The Monmouth University football team will be in the playoffs this weekend.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, constant schedule changes and a historic spring season, the Hawks never once took their eyes off the target.

“I mean, it feels amazing to be able to go back-to-back now, and now we’re working for a national championship. It’s great to be in the playoff run,” says senior Da’Quan Grimes.

As Big South champs, the Hawks earned an automatic bid to the NCAA FCS playoffs. Despite only having three games under their belt, head coach Kevin Callahan says that it can be an advantage. The team is healthy and rested.

“Historically, teams in the playoffs, people that go in with a bye in that opening round, really tend to do much better in the subsequent round. So we’re looking at it as we had a bye in Round 1 and we’re gearing up to go this week,” he says.

Monmouth is one of just 16 teams in the nation that are still playing. The Hawks will face the second overall seed Sam Houston in the first round of the FCS playoffs.

“There are 16 teams left. They are all quality football teams, everybody in it has good players and we know we’re going to have to play our best game to date in this spring season in order to be successful,” Callahan says.

Both Monmouth and Sam Houston average more than 40 points per game. Players say that it will take a total team effort to win.

“Focus and execution like we always do. Just playing our game with confidence and staying together like we’ve always done and that will take us a long way,” says junior Terrance Greene Jr.

Monmouth and Sam Houston kick off Saturday at noon in Texas.