TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University football team finished the regular season in style with a dominant 27-7 victory over Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) newcomer Hampton, earning a four-game winning streak.
 
Towson (6-5, 4-4 CAA) shut out Hampton (4-6, 1-6 CAA) in the second half and forced three interceptions to hold the Pirates to seven points.  The Tigers had a score every quarter to push to the win.
 
The Towson defense holds its opponent to one score for the second time in the last three games.
 
Before the game, Towson honored its senior class in a pregame ceremony.  The Tigers were playing their final game of the regular season at Johnny Unitas® Stadium.
 
Key Stats:

• On the defensive side, Towson's secondary accounted for all three interceptions, including a pick six and four pass break-ups for Robert Javier, who returned his interception 70 yards in the fourth quarter.  Javier was tasked with guarding Jadakis Bonds, who entered the game third in receiving yards in the CAA.  Ubayd Steed notched two interceptions in the game, each coming in the first half.
• The Tigers also had four sacks in the contest, the most for Towson in a single game this year.  The leader in tackles was Ryan Kearney, who had seven, while Jamal Gay earned six tackles, including two for loss.
• Towson outgained Hampton 334-264 yards on total offense, including a 194-100 advantage in rushing.  The Tigers had seven different players run the football, led by Joachim Bangda carrying the rock 11 times for 81 yards, averaging 7.4 yards a carry.
• At quarterback, Tyrrell Pigrome was 12-for-21 with 140 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.  He found Darian Street for four catches, 38 yards and a score while Isaiah Perkins made two catches for 38 yards and a touchdown.
• Keegan Vaughan went 2-for-3 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra point attempts.
• For Hampton, Malcolm Mays was 12-for-25 at quarterback, having 119 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions.  Jadakis Bonds made five catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.  On defense, Ali Shockley concluded with 11 tackles and a pick.

How It Happened:

• The game started out slowly for the offenses, with each side having a three-and-out to begin.  Towson added another and punted as Hampton took over on its own 48.  The Pirates used short rushes to push to the Towson 40.  Next play, a pass down the middle was picked off by Ubayd Steed as the Tigers took over.
• Tyrrell Pigrome led Towson down the field, converting a pair of third downs with a 17-yard pass to Darian Street and a seven-yard scramble to the Hampton 18.  On third and six on the Hampton 14, Pigrome found Isaiah Perkins in the deep corner for a touchdown giving Towson the lead 7-0 with just over a minute left in the first quarter.
• The Towson defense held Hampton to a three-and-out and again marched down the field.  Devin Matthews burst for 28 yards into Hampton territory, then later converted a fourth down on a direct snap.  A Pigrome pass to Perkins for 24 yards set up first and goal, then Darian Street made the grab for the seven-yard touchdown.  Towson led 14-0 with 9:07 left in the first half.
• After a number of short rushes and passes, Jadakis Bonds shook off a defender and scored on a 43-yard completion to make it 14-7 Towson with 5:21 left in the second quarter.
• Spearheaded by a 27-yard burst by Joachim Bangda, Towson drove down to the Hampton red zone.  A face mask stifled the drive, but Keegan Vaughan knocked down a 38-yard field goal to cap the drive.  A second interception by Steed stopped Hampton as Towson led 17-7 at the half.
• Towson held off Hampton's first drive on a three-and-out and responded with a 6:24 drive, grinding down with rushes from Pigrome, D'Ago Hunter, Matthews and Bangda.  A incompletion on third and 11 sent Vaughan out, who converted the 33-yard field goal to push Towson up 20-7 with 6:55 in the third.
• Malcolm Mays converted three third downs for Hampton on the next drive, including a 20-yard pass to Tyler Thompson on third and 18.  Towson stopped Hampton on third down as a 38-yard field goal attempt went wide.
• Into the fourth quarter, Towson took out over six more minutes with the running game. Towson's 40-yard field goal attempt was blocked as Hampton took over at its own 22.
• With time going down, Hampton got into Towson territory on a 13-yard Mays rush and a pass interference penalty.  On second and 10, Javier jumped a route and sprinted 70 yards on the interception for a pick six and a 27-7 lead with 8:04 left.
• Hampton switched quarterbacks and put together a long drive, getting to the Towson 25 with fourth down and one.  Shafeek Smith knocked away a pass to stop Hampton's drive.  Towson ran out the clock and won 27-7.

Inside the Numbers

• Towson earns its first four-game winning streak since 2018.  The Tigers won five in a row from Sept. 15-Oct. 20, 2018.
• With the win, Towson has earned a winning season in three of the last four years.
• Robert Javier ties the Towson program record with two interceptions returned for touchdowns in a season.  Three other Tigers have achieved that feat: Allante Harrison (2004), Davon Telp (2003) and Ricky Crestwell (1999).
• Ubayd Steed is the first Tiger with two interceptions in a game since Keon Paye had two picks at Stony Brook on Nov. 9, 2019.

- TowsonTigers.com –