RICHMOND, Va. – The Towson University football team went toe-to-toe with No. 6 Richmond, but in the end it was the Spiders who escaped with a 31-28 victory over the Tigers Saturday afternoon at Robins Stadium.
 
How It Happened

• The Spiders got on the board first with a touchdown pass at the midway point of the first quarter.
• The Tigers took advantage of a good kickoff return and a penalty to score the touchdown.  Darius Victor capped the 43-yard drive with a 16 yard run.
• After a Justice Pettus-Dixon interception return set the Tigers up in the redzone, Victor followed a seven-yard run with a three-yard touchdown run over right tackle.
• The Tigers gained the lead again late in the first half as they drove 76 yards on seven plays, culminating with Victor's third rushing touchdown of the half.  This scoring run came from eight yards out.
• The Spiders had a quick answer right before the half as they needed only 1:23 to the game with 16 seconds left in the first half.
• The second half started fast for Towson as Shane Simpson broke several tackles on a 46-yard run on the first play of the half.
• Freshman Deshaun Wethington followed with a 25-yard run before Victor found paydirt with a two-yard TD run.
• The Spiders would add a field goal in the third quarter, then score what turned out to be the eventual game-winning touchdown with 10:20 left to play.
• The Tigers put together a drive into Richmond territory, but back-to-back-penalties on fourth-and-inches forced the Tigers to punt.
• The defense would hold UR and give the ball back to the offense for one final drive.
• Quarterback Ellis Knudson hit Andre Dessenberg for 26 yards on the first play to take the Tigers near midfield.
• Three-straight running plays left the Tigers facing a 4^th-and-2.  Knudson's pass to the outside was batted away at the last second to turn the ball back over to the Spiders.

 
Inside the Numbers

• Darius Victor carried 19 times for 99 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. 
• Victor's four rushing touchdowns marked the second-straight visit to Richmond a Tiger running back rushed for four touchdowns.
• Shane Simpson rushed for a career-best 106 yards on 12 carries.  It was the first 100-yard rushing performance of his career.
• Cornerback Justice Pettus-Dixon registered his second interception of the season.
• Monty Fenner and Chris Tedder led the defense with nine tackles and a pass break-up each.
• Bryton Barr and Robert Heyward each had two tackles-for-loss.

 
Up Next
The Tigers return to the friendly confines of Johnny Unitas® Stadium as they play host to Stony Brook on Oct. 8.  Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet.  The game will be the Tigers Breast Cancer Awareness game.