TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University football team had a strong defensive final stand to earn its first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) win of the year, taking down Stony Brook 21-14 on Saturday night.
 
Towson (2-3, 1-1 CAA) had touchdowns in the final minutes of the second and third quarters to earn a 14-point lead against Stony Brook (1-5, 0-3 CAA), holding off a final Seawolves push in the fourth to take the victory.  Sam Gyeni sacked the quarterback on fourth and one from the Towson 22 with 15 seconds left to end Stony Brook's last chance drive.
 
With the win in front of 7,209 fans in attendance for Family Weekend, Towson snaps its three-game losing streak.
 
Key Stats:

• Towson scored touchdowns in each of the first three quarters, including scoring on its opening drive for the first time this season.
• Stony Brook had the edge on total offense with 363 yards compared to Towson's 293.  The Tigers did not have a play on offense where they lost yardage.
• Three players shared the team-lead for tackles for Towson: S.J. Brown II, Christian Dixon and Charles Peeples all had seven tackles.  Brown added a forced fumble while Dixon had a sack.  Darien Reynolds notched five tackles, including two for loss.
• On the offense, quarterback Chris Ferguson passed for 71%, finishing 22-for-31 with 177 yards and two scores, not having a turnover.  He found a trio of receivers five times each: Jabari Allen for 53 yards and a score, Caleb Smith for 46 yards and Darian Street for 41 yards and a touchdown.
• Devin Matthews led the rushing attack for Towson, carrying the ball 13 times for 61 yards and a touchdown.  Jerry Howard Jr. went 13 rushes for 31 yards.
• Shane McDonough added his name to this year's FCS record book, earning a 72-yard punt to tie for the sixth-longest punt in FCS this season.  He finished with 154 yards on three punts, averaging 51.3 yards a punt.
• For Stony Brook, Ty'Son Lawton averaged 6.3 yards a rush, totaling 119 yards and two touchdowns, including a 41-yard breakaway score in the fourth quarter.  Quarterback Tyquell Fields was 20-for-33 for 220 yards, with his top target being Shawn Harris Jr. off eight catches and 109 yards.  Tyler King led all players with 11 tackles, adding a pass break-up.

Postgame Quote:
Towson head coach Rob Ambrose: "I love the character and the attitude of this team.  We did not play perfect, but we got it done tonight.  Hats off to [Coach Priore], they have a really good team with a tough schedule.  Our guys earned a long, hard-fought, physical victory."
 
How It Happened:

• Towson received first and went with Jerry Howard Jr. on the run and passes across the middle from Chris Ferguson.  The Tigers grinded down the clock and converted a pair of fourth downs on runs a completion to Howard and a run from Devin Matthews.  On a first and goal, Matthews took a direct snap and scored on the three-yard run to make it 7-0 Towson with 6:10 remaining in the first quarter.
• Tyquell Fields led SBU on the first offensive drive with a couple of passes towards the sideline to Shawn Harris Jr., then broke into Towson territory with a third down conversion to Khalil Newton across the middle on the catch. The Seawolves proceeded to push down the field with the run, into the end of the first quarter, and got to the Towson 1 for third down.  Ty'Son Lawton burst into the end zone for the touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 just under a minute into the second quarter.
• Towson was held on a three-and-out on the next possession and punted back to the Seawolves on the SBU 26.  SBU got near Towson territory, but a big open field tackle from Ryan Kearney stopped a receiver at the 45, three yards short of the first down.  Towson took over after the punt to its own 22.
• Ferguson and Matthews combined to drive Towson down the field with short gains, including Ferguson converting a pair of third downs on 14+ yard passes to Jabari Allen and Caleb Smith to get into the red zone.  Facing third and five on the SBU 7, a throw to the corner to Darian Street was complete in the end zone for the score.  Towson led 14-7 with 1:59 left in the first half.
• Stony Brook passed down in an attempt to score in the final minutes, but Christian Dixon made a big sack to stop SBU's drive.  Towson attempted a long field goal but was blocked, keeping the halftime score at 14-7 Towson.
• Stony Brook received at the start of the second half and continued its strategy of rushes and short passes, pushing down the field and getting all the way to the Towson 24.  Towson forced a sack on Fields by Marcus Bowman to force Stony Brook to punt.  The SBU punt was fair caught at the Towson 6.
• Towson responded with its own methodical drive of runs and short passes.  A Howard rush, an 16-yard completion to Allen then a 14-yard rush by Matthews all converted third downs.  Matthews continued to hit the hole in the middle to push Towson to the SBU 7, then a seven-yard pass to Allen for the score put Towson up 21-7 with 1:08 to play in the third.
• SBU looked to come back, beginning with a 50-yard deep pass to Harris Jr.  After picking up first down on the Towson 14, Darien Reynolds hit the running back four yards in the backfield, then a couple of incompletions set up a field goal attempt, which was missed.  Towson got the ball but went three-and-out.  Shane McDonough punted the ball 72 yards, which went out of bounds at the two-yard line.
• Stony Brook went two plays before S.J. Brown II forced a fumble to give the ball back to Towson on the SBU 14.  Towson threatened to score, but on a completion to Jason Epps, a fumble into the end zone resulted in a touchback for Stony Brook.
• Stony Brook drove down the field quickly, entering the Towson side on a pass interference penalty then Lawton burst 40 yards up the middle for the touchdown, bringing Stony Brook within a touchdown at 21-14 with 7:32 to play.
• With the lead, Towson tried to use up some clock with runs by Howard, but SBU stopped Towson on a 3^rd and five around midfield to force a punt. SBU came down the field for a final drive with 4:43 left, continuing the rushing attack and sideline passes.  Stony Brook knocked on the door at the Towson 22, but Sam Gyeni made a big sack on fourth and one to end the drive.  Towson took the victory 21-14.

Inside the Numbers:

• Shane McDonough's 72-yard punt is the longest in his career and three yards shy of the Towson record of a 75-yard punt by Steve Bulcavage vs. Fordham in 2001.
• Devin Matthews has scored a touchdown in three different games for Towson thus far in his first year with the Tigers.
• Jabari Allen earned his 11^th career receiving touchdown.
• This is the first game this season where a Towson quarterback had at least 20 completions. 
• Towson has won three straight games against Stony Brook.

Next Game:

• Towson is back at Unitas next week vs. No. 18/20 Rhode Island for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m.  For more information, interested parties may contact the Towson Athletics ticket office by visiting www.towsontigers.com or by calling 1-855-TU-TIGER.