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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University plays its final home game of the regular season Saturday, hosting the Red Hawks of Montclair State University at Kelchner Field at TowneBank Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Paul Crowley's Captains have won three straight games, and four of their last five, and have a lot riding on the result of the New Jersey Athletic Conference game.

CNU tops the league with a 4-0 conference record in addition to a 6-2 overall mark. A win by the Captains in either of heir last two games will wrap up the conference title, and along with it an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

"We're not even mentioning the P (playoff) word," Crowley said. "Our focus has been on Montclair State and taking care of business on Saturday. We've got a great group of seniors who will be recognized before kickoff, and I know they're looking forward to enjoying the atmosphere one last time at TowneBank Stadium for a home football game."

The Captains are coming off a 33-13 triumph last Saturday at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J. The victory assured CNU of a second straight winning season under Crowley, and this year will be the first time the Captains have recorded back-to-back winning seasons since the 2013 and 2014 campaigns under Matt Kelchner. The 2014 squad was the last to represent CNU in the NCAA Tournament. Christopher Newport is trying to clinch its first NJAC title since joining the conference in 2015.

Also at stake is CNU's home winning streak, which stands at eight straight games dating back to last season. The stretch of wins matches the program's all-time mark set twice before back in the 2002-2003 and 2005-2006 seasons. 

Montclair State enters the matinee with a 4-4 overall record and a 3-2 record in the NJAC. The Red Hawks fell at home last Saturday to Rowan by a 21-14 score. MSU is coached by Mike Palazzo, who is in his first season at the helm. Palazzo, who was the school's defensive coordinator, took over the program from Rick Giancola, who led the Hawks for the past 40 years.

"They're a good team and they've posted some solid wins this year," Crowley continued. "Like most NJAC teams, they're very physical and play tough defense. I think their offense has improved this year and they're doing some different things than we've seen in the past. They will definitely give us some challenges and I expect it will be a very physical game."

Saturday's festivities will also include a halftime introduction of the 2023 Christopher Newport University Athletic Hall of Fame Class. Chairback tickets for the game are sold out, however reserved bleacher and general admission tickets are available for the home regular-season finale. Ticket sales at the TowneBank Stadium gate will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Stadium gates will open to all fans at 12:00 p.m.

All Christopher Newport games are broadcast live on the Christopher Newport/Pepsi Radio Network (Xtra 99.1 FM) with the pre-game show beginning at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. The game will be streamed live on CNUsports.com, and can be seen by clicking the link at the top of this story. Live stats can also be accessed by clicking the link above. You can also access the complete CNU game notes package by clicking the link above.