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POSTGAME COMMENTS (VIDEO)TOWSON, Md. -- Despite getting a pair of rushing touchdowns from junior quarterback
Connor Frazier, including a career-long 49-yard scamper, the Towson University football team fell 31-27 to Central Connecticut in both team's season opener on Saturday evening at Johnny Unitas® Stadium.
With the Tigers down 24-21 and 10:54 left in the game, senior
Derrick Joseph brought a kickoff back 30 yards to the Towson 33. A pair of
Darius Victor rushes and a quarterback keeper got the Tigers near midfield. Frazier took it from there, finding a seam and breaking open a 49-yard TD run that put Towson in front, 27-24. The teams then traded drives that ended in punts.
The Blue Devils got the ball back with 4:52 remaining and drove to the Tiger 30-yardline before senior defensive end
Ryan Delaire sacked CCSU's Nick SanGiacomo to set up a fourth-and-13. However, SanGiacomo completed a 34-yard pass to Joey Fields, and Rob Hollomon ran in for the go-ahead score two plays later.
Trailing 31-27, Frazier nearly engineered a comeback drive with just 31 seconds remaining. The Tigers drove the ball to the CCSU 29-yard line, but Frazier's pass to sophomore wide receiver
Andre Dessenberg was called incomplete as the clock expired. Dessenberg snagged the ball between a pair of Blue Devil defenders, but was barely unable to keep his foot in bounds.
Frazier rushed for 80 yards and a pair of TD's, but was just 14-for-26 passing for 125 yards. Victor tied his career-high, set in the 2013 FCS playoffs against Fordham, with 105 rushing yards on 19 carries. Victor rushed for a seven-yard touchdown with 4:20 remaining in the third quarter that put the Tigers ahead, 14-13. It was the sophomore's eighth career touchdown.
Joseph had a team-high five receptions, while classmate
Spencer Wilkins led the squad in receiving yards with 31 on three catches. Sophomore tight end
Tanner Vallely had two catches for 30 yards with a touchdown that tied the game at 21-21 late in the third quarter.
Senior
Ryan Delaire had Towson's only sack of the night, while redshirt freshman
James Simms led the Tigers with 14 tackles and senior
Drew Cheripko recovered a CCSU fumble.
Towson will put its 11-game road winning streak on the line next Saturday at West Virginia. The Mountaineers lost to Alabama today, 33-23. Next Saturday's game can be heard live on CBS Sports Radio 1300 and it will be broadcast on ROOT Sports. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
-TowsonTigers.com-
