TOWSON CONCLUDES 10-GAME ROAD SWING AT TEMPLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT
Tigers Seeking .500 Record During Season-Opening Road Trip

PHILADELPHIA Pa. – The Towson men’s basketball team will conclude its 10-game road swing on Wednesday as the Tigers travel to the Liacouras Center to take on the Temple Owls.

The game is set to tip at 7 p.m.

The Tigers (4-5) are coming off two of their best efforts of the season last week as they defeated defending America East champions Vermont (68-64) on Wednesday before narrowly falling at No. 15 Georgetown (46-40) on Saturday.

Junior forward Jerrelle Benimon was named the Colonial Athletic Association Co-Player of the Week yesterday after averaging 20.0 points and 13.0 rebounds in those contests. Benimon has registered a double-double in five of his last seven games.

Freshman guard Jerome Hairston (9.8 ppg) is second on the team in scoring and tops the team in assists (23) and steals (19). Junior guard Mike Burwell (9.2 ppg), junior forward Marcus Damas (8.3 ppg) and graduate student Bilal Dixon (7.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg) round out the Tiger starters.

Temple (6-1) is coming off its first loss of the season, a 90-67 setback against No. 2 Duke.

The Owls, under the direction of seventh-year head coach Fran Dunphy, are led be the play of senior guards Scootie Randall (15.1 pgg) and Khalif Wyatt.  Besides topping the team in scoring, Randall also leads Temple in rebounding (7.1 rpg.), three-pointers (15) and minutes played (35.7 mpg). Wyatt (13.9 ppg) paces the Owls and ranks sixth in the Atlantic 10 Conference in assists, averaging 4.6 per game.

Temple has won both all-time meetings against Towson, with the squad’s last meeting on Dec. 6, 2007 in Philadelphia.

Honorable Mention: College Football-New Mexico Bowl: Nevada vs. Arizona (Saturday 1pm from Albuquerque live on ESPN), Idaho Potato Bowl: Toledo vs. Utah State (Saturday 4:30pm from Boise live on ESPN); High School Basketball: Western Tech @ Perry Hall (Friday 7pm), Perry Hall @ Edgewood (Monday 6:30pm)

10. Trey Songz (Sunday 7:30pm 1st Mariner Arena); Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Wednesday 7:30pm Verizon Center); O.A.R. (Friday 8pm Strathmore), Mannheim Steamroller (Saturday 4pm & 8pm Strathmore); AWOLNATION (Thursday 8pm Rams Head Live), Hinder (Friday 8:30pm Rams Head Live); New Found Glory (Tuesday 6:30pm Recher Theatre); Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe presents A Tribute to the Beastie Boys (Thursday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Matisyahu (Thursday 7pm 9:30 Club); Jose Feliciano (Friday 8pm Howard Theatre), Ronnie Spector (Saturday 8pm Howard Theatre); Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (Tuesday 7:30pm Birchmere); Dropkick Murphys (Tuesday 7pm U Street Music Hall); Local H (Sunday 8pm Rock N Roll Hotel); Green Day “Tre” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday); Rolling Stones “One More Shot” (Saturday 9pm from Newark, NJ live on Pay-Per-View); 12.12.12-The Concert for Sandy Relief feat. Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, The Who (Wednesday 7:30pm from New York live on AXS tv, AMC, others)

Mock me all you want…I’m an UTTER nerd for some TSO…

You can be sure I’m trucking to Bethesda as soon as the show is over Friday for OAR…

This Karl Denson Beastie Boys thing is really quite dope…

The Dropkick Murphys did a holiday tune for a record that doesn’t hit stores until after the New Year. Why? Because it’s freaking awesome…

9. Alonzo Bodden (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); “Ted” and “The Bourne Legacy” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); Hampden Holiday Gathering (Friday 5pm Keswick & 34th Street); Holiday Gathering (Friday 5pm McHenry Row); “A Christmas Carol” (Sunday 6:30pm Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric)

We could discuss these things, but I’m afraid if I don’t use this space to post the video of the freakout scenes from “Christmas Vacation.” I can’t mess with tradition…

Ehh….”Ted” came out this week. I’m not really moving on without posting ONE picture of Mila Kunis…

(Continued on Page 2…)

Atlantic Coast Conference Announces Football Players of the Week

Wake Forest’s Price, Campanaro, and Hazime headline honorees for performance against North Carolina

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Wake Forest quarterback Tanner Price, receiver Michael Campanaro, and defensive end Hasan Hazime headline a list of eight players named as the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week, announced by the conference on Tuesday. Price threw for a career-high 327 yards, Campanaro caught a career-high 13 passes for 164 yards, and Hazime had five tackles in the Demon Deacons’ 28-27 win over North Carolina.

Freshman quarterback Perry Hills led the Terrapins to a 36-27 win at Temple and was recognized as the Rookie of the Week.

Two Virginia Cavaliers were recognized for their performance in the 17-16 victory over Penn State. Steve Greer tallied a career-high 15 tackles to be named the Linebacker of the Week, and senior Oday Aboushi, who had 12 knockdown blocks, was named the Offensive Lineman of the Week.

Clemson’s Spencer Benton connected on a 61-yard field goal to set a new ACC record and was named the Specialist of the Week. NC State’s Earl Wolff, the Defensive Back of the Week, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble to help the Wolfpack win at Connecticut.

OFFENSIVE BACK – Tanner Price, Wake Forest, Jr., QB, 6-2, 205, Austin, Tex.

Price completed 27 of 38 passes for 327 yards in Wake Forest’s 28-27 win over North Carolina on Sept. 8.  Price also carried seven times for 5 yards and rushed for a pair of touchdowns.  Price’s 327 yards represented a career-high in passing yards and the two rushing touchdowns were also a career-best.  Trailing 27-21 with 6:36 to play in the game, Price led Wake Forest on an 11-play, 93-yard drive for the game-winning touchdown.  On the drive, Price completed five of seven passes for 67 yards and carried three times for 5 yards including the game-winning 1-yard TD plunge.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Oday Aboushi, Virginia, Sr., OT, 6-6, 310, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Senior offensive tackle Oday Aboushi had another solid day, grading out at 92 percent on 65 plays. He had 12 knockdown blocks against the Penn State front seven.

RECEIVER – Michael Campanaro, Wake Forest, Jr., WR, 5-11, 195, Clarksville, Md.

Campanaro caught a career-high 13 passes for a career-high 164 yards in Wake Forest’s 28-27 win over North Carolina on Saturday.  Campanaro had nine catches for 108 yards in the first half as Wake Forest built a 21-14 halftime lead.  He had four catches for 56 yards in the second half, including one 15-yard reception on the game-winning drive.  Campanaro’s 13 receptions were two shy of the school record and the most ever by a Deacon versus the Tar Heels.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Hasan Hazime, Wake Forest, Sr., DE, 6-5, 270, Pickering, Ontario

Hazime had five tackles including three solos and two assists versus North Carolina.  A fifth-year transfer from Akron, Hazime made his first career start for Wake Forest on Saturday, filling in for an injured DE Zach Thompson.  Hazime had a sack of North Carolina QB Bryn Renner, forcing a fumble which he then recovered, settingup Wake Forest’s go-ahead touchdown in the second quarter.  Hazime also broke up a team-high two pass attempts by the Tar Heels.

LINEBACKER – Steve Greer, Virginia, Sr., LB, 6-2, 230, Solon, Ohio

Greer had the best game of his career in Virginia’s 17-16 victory against Penn State. Greer registered a career-high 15 tackles and tied his career high with two sacks. He finished the game with 2.5 tackles for loss. Greer was part of a Cavalier defense that rose up and kept the Nittany Lions out of the end zone and forced them to attempt field goals, which they converted just 1 of 5. The Virginia defense held Penn State to just -14 total yards and 3 total points following four Cavalier turnovers during the game. Three of those turnovers came inside the Virginia 25-yard line and the fourth was at the 38-yard line. Penn State managed just 2.9 yards per play during the game.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Earl Wolff, NC State, Sr.,S, 6-0, 207, Raeford, N.C.

Wolff tallied seven stops (including five first hits or solos) in the 10-7 road win over UConn, even though he played just three quarters after leaving with an injury. He picked off the fifth pass of his career in the second half with UConn driving when Wolff caught the interception at midfield and returned it 16 yards. The senior made perhaps the biggest play of the game on defense in the third quarter when he recovered a fumble that Brandan Bishop forced with NC State leading 3-0. That gave the Pack the ball at the UConn 41 and three plays later, State scored its only touchdown of the afternoon.

SPECIALIST – Spencer Benton, Clemson, Sr., K, 6-1, 195, Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Benton kicked an ACC record 61-yard field goal in Clemson’s 52-27 victory over Ball State.  The 61-yard field goal broke the previous Clemson record by four yards and broke the previous ACC record by a yard.  It was just the fourth field goal of 60 yards or more at the FBS level this century (The fifth was kicked later in the afternoon by Andrew Furney of Washington State against Eastern Washington, a 60-yarder). In addition to his record setting field goal, Benton kicked off five times with four resulting in touchbacks. He also had a 43-yard average on two punts, both of which pinned Ball State inside its own 20. He also held on Clemson place kicks, except for his 61-yard attempt.

ROOKIE – Perry Hills, Maryland, Fr., QB, 6-3, 205, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Hills, who last week became the first freshman to start a season opener for Maryland since Calvin McCall in 1999, had an excellent outing in the 36-27 win against Temple. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native went 11 of 21 for 190 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for a touchdown. He also made several momentum-changing plays on third down: he ran for an 11-yard TD on third-and-goal after a low snap that hit the ground; he hit Marcus Leak for a 39-yard gain on third-and-17 in the third quarter; and finally, hooked up with Stefon Diggs down the sideline for 38 yards on a third-and-11 with under 4:00 left and Maryland clinging to a 29-27 lead. In all, Hills led Maryland on six scoring drives (four touchdowns, two field goals) in its 36-27 win over Temple.

As always, this week’s 15-7-0 is brought to you by Roofing By Elite. Visit them at roofingbyelite.com. We make 15 observations about football ELITE, 7 about football “not so ELITE” and one “zero” who deserves to sleep on the roof from outside of football.

(As a reminder, we don’t do Baltimore Ravens game analysis here. We do PLENTY of that elsewhere. This is about the rest of the world of football.)

The “ELITE” 15…

1. It was way more interesting than it needed to be, but Maryland got a nice win Saturday.

Ryan Chell and I made the drive up to Filthy Saturday, and I will admit I expected much worse than what I got.

As Darren Pang would say, “holy jumpin’!” Perry Hills wasn’t great-but he made some nice throws. Marcus Leak was fantastic, and Stefon Diggs more than made up for an earlier fumble with that spectacular catch you saw there at the end of the game.

Most of us would have settled for just not giving up 12 rushing touchdowns like it felt like they did a year ago against the Owls. Instead we got Randy Edsall’s first EVER road win.

While I was in the “Illadelph” (to quote The Roots), I had a tasty chicken cheesesteak and a pretzel. I did not however get to stop at the place The Nasty One recommended, “Talk of the Town” for one of their steaks.

Anything anybody can tell me about this place?

I was a little disappointed we didn’t bump into Temple fan and friend of “The Reality Check” Bill Cosby at the game, but apparently he was busy looking dapper at UMass…

2. Rex Ryan and the Jets are perhaps the greatest trolls in the history of football.

The Jets didn’t just look BAD in the preseason, they looked like one of the worst teams in the history of football. They scored one offensive touchdown. They looked to have the offensive ineptitude of a JV football team, but at one of those schools where they only have like 300 students so the JV team is mostly made up of girls and kids that thought they were trying out for badminton.

And then, this.

I’m not as baffled as you. I’m significantly more baffled. I had sort of assumed the Jets were just going to panic and line Tim Tebow up at every position to try to set some sort of bizarre record because they cared so little about winning.

What the eff? I PICKED THE JETS TO WIN?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!!?

Heh. I knew it all along.  And you doubted.

Here’s what Thurman Thomas thought about the Bills’ effort…

But other than that I hear he enjoyed it. Before we move on, here’s Bills TE Scott Chandler knocking down Rex Ryan…

Here’s Antonio Cromartie flipping into the endzone…

And after the game Bart Scott announced a media boycott. Who says he didn’t learn anything from Ed Reed while in Charm City?

3. Most of the talk after Redskins-Saints is related to Robert Griffin III, but Billy Cundiff probably deserves a bit of attention himself.

About effing time someone started paying attention to RG3, don’t you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlSFtmr7vj4

The real question for the Skins? Is the former Heisman Trophy winner REALLY this good or did he play a dreadful defense?

The real question for the Saints? Can things get better or will not having their head coach prove to doom the season?

The other question? Will Nike be able to capitalize on adidas pitchman Griffin’s “Heart”?

I wish I could root for this guy. DAMNIT why did he have to be drafted to DC? For example, I’d LOVE to enjoy this…

…but clearly there’s no chance.

Oh and also! Billy Cundiff made all four of his field goal tries. That seems noteworthy for some reason, I just can’t think of why.

4. The SEC again emphatically proved to be greater than the Big 12. Wait. The hell? Missouri and Texas A&M aren’t in the Big 12 anymore?

I had just sorta figured a college basketball-style “Big 12/SEC Challenge” had been scheduled this weekend. I was as surprised as you.

The story of Georgia/Missouri was the jawing about “Old Man Football”. It was good enough to win…

Also, another look at Mizzou’s unis, please…

The story of Florida/Texas A&M was the Aggies forgetting they play two halves in college football still…

There was however this Ben Malena absolute BLAST for TAMU fans who want to feel better about things…

And since we’re here…did you happen to see the live broadcast of Midnight Yell Practice from Kyle Field Friday night on ESPNU?

There were 40,000 people there. To practice yelling. I have no words. I’m going to wear overalls to Maryland/UConn next week. And then there’s this…

5. Perhaps Mark Sanchez got a lesson in quarterbacking from Matt Barkley this weekend.

For like five seconds as it was storming in New Jersey Saturday there was a thought Syracuse could hang with USC. Nope.

There was a bit of a weather issue in the New York area Saturday (hell…in the Baltimore area too). You might have noticed it if you were watching the U.S. Open semifinal between Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych…

6. Jay Cutler is REALLY happy to have Brandon Marshall, but Matthew Stafford still has Calvin Johnson folks.

You know how good Calvin Johnson is? He had over 100 yards receiving Sunday and NO ONE noticed. No one except Matthew Stafford of course, who needed somewhere to throw the ball to help move past his THREE interceptions…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLSpaBwVE4M

What you missed in that highlight package? Cortland Finnegan chucked an ear pad from Megatron’s helmet to the Rams’ sideline. Dirty? Clever? Rhubarb?

Here’s a picture that shows the Lions cost Floyd Mayweather $100,000 during the first half of the game…

Meanwhile…in the Windy City…the Brandon Marshall experiment is working thus far. Who would have ever thought a tall receiver would be something a NFL team would actually want?

And if I were to ask you, “who is the longest tenured player in Chicago Bears history?”, what would your answer be?

Would your answer have been this?

That’s LS Patrick Mannelly, who began his 15th season with the Bears today.

Don’t worry. No one else has heard of him either.

7. Randy Moss was a difference maker at Lambeau Field. This is not a repeat of a 15-7-0 from 2003.

Quite the day in Green Bay for the Niners Sunday, especially K David Akers…

Well…I guess it was quite the day for everyone involved in the game that DIDN’T try to dunk the ball over the crossbar. I’m looking at you, Vernon Davis…

Here’s Jim Harbaugh’s reaction…

The Packers, Saints and Giants all lost at home on Week 1. Apparently “parity” isn’t just a well known Civil War battleship.

Postgame Notes

Maryland 36, Temple 27

Kicking Off: Maryland held on to beat Temple 36-27 to improve to 2-0 on the season … quarterback Perry Hills went 11 of 21 for 190 yards, two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown … running back Justus Pickett ran for 69 yards and a touchdown, and Stefon Diggs had 135 all-purpose yards on nine touches … the defense forced two early turnovers and was once again tough against the run, holding Temple to 52 yards on 39 carries.

Forced Turnovers Set Tone: Maryland’s defense set the tone right away by forcing a fumble on Temple’s first offensive play of the game. Joe Vellano forced the fumble by running back Matt Brown, and Demetrius Hartsfield recovered it. Then, on Temple’s second drive, Cole Farrand forced a fumble on third down that A.J. Francis recovered.

Defense Locks Down: The Terps held Temple to just 34 total yards and two first downs in the first half. Temple had just 28 rushing yards on 22 carries (1.3 ypc) and six passing yards as Maryland won the time of possession battle 16:21 to 13:39. The second half was more of the same as the Owls had just 24 rushing yards on 17 carries. For the game, Temple had just 52 rushing yards on 39 carries (1.3 ypc).

Leak Steps Up: Sophomore receiver Marcus Leak had three receptions for 90 yards, and two of them were big plays. Leak had a 32-yard TD reception to give Maryland a 17-3 lead in the second quarter; he also had a big momentum play in the third quarter. On a third-and-17, Leak caught a jump ball from Hills for a 39-yard reception, and Maryland went on to kick a field goal on the drive. The catch came right after Temple scored a TD as a result of a Maryland turnover right after halftime.

Showing Improvement on Offense: Maryland showed improvement on offense in week two of the season. The Terps’ 12 first downs in the first half nearly matched their total of 13 in game one against William & Mary. Maryland finished with 334 yards of total offense and 19 first downs.

Diggs’ Drive: Maryland’s first touchdown drive came in large part due to the efforts of Stefon Diggs. The freshman set up the drive with a 27-yard punt return that gave Maryland the ball at the their own 43. He then had a 12-yard rush and a 12-yard reception before Perry Hills hit Matt Furstenburg in the end zone on a beautiful pass for a 22-yard touchdown.

More Diggs: Despite a fumble on a punt in the fourth quarter, Diggs had a solid all-around game. He had nine touches for 135 yards, an average of 15 yards per touch (3 receptions for 59 yards, 2 rushes for 17 yards, 3 punt returns for 34 yards, 1 kickoff return for 25 yards). Diggs also had a 38-yard catch on third down with under 4:00 left in the game that setup a touchdown and helped preserve the win.

Safety: Maryland got its first safety in exactly five years when Temple’s center snapped it over the head of QB Chris Coyer and into the end zone in the second quarter. The Terps’ last safety came against FIU on Sept. 8, 2007.

Turnovers: The Terps were able to hold on to win despite losing the turnover battle for the second straight week. Maryland had four fumbles lost, while Temple lost two fumbles and threw an interception.

Tidbits: Brad Craddock’s 45-yard field goal in the first quarter was the first of his career … Perry Hills’ 22-yard TD pass to Matt Furstenburg early in the second quarter was the first of his career … Maryland’s 23 points in second quarter its most in one quarter since they had 28 on 10/30/10 vs. Wake Forest … when Temple QB Chris Coyer hit C.J. Hammond for a 62-yard touchdown in the third quarter, it represented the first points Maryland’s defense allowed this season that didn’t come off turnovers … with 73 all-purpose yards Justus Pickett surpassed 1,000 career all-purpose yards … the Terps finished with three sacks and seven tackles for loss … Cole Farrand had a game-high six tackles … A.J. Francis had a blocked field goal, sack and fumble recovery.

COLLEGE PARK, MD. - The University of Maryland football team takes to the road for the first time of the 2012 season when it faces Temple at Lincoln Financial Field Saturday at noon. The Terrapins will look to build upon a 7-6 season-opening win over William & Mary in which 14 players made their Maryland debut, including 12 true freshmen. The defense kept the team in the game, allowing Justus Pickett to run for the game-winning score in the fourth quarter.

First-and-10

• A dominant defensive effort by the Terps enabled the win in week one. Linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield made 13 tackles and helped seal the game with a fumble recovery late in the fourth quarter. Defensive lineman Joe Vellano had 11 stops – two of them for loss – and an interception. In all, the defense recorded 10 tackles for loss, four sacks and held William & Mary to just 2.5 yards per carry (41 attempts, 104 yards). Hartsfield, the ACC’s active career leader in tackles, and Vellano, a 2011 second team All-American, highlight the 10 starters returning to the Maryland defense this season.

• The offense was set to return five starters, including three of its top four receivers from last season in wideouts Kevin Dorsey and Kerry Boykins, and tight end Matt Furstenburg. Junior C.J. Brown, who started five games in 2011 and set the Maryland single-season rushing yards record by a quarterback, was set to assume No. 1 quarterback duties before suffering a torn ACL in a non-contact drill on Aug. 14. Injuries hit both sides of the ball hard during the preseason, as 10 potential starters missed the William & Mary game with various injuries and ailments (see note page 2)..

• Still, Maryland hopes a number of key returnees, combined with a highly touted 2012 recruiting class, will help it reach postseason play for the ninth time in the last 12 years. In addition to Vellano and Hartsfield several playmakers are back on defense. In the secondary, Eric Franklin and Dexter McDougle have plenty of experience, having both started every game last year. Franklin, a senior who has played in 28 career games, led the team in solo tackles (64), ranked second in total tackles (106) and tied for second on the team with four pass breakups. McDougle, meanwhile, led the team with six pass breakups and tied for the team lead with three interceptions. The Terps also welcome back linebackers Darin Drakeford and Alex Twineand defensive lineman A.J. Francis, all of whom have starting experience. Drakeford is a disruptive force, tying for the league lead last season with four forced fumbles. As a true freshman last year, Twine ended the season as the starter at Will linebacker and averaged 9.8 tackles in his four starts. Francis has played in each of the last 38 games and has 24 career starts.

• Quarterback Perry Hills, who against William & Mary became Maryland’s first true freshman starter since Latrez Harrison in 1999, will direct the offense. Hills overcame a slow start against the Tribe by leading the Terps on a 10-play, 69-yard TD drive in the fourth quarter that proved to be the game winner. Maryland has a young, talented group of skill players around Hills. Pickett, a sophomore, is the veteran in the backfield and is joined by three freshmen in Brandon Ross, Albert Reid and Wes Brown. At receiver, sophomore Marcus Leak and freshman Stefon Diggs each had three receptions in the season opener.

• Diggs is also the kickoff and punt returner, and averaged 16.6 yards on three punt returns against William & Mary. Nathan Renfro secured the punting duties and performed well, averaging 53.0 yards on four punts with a long of 60. His best punt came late in the fourth quarter with Maryland holding on to a one-point lead. Renfro had his 57-yard punt downed at the 2-yard line with 2:17 remaining to help seal the win. With senior Nick Ferrara out of the season opener, freshman Brad Craddock handled the kickoff and place-kicking duties.

Quick Hitters

• Seven players made their first career starts on Saturday against William & Mary: quarterback Perry Hills, running back Albert Reid, safety Sean Davis, defensive back Jeremiah Johnson, linebacker Cole Farrand, nose tackle Darius Kilgo and offensive lineman Nick Klemm.

• In addition to the seven first-time starters, 14 players saw their first action against William & Mary. And of the 44 players that saw time against the Tribe, 25 of them were underclassmen.

• Maryland has 14 true freshmen listed on its two-deep (excluding return men), which is the third most in the FBS (Colorado – 16, Texas – 15).

• Maryland allowed William & Mary to gain just 229 yards of total offense. That’s its best total defensive performance since surrendering 115 to Wake Forest on Oct. 30, 2010.

• The Terps held William & Mary to 2.5 yards per carry. Additionally, 28 of the Tribe’s 41 rushes were for three yards or less, including 15 of 19 in the first half.

• Demetrius Hartsfield recorded a double-digit tackle game against William & Mary by finishing with 13. Hartsfield had seven double-digit efforts in nine games last season. Hartsfield also had a fumble recovery with 1:11 left that sealed the win.

• Head coach Randy Edsall handed out game balls for the win over William & Mary. Marcus Leak got the game ball for offense, Joe Vellano for defense and Nathan Renfro for special teams. Renfro also received honorable mention punter of the week from CollegeFootballPerformance.com.

• Maryland was hit hard by injuries in the preseason. Thirteen players missed the season opener due to various injuries and ailments: defensive linemen Keith Bowers, Isaiah Ross and Andre Monroe; defensive backs Isaac Goins, A.J. Hendy and Matt Robinson; linebackers Kenneth Tate and Abner Logan; quarterbacks C.J. Brown and Dustin Dailey, running back Brandon Ross; offensive lineman Josh Cary; and place-kicker Nick Ferrara. Both Monroe and Brown are out for the season.

• Perry Hills became the first true freshman starter at quarterback for Maryland since Latrez Harrison in 1999. He also became the first freshman to start a season opener since redshirt freshman Calvin McCall on Sept. 2, 1999, in a 6-0 win over Temple.

Maryland-Temple Series History

• Maryland leads the all-time series with Temple, 6-1. The series dates back to 1997; the schools played four years in a row from 1997-2000. Temple’s only win in the series came last year, when it beat the Terps 38-7 in College Park. Maryland is 3-0 when playing at Temple.
• The last meeting in Philadelphia was Oct. 8, 2005. Mario Merrills ran for three touchdowns and Sam Hollenbach passed for 228 yards in a 38-7 victory.

Honorable Mention: Auto Racing-NASCAR Federated Auto Parts 400 (Saturday 7pm from Richmond live on ABC); Boxing: Andre Ward vs. Chad Dawson (Saturday 9:45pm from Oakland live on HBO); High School Football: Catonsville @ Perry Hall (Friday 7pm), Patriot Football Classic: DeMatha vs. Calvert Hall (Friday 7:30pm Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium), St. Peter’s Prep vs. McDonogh (Saturday 10:30am Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium), Landon vs. Annapolis Area Christian School (Saturday 1:30pm Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium), Don Bosco vs. Gilman (Saturday 7:30pm Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium)

10. Jason Aldean/Luke Bryan (Saturday 7:30pm Jiffy Lube Live), RUSH (Sunday 7:30pm Jiffy Lube Live); Ben Harper (Tuesday 7:30pm Wolf Trap); Theory Of A Deadman/Pop Evil (Wednesday 6pm Power Plant Live), Third Eye Blind (Thursday 8pm Power Plant Live); Joe Nichols (Friday 7pm Recher Theatre); Bob Mould (Saturday 7pm 9:30 Club), The Jesus And Mary Chain (Sunday 7pm 9:30 Club), Owl City (Monday 6pm 9:30 Club); Boyz II Men (Thursday & Friday 8pm Howard Theatre); Sister Hazel (Thursday 8pm Rams Head Center Stage); Oak Ridge Boys (Friday 7:30pm Maryland Theraputic Riding Farm); Imagine Dragons “Night Visions” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

I’m an unabashed Third Eye Blind fan. This tune rules. See you Saturday.

I couldn’t tell you if I enjoyed Joe Nichols. I can tell you that I enjoy sleepy little smiles…

Were you listening to “Web Junk” the other day when I played the clip of Boyz II Men singing “End of the Road” with Charles Barkley? Did you hear me singing along? You can assume I am again as you listen this time…

Sister Hazel is playing Arundel Mills on my birthday. Don’t ask. Just invite.

9. Guy Torry (Thursday-Saturday Baltimore Comedy Factory); Gabriel Iglesias (Friday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Laugh Til It Hurts feat. Anthony Anderson/Bill Bellamy (Saturday 7pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Tommy Davidson (Thursday-Saturday DC Improv); Maryland Renaissance Festival (Saturday & Sunday Revel Grove); Ukrainian Festival (Saturday & Sunday Patterson Park)

I once stumbled into the Ukrainian Festival after a Ravens game once a few years back. I couldn’t have had more fun. There was dancing, sausage and potato pancakes. It was a lot like my 13th birthday party…except we did all of those things at the old Funjungle in Perry Hall.

And since there’s at least half a chance I’ll forget to say something about these guys during the course of RennFest, I should probably do it now. These guys are Hack and Slash. They’re humorous fellas…

TOWSON ANNOUNCES 2012-13 NON-CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
The Tigers Will Face Four Teams That Qualified for the 2012 NCAA Tournament During Their Non-Conference Slate

TOWSON, Md. – The Towson men’s basketball team will play 13 games, including four contests against teams that qualified for the 2012 NCAA Tournament, during the non-conference portion of its 2012-13 schedule, Tiger head coach Pat Skerry announced today.

The Tigers, who played the most difficult non-conference schedule in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) last year, will face off against teams from 12 different conferences during this year’s slate of non-league games. The BIG EAST, Pac-12 and Atlantic-10 are just three of the conferences with members on the Tigers’ non-conference schedule this season.

“Our non-conference schedule will once again challenge us from beginning to end,” said Skerry. “We face a number of really good teams from a number of quality conferences. I think the caliber of teams we’ll go up against will prepare our guys for the rigors of CAA play.”

The Tigers will host a pair of exhibition games at the Towson Center, taking on Bloomsburg University on November 1 and Goldey-Beacom on Nov. 12. Sandwiched in between the exhibitions will be the Tigers’ regular season opener at the College of Charleston on Nov. 9. The Cougars won 19 games last season and are usually among the front-runners in the Southern Conference.

After the exhibition finale, Towson will take part in the Eastern Kentucky Tournament in Richmond, Ky. The Tigers will be challenged with four games in four days, taking on Radford (Nov. 16), Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 17), Kennesaw State (Nov. 18) and Cincinnati Christian (Nov. 19).

Towson will then renew a pair of local rivalries, traveling to reigning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Champion and NCAA Tournament qualifier Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 26 and battling UMBC at the Retriever Activities Center Arena on Dec. 1. The Tigers will be meeting the Greyhounds for the 71^st time and the Retrievers for the 54^th time.

After that Towson faces a tough stretch of three consecutive road games against teams that qualified for the 2012 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers will be at Vermont on Dec. 5, Georgetown on Dec. 8 and Temple on Dec. 12.

The regular season home opener is slated for Dec. 15 when North Dakota State comes to the Towson Center Arena for a 7 p.m. tip. The Tigers will then be part of a doubleheader with the Towson women’s basketball team on Dec. 19. The women’s team will compete against Bucknell at 5 p.m. with the men’s squad slated to play Coppin State at 7:30 p.m.

The Tigers will conclude their non-conference slate of games on Dec. 29 when they travel across the country to take on Oregon State out of the Pac-12 Conference. The Tigers and Beavers met this past season in the Towson Center Arena with President Barack Obama on hand to watch. Oregon State’s head coach, Craig Robinson, is Obama’s brother-in-law.

Stay tuned to TowsonTigers.com for the remainder of the 2012-13 men’s basketball schedule once the CAA slate of games are announced.

Towson University 2012-13 Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

Date                       Opponent                                              Time
November 1          Bloomsburg (exhibition)                    TBD
November 9         at College of Charleston                   7:00 p.m.
November 12        Goldey-Beacom                                   TBD
November 16        vs. Radford*                                         TBD
November 17        at Eastern Kentucky*                        TBD
November 18        vs. Kennesaw State*                         TBD
November 19        vs. Cincinnati Christian*                    TBD
November 26       at Loyola (Md.)                                     TBD
December 1          at UMBC                                                 TBD
December 5         at Vermont                                          TBD
December 8         at Georgetown                                    TBD
December 12        at Temple                                             TBD
December 15        North Dakota State                            7:00 p.m.
December 19        Coppin State                                        7:30 p.m.
December 29       at Oregon State                                  TBD

*Games part of Eastern Kentucky Tournament in Richmond, Ky.

Maryland-Temple Game Time Announced

Terps’ first road game of 2012 will start at noon and be shown on ESPNU

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Maryland’s first road game of the 2012 season, a matchup against Temple on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, will kick off at noon EDT and be shown nationally on ESPNU.

ESPN and the Big East Conference office announced a select group of game times and television outlets Thursday afternoon.

Maryland opens the season at home vs. William & Mary on Saturday, Sept. 1. That game will begin at 3 p.m. from Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium and be video streamed on ESPN3.

The Terps’ second home nonconference contest, a tilt vs. UConn on Saturday, Sept. 15, will begin at 12:30 p.m. and be televised regionally on the ACC Network.

Kick times for remaining games will be announced at a later date.

Atlantic Coast Conference game times are generally declared 12 days prior to the contest. The start times for Maryland’s other nonconference road game (at West Virginia, Sept. 22) will be announced by the Big 12 office.

A variety of season-ticket options are available starting as low as $114. There are also family 4-packs available for $420 and season-ticket holders have the ability to spread their cost over six monthly installments.

To view Maryland’s schedule, go to:

http://www.umterps.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/md-m-footbl-sched.html 

Terp Notes:

Edsall to Play in Two Charity Golf Events: Head coach Randy Edsall will participate in a pair of charity golf tournaments this month. He is scheduled to play in Monday’s 25th Annual Safeway Foundation Celebrity Pro-Am in Ellicott City, Md., which benefits Easter Seals in the Washington-Baltimore region. Edsall will also take part in the 16th Annual National Capital Golf Classic on Monday, June 18 at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Va. That event will benefit the American Cancer Society.