Glassboro, NJ – The Montclair State football team scored the final 17 points, including the go-ahead score with 5:31 remaining as the Red Hawks knocked off Rowan University, 24-17 at Wackar Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

JA'QUILL BURCH connected on a 38-yard pass to CARSEN JOHNSON and SEAMUS NELSON came up with a sack on the final drive as MSU evened its record at 4-4, 3-2 in NJAC play as it defeated the Profs for the fourth consecutive season and 11^th time in the last 14 meetings.

Following a scoreless first quarter, Montclair found itself down 10-0 with nine minutes to play as Jake Hurler connected on a 21-yard field goal with Elijah Rehm hauling in a 26-yard pass from Mike Hunsi. Montclair answered with an 11-play, 62-yard drive to get on the board. Burch found CRAIG MERKLE for 24 yards on a 3^rd-and-20 with ABELLANY MENDEZ bursting for 10 yards on a 3^rd-and-2 down to the Rowan 14. Two plays later, Burch found ZACH SKRIVANIC for the touchdown cutting the lead to 10-7 with 3:18 left.

Rowan countered with its own scoring drive marching 76 yards in eight plays for a 17-7 advantage. Hunsi provided the touchdown with a 10-yard run giving the Profs a 10-point lead with 1:36 to go. The furious finish to the first half continued as the Red Hawks moved the ball to the Rowan 25 before settling for a career-best 42 yard field by ANTHONY MARINELLI with 12 ticks left as Montclair headed into the locker room down 17-10.

The Red Hawks would tie the game late in the third quarter as Burch found KASON CAMPBELL down the right sideline for a 56-yard touchdown, deadlocking the game with 2:58 remaining in the quarter.

Montclair's defense would help set up the go-ahead score as BRENNAN RAY intercepted Hunsi giving MSU the ball at its own 48. RALPH MCLEAN took a short pass from Burch and went eight yards for a first down. Two plays later, Burch connected with Johnson giving Montclair State its first lead of the contest.

But the Red Hawks would have to outlast one last drive by the Profs, who rode the legs of running back Messiah Devine and a 28-yard completion by Hunsi moving the ball to the MSU 4 with just over a minute left. On first down, Devine was thrown for a two-yard loss and was then pushed back two more on a fumble setting up 3^rd-and-goal with 48 seconds to play. Hunsi went incomplete setting up fourth down.

With the game on the line, Nelson came up with a nine-yard sack of Hunsi with 34 seconds remaining preserving the victory for the Red Hawks.

Burch finished 21-of-36 for 281 yards with Campbell (73 yards) and Johnson (68) each pulling in three receptions. MIKE MANZO-LEWIS led the team with four catches totaling 41 yards. Mendez ran for 76 yards on 14 carries as MSU piled up 120 yards on the ground and 401 total yards of offense.

Nelson led the Red Hawk defender with nine tackles. BRANDON BURDGE registered six tackles with JAIER GARRETT, Ray, JAMES CHUKWURAH and ZACK ZACCONE all notching five stops.

Montclair State is back home next week hosting local rival William Paterson at Sprague Field beginning at 1:00 pm.