MONMOUTH, Ill. – Cornell had a tall task Saturday as Monmouth's homecoming guest, dropping a 45-3 football decision to the Midwest Conference unbeaten at Zorn Memorial Stadium.
 
The Rams (2-4 overall, 2-3 MWC) hung in the game early after a 24-yard field goal from Mitchell Frahm made it 7-3 through one quarter. Monmouth (5-1 overall, 5-0 MWC), which is receiving votes in the national poll, broke away with 21 second-quarter points and leaned on its defense the rest of the way.
 
Cornell's longest play of the day came on the defensive side when Joshua Martin picked off a Monmouth pass and returned it 40 yards. The junior's third interception of the season – and the team's MWC-leading 11th – set up a 12-play, 34-yard scoring drive capped by Frahm's field goal with 19 seconds left in the opening quarter.
 
Martin finished a strong game in Cornell's secondary with seven tackles, sharing team-high honors with Savian Perez. Freshman Rhys Land recorded 1.5 tackles for loss, including a sack for 11 yards.
 
The Fighting Scots lived up to their billing as a top 10 national leader in scoring offense (46.2 ppg) and scoring defense (11.6 ppg). Cornell was limited to 97 total yards and turned the ball over twice.
 
Monmouth relied on a ground game that generated 363 yards, highlighted by five rushing touchdowns from Nate Wrublik, the MWC leader in that category.
 
The Rams trailed 28-3 at the half and 38-3 through three quarters. Monmouth's sixth rushing TD of the game came with 7:12 left in the fourth quarter and completed the scoring.
 
Quarterback Mason Dew was held to 9-of-21 passing for 70 yards, one week after attempting 40 throws at home against Ripon. Gavin Soukup led the receiving corps with three catches for 35 yards. BooBoo Browning netted 33 rushing yards on 10 carries.
 
The Rams managed to convert on only 1-of-13 third down chances. Monmouth owned a nine-minute advantage in time of possession.
 
Coming up – The Rams play host to defending MWC champion Lake Forest (3-3 overall, 3-2 MWC) at 1 p.m. next Saturday, Oct. 25 at Van Metre Field at Ash Park.