September draws to a close with the Coastal Athletic Association hosting seven teams ranked in the FCS Top 25. The CAA’s extensive representation in the poll suggests an entertaining and highly competitive next two months. 

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Closing September strong sets the tone for the most important part of any team’s schedule, the conference season. There are three league matchups set for Week 5, including a clash between recent CAA title contenders Elon and Richmond.

Saturday’s non-conference docket is loaded with its own intrigue and potential implications on the playoff picture set to unfold in the coming weeks. Among the marquee non-league contests in Week 5 is Monmouth’s return home to face Fordham one week removed from a historic win over FIU.

The Hawks’ 45-42 defeat of FIU marked MU’s first-ever defeat of an FBS opponent. It was also Monmouth’s second road win in as many weeks, improving the Hawks to 2-2 and dramatically turning around the Hawks prospects after an 0-2 start.

MU returns to Kessler Stadium for the first time since Week 2 when it hosts Fordham, and the Hawks come home with quarterback Derek Robertson leading the nation in passing yardage and touchdowns. 

Long Island heads into Villanova 0-2 against CAA opponents and 0-4 overall, but the Sharks posed a serious threat in matchups with UAlbany and Rhode Island. In fact, LIU has dropped its three FCS losses by a total of 16 points including the 27-21 and 28-21 decisions at UAlbany and Rhode Island. 

"They play two different quarterbacks, so when you face that, you always got to look [at how they use each]," Villanova said Mark Ferrante said is a challenge of defending the Sharks. 

Stony Brook looks to continue its surprising start when it hosts Morgan State. The Seawolves and Bears boast two of the toughest defenses in FCS, promising a physical clash at Kenneth P. LaVelle Stadium.

Stony Brooks has held its three FCS opponents — Stonehill, Fordham and CAA foe Campbell — to an average of 16 points per game. Morgan State has similarly limited its opponents to 17.5 points per game. 

Defensive end Elijah Williams leads the Bears defense with five sacks through Morgan State's first four games. For Stony Brook, Rudy Silvera has emerged as one of the nation's top pass-defending players with six break-ups and a pair of interceptions. 

Richmond at Elon

"This is the new season now," Elon coach Tony Trisciani said of the Phoenix turning the page to conference play. 

Opening of CAA competition for Elon comes at an opportune time, too. The Phoenix went 1-3 against a tough non-conference schedule, but they have experience reversing course in league. Elon recovered from a slow start in 2023 to interject itself into the CAA championship late in the season. 

A loss at Richmond in the penultimate week of the season was all denying Elon a share of its first CAA title. 

"You can go back to [Elon's] SoCon days and the battles that Elon and [then-coach] Pete Lembo had with coach [Dave] Clawson and that Richmond team, and certainly a lot of familiarity now," Trisciani said of the programs' shared history "And we're close enough and recruit a lot of the same footprint, so there's a lot of familiarity and a bit of a rivalry game for us."

It's also the last time Richmond and Elon meet as CAA opponents, with the Spiders headed to the Patriot League in 2025. 

When Richmond won at Robins Stadium a year ago, Spiders quarterback Kyle Wickersham vexed the usually stout Elon defense going 20-of-27 passing with a pair of touchdowns and rushing for a third score. Wickersham also ran for 130 yards and a third touchdown. 

Wickersham has carried for a pair of touchdowns through Richmond's first four games, complementing the five scores running back Zach Palmer-Smith has notched. Wickersham and Camden Coleman have shared snaps at quarterbacks but neither have found an especially consistent passing touchdown with completion percentages each lower than 58 and with three interceptions and one score a piece. 

The Elon defense will have to contain Richmond's multifaceted rushing attack and turn the Spiders into a passing team. 

"Elon's always been a tough tough opponent," Richmond coach Russ Huesman said. "We know this is going to be a huge test for us and we got to hang on to the ball better." 

The turnover battle figures to be a huge factor on Saturday, which begins with each offensive line protecting the quarterback. To that end, Richmond's always tough defensive front seven can make life difficult for opposing offenses. Spiders lineman Jeremiah Grant has racked up seven sacks already on the season. 

Elon's hungry for its first win at Rhodes Stadium, and it will take a gutsy effort in what promises to be one of the week's most physical encounters anywhere around college football. 

PREDICTION: Elon 24, Richmond 21

Maine at UAlbany

UAlbany returns from a bye week after having taken its lumps in non-conference losses at West Virginia and Idaho. Great Danes coach Greg Gattuso hopes the lessons from tough matchups in non-conference play have the reigning CAA champions prepared to being defense of their title in Saturday’s league opener.

"The kids competed, and there's some things we didn't do well in both games. That's been our focus," Gattuso said. "I knew those first three games for us were really critical with the turnover [on the roster], we had to see how we react under pressure and fix the things we can fix." 

If recent history is any indicator, Saturday's meeting between the Great Danes and Black Bears should be another tough one. The programs have played five games decided by four points or fewer since 2016, the most recent a 23-21 UAlbany win in 2022. 

Last season's 37-21 Great Danes win deviated from the pattern of one-score decisions, and also made for just the second UAlbany winning streak in the 15-game series. The last were victories separated by five years in 2005 and 2010. 

The 2024 Great Danes aim to make it three in three years, which starts with a new-look offense clicking against a Maine defense that can create turnover opportunities. 

Kesean Dyson has forced a pair of fumbles for the Black Bears this season, and Devin Vaught has an interception. Dyson, Xavier Holmes and Jacob Tuiasosopo have combined for five sacks through Maine's first four games. 

"Our level of tackling [in Week 4] really improved," Black Bears coach Jordan Stevens said. "You felt that on the field, all the fundamental techniques we're working on here...showed up in the game. With a level of consistency, we can make those strides each week." 

Speaking of consistency, UAlbany looks for quarterback Myles Burkett to put together his most consistent performance as he settles in behind center. Burkett is 53-of-103 for 761 yards with three touchdowns. Establishing the run will be central to opening the field up for Burkett; UAlbany's carried for only 218 total yards in three games. 

This week could be the breakout opportunity the Great Danes need to get their offense going with Maine giving up more than 30 points per game. 

PREDICTION: UAlbany 34, Maine 23 

Hampton at William & Mary 

Regional counterparts Hampton and William & Mary are separated by just 31 miles. Before HU joined the CAA, the two programs played just seven times.

There have been just nine meetings between the Pirates and Tribe since 1997, but it’s fast becoming an intriguing part of the CAA calendar since Hampton joined in 2022. With William & Mary’s 31-10 win a season ago, the Tribe improved to 9-0 against Hampton. William & Mary deluged Hampton with 24 fourth-quarter points to break through after three periods of defensive struggle.

Fast forward to 2024, and both Hampton and William & Mary are 3-1 through non-conference play. They reached their mirroring records in similar fashion, too, sporting two of the most productive rushing offenses in the nation.

The Pirates rank No. 13 in FCS, racking up 208 yards per game behind the quartet of running backs Elijah Burris and Ja’Quan Snipes, averaging 85.8 and 36.3 a contest; and quarterbacks Chris Zellous and Malcolm Mays, carrying for 35.3 and 25.3 a game.

The only CAA offense producing more yardage on the ground is William & Mary’s. The Tribe rank fifth nationally in rushing offense at 243.5 yards per game with Bronson Yoder responsible for 101.5 (No. 15 in FCS); Darius Wilson at 62.5; and Malachi Imoh at 32.3. Yoder and Wilson tag-teamed for more than 300 yards in Week 4 to power William & Mary past reigning Southern Conference champion Furman.

A Hampton defense that has held opponents to 19.5 points per game will need its best effort of the season to slow the dynamic Tribe. 

Scoring the road win would be a huge springboard for the Pirates into their pursuit of a first playoff appearance since joining the CAA, and plant their flag in this burgeoning rivalry. The series already has the makings of a special one thanks to the familiarity and closeness of the programs. 

"Coach [Mike] London does a great job. I've known him since 1998," first-year Hampton coach Trent Boykin said. "It's exciting [playing William & Mary]. You're right there in the 757 area. We both recruit the same kind of young men. They to high school with each other, their families know each other, and so having this opportunity to start playing, it's important." 

"It's been fun to watch the progress around [Boykin]," London said. "Proud of him. He does it the right way, and we've known that for a while." 

The mutual respect reflected between Boykin and London should play out in similar styles showing up on the Zable Stadium field on Saturday. 

PREDICTION: William & Mary 31, Hampton 21

CAA Week 5 Football Schedule

Saturday, September 28

• Fordham vs. Monmouth: 1:00 p.m.
• Delaware St. vs. Campbell: 2:00 p.m.
• Richmond vs. Elon: 2:00 p.m.
• Maine vs UAlbany: 3:30 p.m.
• Sacred Heart vs. Delaware: 3:30 p.m.
• Morgan St. vs. Stony Brook: 3:30 p.m.
• Long Island vs. Villanova: 6:00 p.m.
• Hampton vs Willam & Mary: 6:00 p.m.

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