MWC challenger Chicago. The Rams gave up a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and fell behind 28-0 midway through the second quarter. After that, Cornell more than held its own and got within 34-21 with 13:42 remaining in regulation.
 
Monmouth, the defending MWC champion and preseason favorite, has been full steam ahead following an opening 44-3 loss at Wartburg. The Scots are averaging 44.8 points during their current five-game winning streak, which includes a 63-3 road rout of Beloit last Saturday.
 
The Scots and Lake Forest are the remaining MWC unbeatens in league play.
 
The series – Saturday marks the 78th meeting between the schools in a competitive series that began in 1908. Cornell is 39-37-1 all-time against Monmouth. The Scots have won the past six matchups.
 
Cornell is seeking its first win in Monmouth since the 2013 season (23-20), when the Rams finished 7-3 overall.
 
Last meeting – Cornell through a scare in Monmouth's 2019 championship season, falling 27-14 at home in a battle that was tied 7-7 at halftime. The Scots scored 20 unanswered points in the second half to earn the hard-fought win.
 
Cornell quarterback Isaak Hahn was 15-of-30 passing for 206 yards and a touchdown. Hahn scored on an 8-yard run late in the game. Peni Waqairatu rushed for a game-high 90 yards on 23 carries.
 
The Rams outgained Monmouth in total yards, 322-280.
 
About the Fighting Scots – Monmouth has claimed the MWC regular-season title three of the past four seasons, earning recent NCAA berths in 2019, 2017 and 2016.
 
The Scots scored on nine of their first 10 possessions and held a commanding 512-81 advantage in total yards in the blowout win over Beloit. Monmouth accounted for eight rushing touchdowns.
 
Francois Henderson ranks second among MWC rushers with 546 yards and nine TDs. Quarterbacks Riley Fetterer and Carter Boyer have both thrown for more than 500 yards, combining for 10 TDs and only three interceptions.
 
Monmouth is the Division III leader with 28 quarterback sacks, seven by Korbyn Personett.
 
Pass defense – The Rams limited Chicago to eight pass completions on 17 attempts and intercepted the Maroons twice. Chicago threw for 162 yards, 68 which came on the first play of the game.
 
Freshman Jeremiah Sherrill recorded his first collegiate interception, returning it 28 yards. Cornerback Demarius Pittman also had a pick, his second of the season. Freshman Mason Ciari posted his first sack for a loss of 10 yards.
 
Top tackler – Senior linebacker Colden Clark padded his team-leading tackle total with 11 stops against the Maroons. Clark has 53 tackles this fall and ranks No. 3 in the MWC at 8.8 per game.
 
Clark delivered perhaps the play of the game for Cornell in the second quarter, snatching a Chicago fumble and returning it 87 yards that ultimately led to a Ram TD.
 
Rookie QB – Freshman Denver Wilson made the most of his first extended action at quarterback last weekend. Inserted into the game on Cornell's fifth offensive series, Wilson led the Rams on a five-play, 75-yard TD drive.
 
Wilson fired a 47-yard TD strike to Mason Davis. On the next possession, Wilson scored on a 1-yard run that cut Cornell's deficit to 28-14 with 1:22 to go in the second quarter.   
 
Remembering our rushing "King" – Cornell's all-time rushing leader Ben King, who played three seasons for the Rams from 1995-97, passed away last week.
 
King holds Cornell's career record with 2,869 rushing yards and ranks second with 4,138 all-purpose yards. He also owns five single-game program marks, including rushing yards (292 vs. Coe) and longest kickoff return (97 yards vs. Beloit).  
 
King enjoyed a 1,000-yard rushing season on Cornell's last MWC championship football team in 1995.