Monmouth stayed within two TDs of No. 18 Wheaton College for more than three quarters in both team's season openers before the Scots fell 32-7 at Wheaton on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Scots came back after spotting the Thunder a 16-0 first quarter lead when Hayden Nelson hit Jacolby Maxwell with a 23-yard TD pass. The score completed a three-play, 25-yard drive, Monmouth's longest drive of the day.
 
Holding a 16-7 lead entering the second half, Wheaton inched ahead with a 50-yard catch-and-run to up their lead to 22-7. Monmouth's defense then tightened, forcing three straight Wheaton punts, two on three-and-out situations. Monmouth's secondary was active, picking off three passes as Brandon Graeff's pick early in the third quarter stopped a Thunder drive deep in Monmouth territory. Seth Cunningham and Mason Castricone picked off the other two, Castricone returning his 37 yards.
 
Punter Joey Biel etched his name in the Monmouth record book, breaking the single game punting yardage record set by Nate Palkovic in 2007. The left-footer averaged 40 yards per punt totaling 560 yards, breaking the previous mark by 24 yards.
 
Monmouth returns home to meet their second straight ranked opponent - #13 Wartburg – on Sept. 8. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.