The Game: #23/24 Towson (3-1, 1-0 CAA) vs. Stony Brook (4-1, 2-0 CAA)
When: Sat., Oct. 6, 4 p.m. kickoff
Where: Johnny Unitas® Stadium – Towson, Md.
Online Broadcast: CBS Interactive
----Broadcasters: Jeff McCarragher (PxP), Brandon Noble (Analyst)
Radio: CBS Sports Radio 1300
----Broadcasters: Spiro Morekas (PxP), Gordy Combs (Analyst)
Series: Stony Brook leads 3-2
 
TOWSON, Md. – A top-25 showdown is set at Johnny Unitas® Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 6th at 4 p.m. as No. 23/24 Towson University football team hosts No. 13/13 Stony Brook in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) home opener for the Tigers.
 
Tickets are available now by calling 1-855-TU-TIGER or email 4tigertix@towson.edu.  Towson faculty and staff may get a ticket free with a Towson ID, and can purchase additional tickets through the box office.
 
This is the first time since 2013 that two ranked teams will battle at Unitas Stadium, when #5 Towson met #10 Fordham in the FCS Playoffs on December 8th.  Towson won that game 48-28.
 
The game will be broadcast online on CBS Interactive.  Jeff McCarragher and Brandon Noble will have the call from Towson.  Spiro Morekas, the Voice of the Tigers, will be on the call live from Towson, joined by Gordy Combs on CBS Sports Radio 1300.
 
Towson rose up two spots in the polls after defeating the The Citadel 44-27 on Saturday to improve to 3-1 overall, also being 1-0 in the CAA.  Stony Brook has won four consecutive games, including a comeback victory over then top-15 Villanova 29-27 at home this weekend to enter at 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the league.
 
Towson and Stony Brook have played each other every year since the Seawolves joined the CAA for football in 2013.  Stony Brook has won the last two meetings, including 25-17 on Long Island on Sept. 23 last year, to lead the all-time series 3-2.  Towson last defeated Stony Brook in 2015, a 21-14 win on the road.
 
Towson Ranked Top-25 in Both Polls
Having won its last two games, including a win over then top-10 Villanova, Towson now stands ranked in each major poll.  The Tigers are at #23 in the STATS FCS Poll and #24 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
 
It is the first time that Towson is nationally ranked in the coaches poll since 2014.  Towson had been ranked at some point in each season from 2011 through 2014, including as high as #2 in the 2013 season.
 
The CAA currently has seven of its 12 teams ranked, tying a league record plus is the most among all FCS conferences.  James Madison (#2 in STATS, #2 in Coaches), Elon (#10, #9), Stony Brook (#13, #13), Rhode Island (#18, #17), Villanova (#19, #19) and Maine (#25, #25) are also in the rankings.  Delaware is also receiving votes.
 
Towson Football Celebrating 50th Year
The Towson University football program is celebrating its 50th year this season.
 
Since its establishment in 1969, Towson has two national runner-up finishes (1976, 2013), two CAA titles (2011, 2012), an undefeated season in 1974 and 11 seasons, across Division III, II and I-AA (FCS), finishing in the top-26 nationally.
 
The celebration started with a meeting of all four Towson head coaches on June 20th: Carl Runk (1969-71), Phil Albert (1972-91), Gordy Combs (1992-2008) and Rob Ambrose (2009-present).
 
Flacco Earns FCS National Offensive Player of the Week Honor
With a staggering 438 yards of total offense vs. The Citadel, Tom Flacco was selected as the STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Week.
 
Flacco finished the game with 253 passing yards and 185 rushing yards in the game.   His 438 yards of total offense was greater than The Citadel, which had 404 yards of total offense.
 
He also was an Honorable Mention CFPA National Performer of the Week.
 
Towson All-Time vs. Stony Brook
Towson and Stony Brook have played each other every year since the Seawolves joined the CAA for football in the 2013 season.
 
Stony Brook has a 3-2 lead in the all-time series, winning the last two matchups.  Towson is looking for its first home victory in the series.
 
This game has two of the four longest tenured head coaches in the CAA.  Rob Ambrose is in his 10th year at Towson, while Chuck Priore is in year #13 at the helm of Stony Brook.
 
Date          Location             Result
9/28/13___ Stony Brook, N.Y. W 35-21
10/4/14___ Towson, Md.___ L, 3-14
10/17/15__ Stony Brook, N.Y. W, 21-14
10/8/16___ Towson, Md.__ L, 20-27
9/23/17            Stony Brook, N.Y.       L, 17-25
 
Last Time vs. SBU (SBU 25, Towson 17)
(9/23/17 - Stony Brook, N.Y.)
Despite a first quarter lead and coming to within two in the 3rd quarter, Towson fell at Stony Brook 25-17 in the CAA opener for the Tigers.
Passing
Ryan Stover (TU): 15-30, 162 yards
Joe Carbone (SBU): 22-30, 242 yards, 2 TD
Rushing
Ryan Stover (TU): 11 rush, 42 yards
Donald Liotine (SBU): 13 rush, 67 yards
Receiving
Rodney Dorsey (TU): 2 catches, 77 yards
Ray Bolden (SBU): 8 catches, 125 yards, 1 TD
Defense
Robert Heyward (TU): 10 tackles, 1.5 TFL
Clifton Jones (TU): 5 tackles, 1 sack
Tyrice Beverette (SBU): 8 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 2 BrUp
Shayne Lawless (SBU): 6 tackles, 1 FF
 
Last Time Out (Towson 44, The Citadel 27)
(9/29/18 - Towson, Md.)
Towson earned 608 yards of total offense en route to a 44-27 non-conference victory in the home opener over The Citadel in front of 7,323 fans.
Passing
Tom Flacco (TU): 15-22, 253 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Jordan Black (CIT): 3-16, 63 yards, 1 INT
Rushing
Tom Flacco (TU): 15 rush, 185 yards, 2 TD
Lorenzo Ward (CIT): 35 rush, 180 yards, 1 TD
Receiving
Shane Leatherbury (TU): 5 catches, 77 yards
Lorenzo Ward/Raleigh Webb (CIT): 1 catch, 24 yards
Defense
Diondre Wallace (TU): 13 tackles
Monty Fenner (TU): 8 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TFL
Noah Dawkins (CIT): 7 tackles, 1.5 TFL
Aron Spann III (CIT): 4 tackles, 1 INT
 
Towson Picked 10th in CAA Preseason Poll
Towson was voted 10th in the CAA preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches and media relations directors.  Towson went 5-6 last season and finished tied for seventh in the CAA at 3-5.
CAA Preseason Poll (first place votes, points)
1. James Madison (21), 241
2. New Hampshire (2), 206
3. Delaware, 182
4. Stony Brook, 169
5. Elon (1), 168
6. Villanova, 164
7. Richmond, 127
8. Maine, 81
9. UAlbany, 78
10. Towson, 74
11. William & Mary, 55
12. Rhode Island, 39
 
Top Passing QB in the CAA........
Tom Flacco has already turned heads this season, standing as the #1 QB in the CAA in passing yards a game with 290.8 and total offense with 363 yards a contest.  He is currently throwing 68.8% from the air.
 
Flacco's 290.8 passing yards a game stands 11th in all of FCS football, while his 23.75 completions a contest is also 11th.
 
His 438 total offensive yards in the game vs. The Citadel is currently the highest single game total by a CAA player this season.  In that game, he had 253 passing yards and 185 yards on the ground.
 
....and Getting His Name in Towson Records
Tom Flacco completed 35 (out of 51) passes against Wake Forest on September 8th, tying for seventh all-time in Towson history in a single game.
 
Flacco was the first Tiger to earn over 30 completions in a game since Sean Schaefer in 2008.
 
Streaking Shane
Shane Leatherbury stands in the top-6 in the CAA in numerous categories, inclduing being tied for third with 92.8 receiving yards a game and tied for fifth with 5.75 receptions a contest.
 
Tigers in the NFL
With the National Football League starting on Sept. 9th, two Tigers made active rosters.  Jordan Dangerfield '13 made the Pittsburgh Steelers roster while Jermon Bushrod '07 continues his career with the New Orleans Saints.
 
Tye Smith '15 is with the Tennessee Titans, but was injured and is not on the active roster.  In October, Ryan Delaire, who was with the Indianapolis Colts in the preseason, joined the Arizona Cardinals practice squad.
 
Two other Tigers, Darius Victor '17 and Terrance West '14, were with the Colts and Saints respectively in the preseason.
 
In addition, Frank Beltre '13 competed with the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League in 2018.
 
Towson University Finishes 2nd in Helper Helper Community Service
As a university, Towson finished second nationally in the 2018 NCAA Team Works Helper Helper Community Service Competition from January to April 2018.
 
With football in the mix, Towson student-athletes participated in 44 events during the competitions, logging 6,427 hours of community service.
 
O'Neill Sets School Career FG Record
Junior Aidan O'Neill set a new school all-time record for career field goals made on September 1st.  In his career, O'Neill has connected on 39 field goals, including four on September 1st vs. Morgan State to set the new record.
 
His surpassed the mark set by Ed Kulic (1998-2001) and Randy Bielski (1976-79) for the previous all-time record of 32.  O'Neill also holds the single-season record with 18 made field goals in 2016.
 
Wallace Approaching Towson Top-10 in Tackles
Senior Diondre Wallace has 236 career tackles, including 134 unassisted, earning at least 45 tackles each of his first three seasons.
 
27 more tackles would place Wallace in the top-10 all time in Towson history.  Randy Bielski had 263 tackles from 1976-79.
 
The all-time leader in tackles in Towson history is Jeff Boller, who had 382 from 1979-82.
 
Fenner Rising Up the INT Ranks
Including one interception this year, redshirt senior Monty Fenner has six picks in his collegiate career.  He is two away from tying for 10th all-time in Towson history.
 
Towson's all-time leader in interceptions is Gary Rubeling, with 25 from 1980-83.
 
Eight Graduates Suiting Up for Towson
In the true form of student-athlete, eight Towson players take the field as college graduates.  Six of them are Towson graduates and two are graduate transfers.
 
Sam Gallahan, Joseph Green, Zain Harps Upshur, Matt Kauffman, Grant Udinski and Troy Vincent Jr. all graduated from Towson this past year and continue to play for the Tigers.
 
Ricky DeBerry earned his degree from the University of Oklahoma while Tom Flacco graduated from Rutgers University.
 
All eight players were honored, along with all other graduates continuing to play college football, in a press release by the National Football Foundation.
 
Scouting Stony Brook
Stony Brook, predicted to finish fourth in the CAA in the preseason coaches poll, earned a trip to the FCS Playoffs last year, reaching the second round.
 
Chuck Priore is the third-longest tenured coach in the CAA in his 13th season.  Including his time at Trinity, he has amassed 120 victories as a head coach.
 
Stony Brook has statistically the top rushing offense in the CAA, averaging 222 yards on the ground a game.  Senior running back Jordan Gowins is averaging 7.3 yards a carry, averaging a league-best 114.4 yards a game for a total of 572 yards, adding four touchdowns.  Classmate Donald Liotine earns 5.9 yards a carry, totaling 455 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Another senior is at the helm of the Stony Brook offense.  Quarterback Joe Carbone has 745 yards in the air, throwing 48.3% with seven touchdowns and one interception.  Two more seniors are the primary targets at receiver: Donavin Washington has 16 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown while Julius Wingate has tallied 11 receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns.
 
The Seawolves defense is fourth in the CAA in scoring defense, allowing 20.4 points per game.  At linebacker, senior Shayne Lawless has 47 tackles, including 7.5 for loss, including two sacks.  The leader in sacks with three is senior defensive lineman John Haggart, having 27 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles.  In the secondary with 27 tackles is sophomore Andre Contressa, adding three passes broken up.
 
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