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Christian Dixon vs Rhode Island
ENP Photography
7
Rhode Island URI 5-1 , 3-1
28
Winner Towson TOW 3-3 , 2-1
Rhode Island URI
5-1 , 3-1
7
Final
28
Towson TOW
3-3 , 2-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
URI Rhode Island 7 0 0 0 7
TOW Towson 14 0 7 7 28

Game Recap: Football |

Towson Football Knocks Off CAA’s First Place Team off Supreme Defensive Effort

TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University football team turned in one of its top defensive performances in conference play in years, taking down No. 12/14 Rhode Island, then first place in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), 28-7 on Saturday night for Homecoming.
 
Towson (3-3, 2-1 CAA) held Rhode Island (5-1, 3-1 CAA) scoreless in the final three quarters, never trailing after scoring two touchdowns in the opening 11:06 of the game.  URI was the first-place team in the CAA,having won its first three league games.
 
The Towson defense held URI to 162 total yards in the game.  It is the first time Towson has held a league opponent to single digit points since Nov. 5, 2016 in a 23-6 home victory over Elon.
 
Towson earns a victory over a ranked opponent for the first time since defeating No. 7/5 Maine 45-23 on Sept. 14, 2019.
 
Key Stats:
  • Towson's defense limited URI to 162 total yards, 15 first downs, 72 yards on the ground and a 22:30 time of possession.  In addition, URI completed just seven passes out of 26 attempts.  Towson earned five sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
  • Christian Dixon tallied 11 tackles to lead Towson, including four tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble.  Ubayd Steed notched eight tackles in the secondary while S.J. Brown II earned five tackles plus an important pass breakup to stop URI on third and long.
  • The Towson offense finished with 338 total yards, including 147 yards rushing.  The Tigers held the ball for 37:30 in the game.
  • On the offense, Jerry Howard Jr. earned his first 100-rushing game as a Tiger, running the ball 106 yards off 27 rushes, scoring a touchdown.  Howard added 20 yards receiving for 126 all-purpose yards.  Devin Matthews finished with 38 yards and two touchdowns.
  • Chris Ferguson was 16-for-25 passing for 191 yards and a touchdown.  Caleb Smith made four catches for 57 yards while Jason Epps also had four receptions for 56 yards.  Jabari Allen had the receiving touchdown of the game, ending with 12 yards off three catches.
  • For URI, Justice Antrum ran the ball 15 times for 63 yards and a touchdown, with Kasim Hill throwing 7-for-26 for 90 yards and an interception.  Andre Blackett racked up 17 tackles on defense while Evan Stewart had 13 tackles and a pass break-up.
Postgame Quote:
Towson head coach Rob Ambrose: "I love my guys, what a great win today.  Very proud of our team, and thank you to all of our fans and alumni for supporting us tonight!"
 
How It Happened:
  • Towson's defense immediately forced a three-and-out on URI's opening possession and got the ball on its own 48.  A long pass to Jason Epps for 31 yards got Towson inside the red zone, then the running game pounded away at the Rams.  Devin Matthews scored the one-yard touchdown to put Towson up 7-0.
  • Despite good field position on its own 44 to start the next drive, Towson's defense again held with a fierce pass rush for a three-and-out.  Another pass to Epps for 12 yards got a first down, but Towson was forced to punt.  Next drive on 3rd and 11 for URI, Christian Dixon forced a fumble on receiver Ivory Frimpong, recovered by Sam Gyeni to start Towson in the red zone.  Jerry Howard Jr. rushed four straight times for 16 yards, then Matthews finished the drive with a three-yard score to make it 14-0 Towson with 3:54 left in the first.
  • URI's running game got going on the next series as Justice Antrum, Kasim Hill and Jaylen Smith rushed down the field for the Rams, contributing to a 73-yard drive.  Antrum bolted for 18 yards and a score with 21 seconds left in the first to put the score at 14-7 Towson.
  • Towson had to punt on a three-and-out, then a Dixon sack on second down forced URI to a three-and-out.  Short passes and Howard runs got the Tigers into URI territory, then Towson went for it on fourth and seven and converted on a seven-yard completion to Epps.  But, Towson's field goal attempt missed.
  • URI returned to the running game as Antrum and Smith got yards to attempt a final URI score in the final minutes of the half.  On third and goal at the Towson 8, Marcus Bowman had a strip sack of Hill to push URI back to the 20.  The field goal attempt missed right as Towson led 14-7 at the break.
  • Towson's three-and-out to begin the third was followed by URI passing ball, getting 34 yards combined off a holding call and a 24-yard pass to Ty Murphy.  Towson stopped URI from going any further on the 36, forcing a punt and touchback.
  • The short passes and runs combined up on the next Towson drive, including the Tigers going for it on fourth and one on their own 42 and converting on a five-yard Matthews burst.  Two plays later, a 29-yard reception near the sideline by Caleb Smith got the Tigers to the URI22.  A 12-yard pass to Howard, a five-yard run by Howard then a pass to the right side to Jabari Allen for the five-yard score pushed Towson up 21-7 with 2:04 left in the third.
  • URI got into Towson territory towards the end of the third, then Towson's defense again came up with big plays.  Olyfride Okombi took down Smith for a five-yard loss on a run, then Vinnie Shaffer sacked Hill for seven more yards lost.  On third and 22, Hill's pass to Caleb Warren was jarred loose by S.J. Brown II to force an incompletion.  URI had to punt.
  • Towson was stopped after entering URI's side of the field, but drained down over four minutes in the fourth.  URI punted again after one first down.  Howard and Matthews ran the ball to kill clock, with the drive being lifted by two completions to Daniel Thompson IV. Howard finished the six-minute, 15-second drive with a one-yard score to send Towson up 28-7.
  • URI tried a final drive, getting to the Towson red zone with a 25-yard pass to Caleb Warren and another eight-yard dart to Ed Lee.  A final pass was intercepted by Brandon Shuman to end the game as Towson took the 28-7 victory.
Inside the Numbers
  • The last time Towson held a CAA opponent to one score was on Nov. 7, 2015 in a 10-7 victory at Maine.
  • In Towson's three victories this year, the Tigers have allowed a combined 21 points.
  • Towson earned a 100-yard rusher for the first time this season.  The last one was Yeedee Thaenrat, who ran 103 yards vs. Elon on Nov. 23, 2019.
  • For the defense this season, Towson had single game highs in sacks and tackles for loss.
  • Roman Wahrheit made a start at right guard, marking the second straight season Towson has started an international player in a game.  Tibo Debaillie, from Belgium, started on the defensive line in 2019.
  • Devin Matthews had scored five touchdowns in his first season with Towson.  He has touchdowns in four different games this year.
Next Game:
  • The Tigers hit the road next weekend for a trip to Williamsburg, Virginia as Towson takes on Williams & Mary on Saturday, Oct. 23 at 3:30 p.m.
- TowsonTigers.com – 
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