MOUNT VERNON – The upset-minded Rams took a lead into the fourth quarter against perennial Midwest Conference football power Monmouth, although couldn't fend off a late charge by the Fighting Scots in Saturday's 38-28 loss at Van Metre Field at Ash Park.
 
Monmouth ran off 17 unanswered points in the final period – including the go-ahead field goal with 7:13 remaining – to escape Mount Vernon with a hard-fought road win.
 
Cornell (3-3 overall, 3-2 MWC) built a 21-7 lead late in the second quarter and carried a 28-21 advantage into the fourth against the first-place Fighting Scots (5-1 overall, 5-0 MWC), who remained tied atop the league standings with Lake Forest.
 
The Rams slipped into a three-way tie for third place with Illinois College and Chicago, teams which Cornell will face down the stretch.
 
Cornell kept pace with the MWC's No. 1 scoring offense most of the afternoon, sparked by a strong outing from fifth-year quarterback John Smith, who accounted for three touchdowns. Smith finished 20-of-34 passing for 240 yards and two TDs, while rushing for another score.
 
Smith became the sixth player in Cornell history to accumulate 4,000 passing yards in a career, boosting his total to 4,081.
 
After Monmouth scored on its opening possession, Cornell countered with three consecutive TD drives of 64, 72 and 93 yards. Smith fired TD strikes to Cole Reed (28 yards) and Dakota Seastrom (five yards), followed by a 60-yard scoring run by BooBoo Browning that pushed the Rams ahead 21-7 with 7:27 left in the second quarter.
 
Smith reached pay dirt from two yards out midway through the third quarter, giving Cornell a 28-21 cushion.
 
Monmouth rallied behind the right arm of Brayden Deem, who collected two of his five passing TDs in the final quarter. The Fighting Scots regained the lead at 31-28 on a 35-yard field goal with seven minutes left to go. Monmouth intercepted a Smith pass on the ensuing possession, and two plays later Nate Thornton hauled in his third TD reception of the day that provided the final margin.
 
Smith completed passes to eight different receivers, led by Reed's five catches for 60 yards. Browning netted 74 rushing yards on only two carries.
 
Sophomore linebacker Jorden Delap paced Cornell's defense with 10 tackles, highlighted by nine solo stops. Jamal Thompson and Luca Schoensee recorded seven tackles apiece. Julius Jenkins had one sack.
 
Coming up – The Rams have a pivotal game next Saturday, Oct. 26, at Chicago (3-3 overall, 3-2 MWC). Kickoff is 2 p.m.