There were a number of great choices for WNST’s fifth annual “Local Sportsperson of the Year” in 2012.

Let me remind you that there are only a few qualifications for the honor.

First, the person must be local. They must be an athlete, coach or front office member for a pro, college or high school team in the state of Maryland. Individual sport athletes who represent the state of Maryland also qualify.

Second, the person must stand out from other people over the course of the 12 calendar months. The accomplishments of that individual must be comparable to if not greater than the accomplishments of others in the area.

And finally, that person’s year must stand out from other years during their tenure/career in the area.

If you’ve forgotten, 2012 is the fifth year we’ve given the honor, with our past winners being Michael Phelps (2008), Todd Bozeman (2009), Greivis Vasquez (2010) and Rob Ambrose (2011).

There were a handful of candidates whose 2012 accomplishments would make them easy winners almost any year.

-Loyola basketball coach Jimmy Patsos lead the school back to the NCAA Tournament after inheriting a program that could only be described as “in the doldrums.” The sweat equity Patsos put into building a MAAC Championship program is perhaps unmatched, as the coach spent almost as much time shaking hands and kissing babies as he did running drills until finally reaching the ultimate goal for a low-to-mid major program.

-Even with the success Patsos had, perhaps he wouldn’t even be deemed the most qualified candidate as his own school. Charley Toomey lead the Greyhounds to one of the most improbable National Championship runs in recent lacrosse history. The Hounds came into the season unranked, but ran off 12 straight wins to open the season and finished the campaign with only one loss-a one goal defeat and the hands of Johns Hopkins. The Hounds posted a dominant national title victory over Maryland to deliver the first national championship in school history (any sport) at the D1 level.

-Adam Jones wasn’t just the Baltimore Orioles’ MVP, an All-Star and a Gold Glove Award winner in 2012. He was the anchor of a team that finally snapped a decade-and-a-half long playoff drought and perhaps most importantly endeared himself to Baltimore baseball fans forever by inking a six year contract extension to ensure fans he wouldn’t be breaking their hearts by donning pinstripes in the next few years.

-Ray Rice is likely headed to another Baltimore Ravens Team MVP honor and also warmed the hearts of purple & black fans by signing a five year contract extension of his own. Rice picked up his third Pro Bowl nod while being the rock for an offense poised to break the franchise record for most points scored in a season and helping to claim a second consecutive AFC North title for the first time in team history.

Like I said, there were plenty of great candidates.

But when it came to picking a winner, Baltimore fans were right. It actually was quite easy.

Buck Showalter actually came just ONE POINT shy of winning this honor before. The 34-23 finish he guided the Orioles to in 2010 nearly nabbed him the award, and the contentiousness of the fighting between contributors here at WNST actually lead to a change in how we selected our recipient.

In a way, Showalter has essentially owned this town ever since his first game as skipper in orange and black. Fans swooned when he famously proclaimed “I know the save rule and, quite frankly, it doesn’t carry much weight with me. I like the win rule a little bit better” following his late inning handling of Mike Gonzalez and Alfredo Simon in a win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Perhaps even more admirably, Showalter showed immense class each and every time he was asked about the seeming reluctance for Orioles fans to return to Oriole Park at Camden Yards in droves after the misery that had experienced in rooting for an organization that seemed disinterested in returning a quality product to Baltimore. Even as the Orioles were in the mix for the AL East crown in late August in front of small crowds during a series against the Chicago White Sox, Showalter continued to say things like ”it would be pretty presumptuous on anybody’s part to think that they’re going to trust us that quickly”. He didn’t just save baseball in this town, he remained as classy as possible in the process.

(Continued on Page 2…)

TWO-TIME CAA CHAMPS TO PLAY STRONG 12-GAME SCHEDULE IN 2013

Tigers To Face 12-Game Schedule For Only The Fourth Time In School History

TOWSON, Md. – After winning back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association championships, Coach Rob Ambrose and the Towson University football team will play a very strong 12-game schedule next season.

This marks only the fourth time in program history that the Tigers have been able to schedule 12 regular season games. The NCAA permits schools to schedule a 12^th regular season game where there is a 14^th Saturday between the first permissible playing date and the final permissible playing date. Towson also played 12 games in 2003, 2005 and 2008.

Due to the extra Saturday, the Tigers will play four non-conference games in addition to their eight-game CAA schedule. Towson will play five home games at Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas® Stadium and seven contests on the road,

For the fifth time in the last six seasons, Towson will face an NCAA FBS opponent in its season opener. On Thursday, August 29, the Tigers will open the season against the University of Connecticut in a game that will be played at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn.

UConn will be the seventh NCAA FBS opponent that Towson has played since 2008. The Tigers have also played Navy (2008), Northwestern (2009), Indiana (2010), Maryland (2011), Kent State (2012) and Louisiana State (2012). In 2012, the Tigers played Kent State and LSU, two NCAA FBS opponents who finished the regular season ranked in the Top 25.

After the season opener, the Tigers will visit former Patriot League rival Holy Cross on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Towson, which averaged nearly 8,700 fans per home game in 2012, opens its home schedule on Saturday, Sept. 14 by hosting Delaware State University. A week later, on Saturday, Sept. 21, the Tigers travel to Durham, N.C. to face North Carolina Central.

On Sept. 28, the Tigers travel to Stony Brook, a newcomer to the CAA, to face the Seawolves. Stony Brook is coming off a season in which the Seawolves earned an NCAA FCS at-large berth and posted a 10-3 record.

In October, Towson plays back-to-back home games against New Hampshire (Oct. 5) and Villanova (Oct. 12). Towson, UNH and Villanova are three of the four teams that shared the 2012 CAA championship.

On Oct. 19, the Tigers travel to Albany to face the Great Danes. Albany is another newcomer to the CAA.

Towson also travels to Richmond on Oct. 26 to face the Spiders, who also tied for the 2012 CAA title.

On Nov. 2, Towson returns to Unitas Stadium to host long-time rival Delaware. After a bye week, the Tigers visit William & Mary on Nov. 16 to face the Tribe. The Tigers close out the regular season on Nov. 23 with a home game against James Madison. It will be the 25^th meeting between the schools.

The Tigers, who have posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1999 and 2000, expect to have eight returning starters on offense and seven returning starters on defense.

A trio of All-CAA first team selections, running back Terrance West (Northwest H.S./Baltimore, Md.) and tacklesEric Pike (DuVal H.S./Landover, Md.) and Randall Harris (DuVal H.S./Largo, Md.), return to the lead the Tiger offense, along with offensive center Doug Shaw (Loyola H.S./Woodbine, Md.), a second team All-CAA honoree.

The Tiger defense will be led by linebacker Monte Gaddis (Cleveland Central Catholic H.S./Cleveland, Ohio), a second team All-CAA selection. Cornerbacks Jordan Love (Deep Run H.S./Washington, D.C.) and Tye Smith(Wakefield H.S./Raleigh, N.C.) also return. Love was a second team All-CAA selection while Smith earned third team honors.

Deposits are now being accepted for the 2013 Tiger football season.  Tickets can be ordered online at www.TowsonTigers.com or by calling the Athletics Ticket Office at 1-855-TU-TIGER.

The Tigers, who have a combined 16-7 record the last two seasons, have won back-to-back CAA titles by winning 13 of 16 CAA games over the last two years. In 2011, Towson had a 7-1 CAA record to win the title outright. Last season, the Tigers won their final four games in a row to finish with a 6-2 CAA mark that earned them a share of the championship.

2013 TOWSON UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Thu.        Aug. 29       at Connecticut                      East Hartford, Conn.

Sat.          Sept.   7       at Holy Cross                        Worcester, Mass.

SAT.       SEPT. 14    DELAWARE STATE          JOHNNY UNITAS® STADIUM

Sat.          Sept.  21     at North Carolina Central   Durham, N.C.

Sat.          Sept.  28     at Stony Brook *                   Stony Brook, N.Y.

SAT.       OCT.   5      NEW HAMPSHIRE *           JOHNNY UNITAS® STADIUM

SAT.       OCT.  12     VILLANOVA *                       JOHNNY UNITAS® STADIUM

Sat.          Oct.   19       at Albany *                             Albany, N.Y.

Sat.          Oct.  26        at Richmond *                       Richmond, Va.

SAT.       NOV.  2       DELAWARE *                      JOHNNY UNITAS® STADIUM              

Sat.          Nov.  16      at William & Mary *               Williamsburg, Va.

SAT.       NOV. 23      JAMES MADISON *            JOHNNY UNITAS® STADIUM

Sat.          Nov.  30      NCAA FCS Playoffs – 1st Round     TBD

Sat.          Dec.   7        NCAA FCS Playoffs – 2^nd Round     TBD

Fri./Sat.   Dec.  13-14 NCAA FCS Playoffs – Quarterfinals      TBD

Fri./Sat.   Dec. 20-21  NCAA FCS Playoffs – Semifinals     TBD

Sat.          Jan.  4         NCAA FCS Championship Game

* Colonial Athletic Association games

CAA CO-CHAMPION TIGERS OVERLOOKED BY NCAA

Tigers Not Chosen For NCAA FCS Playoffs

TOWSON, Md. – Although Towson University finished the regular season with four consecutive victories and earned a share of the Colonial Athletic Association championship, the Tigers were not selected to play in the NCAA FCS playoffs. The NCAA announced its 20-team field on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers, who finished the season with a 7-4 record and went 6-2 in the CAA, assembled in their locker room to watch the NCAA selection show. They sat in stunned silence when they learned that Towson was not selected.

“I can’t think of any time when I’ve been more disappointed,” said Towson Coach Rob Ambrose. “These players deserve better than this and they earned the right to play in the NCAA post-season again.

“These guys are champions,” Ambrose added. “We don’t need some people sitting in an NCAA Board Room to validate us. The goal should be to have the best 20 teams competing for the championship.”

The Tigers, who shared the CAA title with New Hampshire (8-3, 6-2), Villanova (8-3, 6-2) and Richmond (8-3, 6-2), were seeking their second straight appearance in the NCAA FCS playoffs. UNH and Villanova were selected to advance to the post-season while Towson and Richmond were overlooked.

In the final four weeks of the season, Towson posted convincing wins over Villanova (49-35) and New Hampshire (64-35). When Towson handed UNH a decisive 64-35 in the regular season finale on Saturday, it seemed like the Tigers had played their way into the NCAA FCS playoff field.

Over the last two seasons, Towson has posted a 13-3 record in CAA games and has won seven of eight CAA road games.

The Tigers also played the third-toughest schedule in FCS football, a slate that included losses to a pair of NCAA FBS teams that are having very good seasons, Louisiana State and Kent State.

Towson loses 14 seniors from this year’s team, including wide receiver Erron Banks (Bound Brook H.S./Bound Brook, N.J.), defensive end Frank Beltre (Randolph H.S./Randolph, N.J.), wide receiver Alex Blake (Friendly H.S./Fort Washington, Md.),  linebacker Brian Boateng (Gaithersburg H.S./Burtonsville, Md.), running back Dominique Booker (Hermitage H.S./Richmond, Va.), defensive end Ben Chroniger (DeMatha H.S./Crofton, Md.), safety Jordan Dangerfield (Royal Palm Beach H.S./Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), quarterback Grant Enders (Old Mill H.S./Millersville, Md.), tight end Cory Kirby (Kent Island H.S./Chester, Md.), defensive tackle Matt Morgan (Horseheads H.S./Horseheads, N.Y.), linebacker Nick Ranko (Foxborough H.S./Foxborough, Mass.), wide receiver Tom Ryan (Father Judge H.S./Philadelphia, Pa.), wide receiver Gerrard Sheppard (McDonogh H.S./Owings Mills, Md.) and defensive end Romale Tucker (Ballou H.S./Washington, D.C.).

Beltre and Dangerfield were All-American performers while Enders was a two-year starter at quarterback. He posted an impressive 16-6 record as the Towson signal-caller.

“These players will always be special to this program,” said Ambrose. “They changed the culture around here and brought respect to this football program.”

TIGER TALES:  In their season-ending four-game winning streak, the Tigers outscored their opponents by a 188-107 margin … In the last four contests, Towson averaged 525.5 yards of total offense per game while allowing 332.2 yards per game … Towson led the CAA in total defense, allowing 313.2 yards per contest.

In their four-game winning streak, the Tigers had a plus-five turnover ratio … Towson turned the ball over only once in the final four games of the year … Towson’s four-game winning streak is their longest winning streak since 2006 when the Tigers opened the season with four wins in a row.

– TowsonTigers.com –

The Towson University football program was robbed of a spot in the 2012 FCS Playoffs today.  The selection committee who determines who makes the cut and who doesn’t, is shrouded in mystery.  No one truly knows the criteria in order to make it except that each conference has one automatic bid.

This year, Towson repeated as champions of the CAA (sharing it with four other teams) and finished with a 7-4 overall record and 6-2 in the CAA.  They finished the season with a 4 game win streak knowing that their playoff hopes were on the line.  All five of their conference road games were against ranked opponents.  They won all but one, against James Madison; a game in which they had the lead in the final minutes but lost 13-10.

Towson finished the season ranked 15^th in the Sports Network FCS poll, the poll widely recognized as the definitive poll in FCS play.  They were never unranked at any point.  They were 1-2 in their non conference schedule, beating St. Francis.  Their two losses came against LSU, who are 3^rd in the BCS rankings, and Kent State who had one loss and won the MAC conference.  They put up points against both teams and even lead LSU at one point in the game.

In the FCS playoffs, 10 teams receive an automatic bid for “winning” their conference.  Villanova received the autobid from the CAA even though 4 teams were co-champions.  They received the bid based on combined record against the remaining 3 teams (Towson, New Hampshire, and Richmond).  Towson beat Villanova by 14 on the road.

The remaining 10 spots are “at large” and take into account the teams who didn’t receive their conference’s autobid. They were given to Cal Poly (Big Sky), Appalachian State (Southern), Illinois State (Missouri Valley), Montana State (Big Sky), New Hampshire (CAA), Old Dominion (CAA), Sam Houston State (Southland), South Dakota State (Missouri Valley), Stony Brook (Big South) and Wofford (Southern).

I have no qualms with ODU making it because they beat Towson and are clearly one of the best teams at the FCS level though they are moving to the FBS level Conference USA next season and their non conference schedule includes imposing Duquesne, Hampton and Campbell (sarcasm implied).  I do, however, wonder how New Hampshire made it over Towson even though the Tigers beat them on the road by 29 points. Also, New Hampshire’s out of conference schedule included Holy Cross, Minnesota, and Central Connecticut.  Overwhelming right? Yeah didn’t think so.

I also take issue with the fact that two teams ranked below Towson (Illinois State at 16^th and South Dakota State at 19^th) made it in over them.  Illinois State’s non conference schedule included Dayton, Eastern Michigan, and Eastern Illinois.  While South Dakota State’s included Kansas, South East Louisiana and UC Davis.  How can you penalize Towson for playing a harder schedule than most teams.

How does the 15^th best team in the FCS not make it into a 20 team playoff that should be comprised of the best teams in the nation? Towson not only should have made it over half these teams but also should have hosted a game. I mean they beat two out of the three teams that made it from their own conference!

My first thought was money. As it should be with the NCAA.  However, Towson sold out their playoff game last year against Lehigh so that couldn’t be it, right?

Towson isn’t the only team that got snubbed.  CAA teams, Richmond and JMU should have also received a bid.  It baffles me how the best conference in the FCS, often referred to as the SEC of the FCS, has so many snubs.

The university, the players, the students, and the fans were robbed of one more game with a group of seniors who brought football back to my school and made Saturdays fun again.  I hope the FCS selection committee can sleep at night knowing that their decisions have no integrity or merit after these decisions.

DURHAM, N.H. - Riding a three-game winning streak, the Tigers will be seeking to stake their claim to a share of the Colonial Athletic Association championship when they visit Cowell Stadium to face CAA co-leader New Hampshire …A Tiger win over UNH would throw the entire CAA into a mad scramble because it would create the possibility of a six-way tie for first place in the CAA … Wins by Towson over UNH, James Madison over Old Dominion, Richmond over William & Mary and Villanova over Delaware would leave Towson, UNH, JMU, Richmond and Villanova all tied for first place at 6-2 and would force the utilization of a tie-breaker scenario.

For Towson to have its best shot at its second straight CAA championship, the Tigers would like a three-way tie with New Hampshire and Villanova because Towson would hold the tie-breaker over both teams.

The Tigers, who are the defending CAA champions, have won 12 of their last 15 CAA games … Towson was 7-1 in 2011 and has a 5-2 record this year … From 2007 to 2010, the Tigers were 3-29 in CAA games.

Towson is also seeking its second straight appearance in the NCAA FCS playoffs … Last year, the Tigers earned the CAA’s automatic bid as conference champion … Towson earned a first-round bye and dropped a 40-38 heartbreaker to Lehigh in the second round of the playoffs before a sellout crowd at Unitas Stadium.

TIGERS vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Towson and New Hampshire are meeting for the ninth time in a series that began in 1980 … UNH has a 7-1 series lead and didn’t lose a game to the Tigers until last year.

The two teams first met in 1980 when Towson was a Division II program … UNH won that contest, 10-6 despite a 51-yard field goal by future NFL All-Pro punter Sean Landeta … In 1981, Towson and New Hampshire met in Durham and the Wildcats pulled out a 31-29 victory … The teams did not meet again until 2004 when they were conference rivals … In seven games as conference rivals, UNH has averaged 43.3 points per game … In conference games, their average margin of victory has been 29.3 points … UNH has a 4-0 record at home against Towson.

On its way to its first CAA championship last season, the Tigers finally beat UNH for the first time ever, handing the Wildcats a 56-42 loss at Unitas Stadium … The two teams combined for 98 points and 1,128 total yards.

ROAD WARRIORS: The Tigers, who are seeking their first-ever win at Cowell Stadium, have been a very good road team the last two seasons … In fact, Towson has won six of its last seven CAA road games … In 2011, Towson earned CAA road wins at No. 17 Old Dominion (39-35), No. 14 William & Mary (38-27), No. 7 Maine (40-30) and Rhode Island (28-17) … Towson has a 2-1 CAA road record this year … On Oct. 6, the Tigers lost at No. 5 James Madison (13-10) … But, Towson bounced back with a 49-35 win at No. 19 Villanova and a 34-27 overtime victory at No. 23 Delaware one week later.

NEWARK, Del. – Facing a nationally-ranked Colonial Athletic Association opponent on the road for the second consecutive week, the No. 19 Tigers (4-4, 3-2) will face No. 23 University of Delaware (5-3, 2-3) on Saturday, November 3 at Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium at 12 noon.

The game will be nationally-televised on the NBC Sports Network with Ari Wolff and Anthony Herron calling the action while Carolyn Manno is the sideline reporter. The game will also be aired on the Tigers’ web site,www.TowsonTigers.com with Spiro Morekas and Ron Meehan handling the broadcast. The Tigers’ internet broadcast also features a one-hour pre-game show.

When the No. 19 Tigers face No. 23 Delaware, it will mark Towson’s fourth game of the season against a nationally-ranked NCAA FCS program. According to the NCAA, Towson is playing the fourth-toughest schedule of any FCS program. The Tigers have played two NCAA FBS programs, Kent State (6-1) and Louisiana State (8-1), in addition to their tough FCS slate.

Towson is coming off its best game of the season, a 49-35 victory over CAA co-leader Villanova last week on the road. In the victory, the Tigers rolled up a seasonal high 590 yards of total offense. Sophomore Terrance West,the Pre-Season CAA Offensive Player of the Year, had his best game of the season at Villanova. He ran for 144 yards on 23 carries and scored two rushing touchdowns. West also gave Towson a 21-7 first quarter lead when he caught a 78-yard touchdown pass.

In seven games this season, West has scored 11 touchdowns, including 10 rushing TD’s. Only a sophomore, West has scored 40 touchdowns in 18 career games.

Senior quarterback Grant Enders, the CAA Offensive Player of the Week, has been the catalyst for the Tigers’ offense. Enders has become the best two-way threat that the Tigers have ever had at quarterback. He ranks third in the CAA in total offense, averaging 275.8 yards per game. As a passer, he has completed 148 of 235 passes for 1,689 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is fourth in the CAA, averaging 208.6 passing yards per game. He is also the ninth-leading rusher in the CAA with 537 yards on 74 carries and four touchdowns.

Enders has already set the Towson single season record for rushing yards by a quarterback and he also holds the career record for rushing yards by a quarterback (924). He needs 76 more yards to become the first Tiger quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in his career.

In the win over Villanova, Enders had a career high 391 yards of total offense. In addition to passing for 269 yards and a career high four touchdowns, he also ran for a career best 122 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown.

Saturday’s game matches two of the top defenses in the CAA. Towson leads the CAA in total defense (308.0 yards per game) and pass defense (164.2 yards per game). Meanwhile, the Blue Hens are first in the CAA in rushing defense (115.2 ypg) and rank third in scoring defense (21.8 ppg).

Towson and Delaware are meeting for the 14th time in a series that started in 1982 when the Tigers were a nationally-ranked NCAA Division II program. The Blue Hens own a 9-4 lead in the series and have won five games in a row against Towson. Last season, Delaware handed Towson a 35-30 loss at Johnny Unitas® Stadium. It was Towson’s only conference loss en route to the CAA championship.

 “Delaware has been doing things the right way for a long time,” says Towson Coach Rob Ambrose. “Over the last few years, we have been striving to cut down the difference between our two programs. It’s an emotional game, partly because of the geography of the two schools. Our players know their players and their players know our players. Both schools recruit the same areas, for student-athletes as well as regular students.

“To win this game, I feel we are going to have to establish our running game,” Ambrose admits. “Delaware has a big, strong, veteran defensive line and it is going to be a challenge for us.”

Junior linebacker Monte Gaddis leads the Tiger defense. In eight games this season, he has made 62 tackles and ranks seventh in the CAA. With 10.5 tackles for lost yardage, he is second in the CAA behind freshman linebacker Jeff Williams of Delaware. Williams has made 12 tackles for lost yardage.

Senior safety Jordan Dangerfield and sophomore cornerback Tye Smith have also played well for the Tigers’ defense. A pre-season All-American, Dangerfield has 52 tackles and ranks eighth among CAA defensive backs. Smith has 51 tackles, ninth among CAA defensive backs.

Led by senior defensive end Romale Tucker, the Tigers top the CAA in quarterback sacks with 25 sacks. Those 25 sacks have been divided up among 11 different players. While Tucker has four sacks in seven games, senior defensive end Frank Beltre and Gaddis have four sacks in eight games.

This will be 10th time that Towson and Delaware have played at Delaware Stadium. The Blue Hens have won six of the nine previous games in Newark. The Tigers posted wins in 1983 (13-4), 1993 (32-30) and 2006 (49-35) while Delaware beat Towson in 1982 (51-7), 1984 (56-23), 1992 (55-27), 2004 (21-17), 2008 (31-21) and 2010 (48-0).

The Tigers, who were 4-0 in CAA road games last season, are 1-1 in CAA road games this year. Towson lost to James Madison on Oct. 6 (13-10) before beating Villanova last week.

Dating back to last season, Towson has won 10 of its last 13 CAA games.

After the Tigers’ trip to Delaware, they return to Unitas Stadium for their home finale against Rhode Island at 3:30 p.m.

TIGER TALES:  This week’s game will be Towson’s sixth appearance in a televised game this season … Previously, the Tigers made two appearances on NBC SportsNet, beating William & Mary and losing at James Madison … Towson’s season-opening loss at Kent State was televised on Comcast SportsNet-Plus … When Towson played at Louisiana State, the game was aired nationally on ESPNU … The Towson-Villanova game was aired on Comcast Mid-Atlantic.

The Tigers have done an excellent job controlling the time of possession this season … In their first eight games of the season, the Tigers have controlled the time of possession seven times … While averaging 33:29 in time of possession, Towson ranks sixth in NCAA FCS in time of possession … National champion North Dakota State leads FCS football in time of possession at 35:44 per game … Montana State (34:23) is second while Liberty (34:20) is third … Eastern Kentucky is fourth at 34:04, just ahead of San Diego (33:54)  … For the season, Towson has 178 first downs while its opponents have 142 … The Tigers have 3,354 total yards while allowing 2,464 total yards … Towson has run 554 plays while its opponents have run 496 offensive plays.

VILLANOVA, PA. - For the second straight week, the Tigers will be facing a nationally-ranked Colonial Athletic Association team when the No. 23 Tigers face No. 19 Villanova … The Tigers are coming off a 31-20 loss against No. 7 Old Dominion, a team that Villanova beat two weeks ago … The Tigers, who are 3-4 overall, have been playing a very difficult schedule … Two of Towson’s losses have come at the hands of two top ten FCS teams, James Madison and ODU … The other losses have been to NCAA BCS programs Kent State (5-1) and Louisiana State (7-1).

Seeking their first road win of the season (0-3), the Tigers will be visiting Villanova Stadium where they have an all-time record of 1-3 … Towson’s only win at Villanova came in 2006 when the Tigers pulled out a 21-13 victory … The Tigers, who were 4-0 in CAA road games last year (wins at Old Dominion, William & Mary, Maine, Rhode Island), have an all-time CAA road record of 10-23 … Under Coach Rob Ambrose, Towson is 5-8 on the road.

TIGERS vs. VILLANOVA: Towson and Villanova are meeting for the ninth time … They have played every year since 2004 … Villanova has won four of the last five games and leads the series, 5-3 … Last year, the Tigers started their drive for the Colonial Athletic Association title with a 31-10 victory in their CAA opener.

Last year, the Tigers rushed for 223 yards en route to a win over the Wildcats in the CAA opener for both teams … Dominique Booker scored a pair of touchdowns and caught a 47-yard TD pass …Terrance West scored two touchdowns while quarterback Grant Enders ran for 62 yards … Towson rolled to a 21-0 lead in the third quarter before holding off Villanova.

This is the fifth time that the teams are playing at Villanova … In 2010, Villanova celebrated its 2009 national championship with a 43-7 win … Quarterback Chris Whitney ran for two touchdowns and threw for two TD’s as the Wildcats jumped out to a 36-0 halftime lead.

The last three meetings have lacked much drama … The average margin of victory has been 33 points in those games.