The Game: #20/20 Towson (6-3, 4-2 CAA) at #7/5 Elon (6-2, 4-1 CAA)
When: Sat., Nov. 10, 12 p.m. kickoff
Where: Rhodes Stadium – Elon, N.C.
Online Broadcast: Phoenix All-Access
----Broadcasters: Taylor Durham (PxP), Matt Krause (Analyst)
Radio: CBS Sports Radio 1300
----Broadcasters: Spiro Morekas (PxP), Gordy Combs (Analyst)
Series: Towson leads 5-2
 
ELON, N.C. –  The No. 20 Towson University football team is set to play its final regular season road game of the season, having a top-20 matchup against #7/5 Elon on Saturday, Nov. 10 in North Carolina.
 
The game will be broadcast online by Phoenix All-Access.  Taylor Durham and Matt Krause will have the call in Elon.
 
Spiro Morekas, the Voice of the Tigers, will be on the call live from Rhodes Stadium, joined by Gordy Combs on CBS Sports Radio 1300.
 
Towson fell for the second time in a row by one score to a ranked opponent in a 35-28 defeat to Maine last Saturday at home, entering at 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the CAA, tying for fourth place.   Elon has won its last two contests, coming off a 24-21 home win over Rhode Island, for third place in the CAA at 4-1, standing 6-2 overall.  Towson is ranked at #20 in each the STATS FCS Poll and the AFCA Coaches Poll, while Elon is #7 and #5 in those polls respectively.
 
Towson and Elon have met every year since the Phoenix joined the CAA full-time in the 2014 season.  Including meetings dating back to 2003, Towson leads the all-time series 5-2.  This is the second straight game between the two in North Carolina, where Elon won last year 33-30 in 2OT.
 
Towson Ranked Top-20 in Both Polls
Standing at 6-3 overall, including wins over then top-15 Villanova and Stony Brook, Towson stands in the top-20 in each major poll.  The Tigers are at #20 in the STATS FCS Poll and #20 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
 
Towson has been ranked each of the past seven weeks.  Towson had been ranked at some point each season from 2011-2014 and has been in the top-20 the last five weeks.
 
The CAA currently has six of its 12 teams ranked, the highest among all FCS conferences.  Elon (#7 in STATS, #5 in Coaches), James Madison (#9, #10), Delaware (#11, #12), Stony Brook (#12, #15) and Maine (#16, #21) 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 Football Celebrating 50th Year
The Towson University football program is celebrating its 50th year this season.
 
Since its start 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).
 
Towson All-Time vs. Elon
Towson and Elon had played seven times, including three times from 2003-06 and the last four years as CAA opponents.
 
All-time, Towson leads the series 5-2, including the first four matchups.  Elon has won two of the last three, each of those victories being in North Carolina.
 
Under Rob Ambrose, Towson is 2-2 against Elon, with all games won by the home team. 
 
Four of the last five games between Towson and Elon have been decided by seven points or fewer.
 
This is the second time that Towson is visiting North Carolina this season, having played Wake Forest back on September 8th. 
 
This is also the first year that Towson has two games in the state of North Carolina since 2015 (East Carolina, Elon).
 
Date          Location             Result
10/25/03__ Towson, Md.__ W, 24-7
9/4/04____ Elon, N.C.___ W, 34-14
9/9/06____ Elon, N.C.___ W, 24-17
11/1/14___ Towson, Md._ W, 21-19
9/26/15___ Elon, N.C.____ L, 13-17
11/5/16___ Towson, Md.__ W, 23-6
11/4/17___ Elon, N.C. L, 30-33 (2OT)
 
Last Time vs. Elon (Elon 33, Towson 30 (2OT))
(11/4/17 - Elon, N.C.)
Towson scored 17 points in the final 10:34 of regulation to tie the game and force overtime at Elon, but fell to the Phoenix 33-30 in double overtime.
Passing
Ryan Stover (TU): 22-42, 303 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Davis Cheek (ELON): 20-33, 271 yards, 1 TD
Rushing
Kobe Young (TU): 11 rush, 90 yards
Brelynd Cyphers (ELON): 14 rush, 129 yards, 1 TD
Receiving
Jabari Greenwood (TU): 7 catches, 130 yards
Kortez Weeks (ELON): 9 catches, 139 yards
Defense
Mitch Boals (TU): 13 tackles
Diondre Wallace (TU): 10 tackles, 1 BrUp
Warren Messer (ELON): 8 tackles, 2 QBH
Chris Blair (ELON): 7 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT
 
Last Time Out (Maine 35, Towson 28)
(11/3/18 - Towson, Md.)
Towson came back from down 18 points to tie the game early in the fourth quarter, but a touchdown by the Black Bears with 6:29 eventually gave Maine the 35-28 victory.
Passing
Tom Flacco (TU): 23-38, 225 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Chris Ferguson (MAINE): 16-32, 233 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing
Tom Flacco (TU): 19 rush, 67 yards
Ramon Jefferson (MAINE): 14 rush, 121 yards, 3 TD
Receiving
Shane Simpson (TU): 7 catches, 69 yards, 2 TD
Earnest Edwards (MAINE): 3 catches, 74 yards, 2 TD
Defense
Robert Heyward (TU): 6 tackles
Bryce Carter (TU): 5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 FF
Jeffrey DeVaughn (MAINE): 9 tackles, 0.5 TFL
Sterling Sheffield (MAINE): 6 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT
 
Top Passing QB in the CAA........
Tom Flacco has turned heads this season, standing as the #1 QB in the CAA in passing yards a game with 268.0 and total offense with 338.8 yards a contest.  He is currently throwing 64.5% from the air.
 
Flacco's 268.0 passing yards a game stands 13th in all of FCS football, while his 22.2 completions a contest is 10th.
 
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 80.7 receiving yards a game (33rd in FCS) and tied for second with 5.67 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 192.2 all-purpose yards a game.
 
The redshirt junior is Towson's primary running back, kick returner and punt returner, totaling 1,730 all-purpose yards off 538 rushing, 276 receiving, 806 kick returning and 110 punt returning yardage.
 
He has also scored at least one touchdown in all nine Towson games.  He has 12 total touchdowns on the season.
 
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.
 
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 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 49 field goals, including four on September 1st vs. Morgan State to set the new record.
 
This season, O'Neill has converted 18 field goals and stands first in FCS with two made field goals per game.  He is sixth in FCS with 9.8 points scored a game.
 
Wallace Stands #9 All-Time in Tackles at TU
Senior Diondre Wallace has 272 career tackles, including 152 unassisted, earning at least 45 tackles in all four seasons played.  He stands 9th all-time in Towson history.
 
Two more tackles would place Wallace 8th all-time in Towson history.  P.D. Moore, who made 274 tackles from 2001-04, currently is in 8th.
 
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 as 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 Elon
Elon, a 2017 NCAA playoff participant, is currently a half-game out of first place in the CAA at 4-1.
 
The Phoenix is led by second-year coach Curt Cignetti, who came to the school after six years at Indiana (Pa.).  The program won NAIA national titles in 1980 and 1981 under coach Jerry Tolley, now mayor of the city of Elon.
 
Elon sports the top rushing offense in the CAA, averaging 222.9 yards on the ground per game, leading to 28.1 points a contest, 6th in the league.  Due to injuries, the Phoenix have used many different running backs: last game, freshman Jaylan Thomas gained 222 yards and stands with 585 this year, adding four touchdowns.  Junior De'Sean McNair has played all eight games for 326 yards and six touchdowns.
 
Currently at quarterback is sophomore Jalen Greene, a duel threat as a runner with 377 passing yards and 181 rushing yards, having six total touchdowns.
 
Greene's top receiving threat is sophomore Kortez Weeks with 31 catches for 446 yards.
 
Elon's scoring defense is 4th in the CAA with 21.6 points allowed a contest, allowing 358.2 yards a game.  The team's top tackler is senior linebacker Warren Messer, with 69 tackles, including 9.5 for loss, adding four sacks and an interception.   Also at linebacker is classmate Matt Baker, Elon's leader in sacks with 6.5 and tackles for loss at 11, having 40 tackles overall.
 
In the Elon secondary is junior Daniel Reid-Bennett with 47 tackles, six passes broken up and an interception, and junior Greg Liggs Jr. with 46 tackles, two interceptions and six passes broken up.