The Game: #15/16 Towson (7-3, 5-2 CAA) vs. #7/8 James Madison (7-3, 5-2 CAA)
When: Sat., Nov. 17, 2 p.m. kickoff
Where: Johnny Unitas® Stadium – Towson, Md.
Online Broadcast: CBS Sports Live/CBS Digital
----Broadcasters: Scott Sudikoff (PxP), Brandon Noble (Analyst)
Radio: CBS Sports Radio 1300
----Broadcasters: Spiro Morekas (PxP), Gordy Combs (Analyst)
Series: JMU leads 19-6-1
 
TOWSON, Md. –  The No. 15/16 Towson University football team will close out the regular season with a battle for the ages on Military Appreciation Day, hosting No. 7/8 James Madison at Johnny Unitas® Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.
 
This game is Military Appreciation Day, with a salute to our nation's armed forces, and Senior Day, the final regular season contest for the Towson seniors.
 
Tickets are available now by calling 1-855-TU-TIGER or email 4tigertix@towson.edu.  Right now, Towson has a special deal going for being ranked No. 15 in the country, a $15 ticket.  Check with the ticket office for more information.
 
The game will be broadcast online on CBS Sports Live/CBS Digital with Scott Sudikoff and Brandon Noble on the call.
 
Spiro Morekas, the Voice of the Tigers, will be on the call live from Unitas Stadium, joined by Gordy Combs on CBS Sports Radio 1300.
 
If Maine, which plays vs. Elon on Saturday, loses, then the winner of this contest earns a share of the CAA title.
 
Both teams stand tied for second place in the CAA at 5-2 and 7-3 overall.  Towson got back in the win column on Saturday with a dominant 41-10 victory at #7/5 Elon and comes in ranked #15 in the STATS FCS Poll and #16 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.  JMU also had a victory last weekend, a 48-31 home win over Rhode Island, to be #7 in the STATS Poll and #8 in the coaches poll.
 
These two teams meet for the first time since Oct. 10, 2015, a 51-30 victory for JMU in Towson.  All-time, JMU leads the series 19-6-1, with Towson last winning in 2013.
 
Towson Notches Top-10 Victory at Villanova...
With Towson's 45-35 win over #10 Villanova on September 15th, the Tigers earned their first victory over a top-10 opponent since December 21, 2013, when the team defeated #3 Eastern Washington on the road in the FCS Playoffs.
 
Down 14-0 after 5:01 of play, Towson rallied for 35 straight points against Villanova and held the lead the rest of the way.
 
...Then Defeats #13 Stony Brook at Home...
Three weeks after the victory over Villanova, Towson battled #13 Stony Brook at home, taking down the Seawolves 52-28 on October 6th for the second top-15 victory of the season.
 
Towson scored three unanswered touchdowns in the opening 10 minutes and did not relinquish the lead, having as much as a 31-point advantage in the 4th quarter.
 
This was the first matchup of ranked teams at Unitas Stadium since then #4 Towson's victory over #10 Fordham in the FCS Playoffs in 2013.
 
..Later Crushing #7/5 Elon 41-10 on the Road
Needing a win in a big way, Towson delivered with its most dominant performance of the season with a 41-10 win at #7/5 Elon, the highest margin of victory on the year.
 
With the score 7-3 Towson midway through the second quarter, the Tigers outscored the Phoenix 34-7 the rest of the way, including 17 points in the fourth quarter.
 
This victory is Towson's first win over a top-5 program since the Tigers took down then-#3 Eastern Washington 35-31 in the 2013 NCAA FCS Semifinal Playoff Round.
 
Towson Ranked Top-16 in Both Polls
Standing at 7-3 overall, including wins over then top-15 Villanova, Stony Brook and Elon, Towson stands in the top-16 in each major poll.  The Tigers are at #15 in the STATS FCS Poll and #16 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
 
Towson has been ranked each of the past eight weeks.  Towson had been ranked at some point each season from 2011-2014 and has been in the top-20 the last six weeks.
 
The CAA currently has six of its 12 teams ranked, the highest among all FCS conferences.  James Madison (#7 in STATS, #8 in Coaches), Stony Brook (#10, #10), Elon (#14, #12), Maine (#16, #19) and Delaware (#17, #18) are also in the rankings.  Rhode Island is receiving votes.  Villanova and New Hampshire were ranked in previous weeks.
 
Flacco Named to Walter Payton Watch List
Tom Flacco has been added to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List.
 
The Walter Payton Award is given annually, since 1987, to the top offensive player in FCS football.  Flacco was placed on this list by the first round of additions.
 
The last Tiger to be nominated for the Walter Payton Award was Terrence West in 2013.  West was one of three finalists that year, leading Towson to the FCS National Championship game.  In 1988, Dave Meggett was the second-ever winner of this award.  Along with West, Towson has had two other finalists: Joe Lee in 1999 and Tony Vinson, who finished third in the voting, in 1993.
 
Towson All-Time vs. James Madison
All-time, James Madison leads the series 19-6-1, including winning the last two games.  Towson's last victory came in 2013, a 28-17 win in Towson.
 
Under coach Rob Ambrose, Towson is 1-5 against the Dukes.
 
Date    Location         Result
9/18/76            Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 26-28
9/17/77            Towson, Md.               W, 13-7
9/16/78            Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 14-21
9/15/79            Towson, Md.               W, 18-8
11/7/81            Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 7-20
11/20/82          Towson, Md.               L, 24-42
11/19/83          Harrisonburg, Va.       W, 10-3
11/17/84          Towson, Md.               L, 14-24
11/23/85          Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 0-13
11/22/86          Towson, Md.               T, 7-7
10/31/87          Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 19-21
10/29/88          Towson, Md.               W, 34-6
10/14/89          Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 6-41
10/13/90          Towson, Md.               L, 14-21
10/12/91          Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 31-55
10/24/92          Towson, Md.               W, 28-21
11/20/04          Towson, Md.               L, 17-31
11/19/05          Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 14-55
11/18/06          Towson, Md.               L, 3-38
11/17/07          Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 13-23
11/22/08          Towson, Md.               L, 27-58
11/21/09          Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 12-43
10/9/10            Towson, Md.               L, 13-17
10/6/12            Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 10-13
11/23/13          Towson, Md.               W, 28-17
10/11/14          Harrisonburg, Va.       L, 7-62
10/10/15          Towson, Md.               L, 30-51
 
Last Time vs. JMU (JMU 51, Towson 30)
(10/10/15 - Towson, Md.)
Towson pulled to within four points just after the midway points through the third quarter, but a 24-0 run by the Dukes gave James Madison the 51-30 victory.
Passing
Connor Frazier (TU): 17-30, 176 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Vad Lee (JMU): 24-32, 278 yards, 5 TD
Rushing
Connor Frazier (TU): 13 rush, 54 yards
Khalid Abdullah (JMU): 25 rush, 131 yards
Receiving
Sam Gallahan (TU): 4 catches, 55 yards
Brandon Ravenel (JMU): 6 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD
Defense
Eric Handy (TU): 14 tackles, 1 sack
Nico Law (TU): 10 tackles, 1 BrUp
Kyre Hawkins (JMU): 11 tackles, 1.5 sacks
Raven Greene (JMU): 10 tackles
 
Last Time Out (Towson 41, Elon 10)
(11/10/18 - Elon, N.C.)
At 7-3 Towson with 5:30 left in the second quarter, the Tigers finished the game on a 34-3 run, including 17-0 in the fourth quarter, to beat Elon 41-10.
Passing
Tom Flacco (TU): 26-43, 326 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Jalen Greene (ELON): 5-19, 30 yards
Rushing
Kobe Young (TU): 7 rush, 59 yards, 1 TD
Jalen Greene (ELON): 13 rush, 73 yards, 1 TD
Receiving
Jabari Allen (TU): 9 catches, 143 yards
Cole Taylor (ELON): 2 catches, 26 yards
Defense
Robert Heyward (TU): 13 tackles, 1 sack
Mantriel Reaves (TU): 6 tackles, 1 BrUp
Cole Coleman (ELON): 12 tackles
Efrim Borders (ELON): 7 tackles, 1 sack
 
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
 
Tom Flacco has turned heads this season, standing as the #1 QB in the CAA in passing yards a game with 275.2 and total offense with 340.4 yards a contest.  He is currently throwing 64.0% from the air.
 
Flacco's 275.2 passing yards a game stands 12th in all of FCS football, while his 22.8 completions a contest is 11th.
 
His 438 total offensive yards in the game vs. The Citadel is currently the second-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-3 in the CAA in numerous categories, including being second with 78.7 receiving yards a game (35th in FCS) and third with 5.6 receptions a contest (29th in FCS).
 
Simpson Racking Up Yards
Shane Simpson has been a deadly weapon for Towson, standing first in all of FCS football with 182.7 all-purpose yards a game.
 
The redshirt junior is Towson's primary running back, kick returner and punt returner, totaling 1,827 all-purpose yards off 578 rushing, 292 receiving, 852 kick returning and 105 punt returning yardage.
 
He has also scored at least one touchdown in nine of 10 Towson games.  He has 12 total touchdowns on the season.
 
Tigers in the NFL
With the National Football League starting on Sept. 9th, two Tigers made active rosters.  At the beginning of the season, Jordan Dangerfield '13 made the Pittsburgh Steelers roster while Jermon Bushrod '07 continues his career with the New Orleans Saints.
 
On October 7th, Ryan Delaire, joined the San Francisco 49ers active roster, but was waived two weeks later.
 
Tye Smith '15 is with the Tennessee Titans, but was injured and is not on the active roster.    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.
 
O'Neill Sets School Career, Season 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 51 field goals, including four on September 1st vs. Morgan State to set the new record.
 
This season, O'Neill has converted 20 field goals, a new Towson record, and stands first in FCS with two made field goals per game.  He is third in FCS with 9.9 points scored a game.
 
Wallace Stands #7 All-Time in Tackles at TU
Senior Diondre Wallace has 278 career tackles, including 154 unassisted, earning at least 45 tackles in all four seasons played.  He stands seventh all-time in Towson history.
 
24 more tackles would place Wallace sixth all-time in Towson history.  Jim Colongo, who made 302 tackles from 1994-97, currently is is sixth.
 
The all-time leader in tackles in Towson history is Jeff Boller, who had 382 from 1979-82.
 
Tigers in the Community
As part of the second annual Battle for Greater Baltimore, student-athletes from Towson and Morgan State united for a community event at the Weinberg YMCA in Baltimore on August 18th.
 
Athletes from both schools helped out with representatives from the Special Olympics of Central Maryland for the event.  Towson's women's cross country team were with Morgan State's track & field and softball programs.
 
During the afternoon, the student-athletes spent the day with children in Baltimore, playing numerous games including relay races, football tosses, balloon races and Duck-Duck Goose.
 
This event was part of Towson's Total Tiger Program: its goal is to educate, advocate, mentor and serve, giving Towson student-athletes an opportunity to engage and interact with the Greater Baltimore area through community service.
 
Scouting James Madison
James Madison has played in the last two FCS national championship games, including being the runner-up last year and the champion for the 2016 season.
 
The Dukes are led by Mike Houston in his third season, sporting a 34-5 record at the school.  He has been at the helm of three programs that made the playoffs, including The Citadel and Lenoir-Rhyne.
 
James Madison stands second in the CAA in scoring offense, only to Towson, with 36.3 points per game.   Redshirt junior quarterback Ben DiNucci leads the league with a 69.1% completion percentage, accumulating 1,679 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His primary targets: redshirt junior Riley Stapleton has 55 catches for 644 yards and seven touchdowns while redshirt freshman Kyndel Dean has caught the ball 35 times for 467 yards and five touchdowns.
 
Four different Dukes have at least 61 carries.  Graduate student Cardon Johnson is the primary carrier with 109, getting 427 yards and three touchdowns, while seniors Marcus Marshall and Trai Sharp have 392 and 371 yards respectively.
 
JMU allows 14.4 points per game, statistically the top scoring defense in the CAA.  The team is also first in the CA in passing defense, allowing 172.8 yards in the air a game.
 
On the line for the Dukes is a Baltimore-native, redshirt junior Ron'Dell Carter, with 38 tackles, including 10 for loss and 6.5 sacks.  Behind him is redshirt junior linebacker Dimitri Holloway, holding team-highs of 92 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.  Redshirt senior cornerback Jimmy Moreland has broken up seven passes in the secondary and has intercepted five passes, adding 35 tackles.