LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Towson University football team won a thriller in the season opener on Saturday night, defeating Bucknell 14-13 in overtime off a missed point by the home team for the victory.
 
Towson (1-0) scored on offense on a second Devin Matthews touchdown in overtime to go ahead of Bucknell (0-1).  Bucknell also scored a touchdown, but sent the extra point attempt wide, ending the game 14-13 for Towson.
 
Key Stats:

• Towson outgained Bucknell 383-307 in the game, including 158 yards on the ground.  Towson had the edge in passing 225-158.
• The Tigers also dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 38:35.
• For the Tigers, Devin Matthews rushed the ball 26 times, earning 112 yards and two touchdowns, never losing yards on a carry.  Quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome rushed 12 times for 31 yards.
• Pigrome was also the primary quarterback for Towson, going 21-for-36 for 195 yards.  Scott Smith III had the start, going 4-for-6 for 30 yards.  Da'Kendall James had a team-high seven catches, earning 51 yards, while freshman Isaiah Perkins finished with six catches for 81 yards.
• On the punting end, Riley Williams averaged 38.8 yards a punt, pinning Bucknell inside the 20 three times and inside the five once.
• Ubayd Steed led Towson in tackles with seven, adding a pass break-up.  Mason Woods and Ryan Kearney each had six tackles.
• For Bucknell, Rushawn Baker ran the ball 15 times for 95 yards while quarterback Ethan Grady was 12-for-31 for 158 yards and two touchdowns.  Brent Jackson had 12 tackles on defense, including one for loss.

Postgame Quote:
Towson head coach Rob Ambrose: "It is good to be 1-0, but we have a lot to work on this coming week.  I am grateful that we had a chance to play in overtime and get some experience playing in that situation.  But, we need to play better."

How It Happened:

• Opening drive, Devin Matthews led the way on the ground, barreling forward to convert a couple of third downs past midfield.  Towson's continued to pound on the run, with Scott Smith III doing a QB rush left to convert another set of downs.  Towson pushed down to the Bucknell 41 but had to punt, with Riley Williams pinning Bucknell down on its own 6.
• Each side had a three-and-out, with a Towson fumble pulling the Tigers back despite keeping possession.  Bucknell took over on its own 27 and began with a 42-yard flea flicker pass to get into Towson territory.  From there, Towson held on two Bucknell rushes and two Bison incompletions to force a turnover on downs.
• Towson continued to attack on the ground as Sabias Folley burst right for eight yards but later was stopped on a fourth and two rushing attempt.  Again the defense got a big stop as Bucknell looked to hurry up on fourth and one.  Damir Faison slowed the runner in the backfield, then Mason Woods and Vinnie Shaffer finished the play to get the turnover on downs.  The first quarter ended at 0-0.
• Tyrrell Pigrome entered and through a high-arc completion down the sideline to Daniel Thompson IV for 25 yards to the Bucknell 41.  The running game brought the Tigers on the edge of the Bucknell red zone, but an interception at the Bucknell 2 returned possession to the home team.
• Again the defense made a strong stand.  A Tramar Reece three-yard loss on a tackle pushed Bucknell back to the one.  Towson began on the Bucknell 34 after the punt.  Smith III found Da'Kendall James for a 16-yard dart to begin the drive.  Towson was stopped and attempted a field goal, with the 39-yard attempt hitting the upright.  The defense stayed strong, forcing another three-and-out on three incomplete passes.
• Towson began the next drive on its own 17.  Pigrome led a drive down the field with Matthews as Pigrome converted a pair of third downs, including a QB rush to the left to gain two yards before a big hit, then a pass to the left side to Darian Street for 10 yards.  Towson was stopped at the Bucknell 37 and punted, putting the Bison on the 15.
• Bucknell got its best offensive drive of the game towards the end of the half, with Ethan Gray earning three straight completions to get to the Towson 31.  The Tigers held to force a field goal attempt, which went wide left.  Towson attempted a final drive, including a 12-yard pass from Pigrome to Isaiah Perkins, but was held up at midfield.  The teams were deadlocked at zero at halftime.
• Bucknell had a 39-yard kickoff return and a roughing the passer penalty to get into Towson territory.  Robert Javier blitzed and knocked down a Bucknell pass to the right side, leading to the Bison being stopped.  Bucknell punted to the Towson 10.
• Pigrome led the charge to begin the second half, having a quick second down pass for 13 yards to Perkins and later converting a third down on a scramble to the right for 13 yards into Bucknell territory.  Towson tried another Pigrome run to convert third and six but was stopped on an open-field tackle.  Williams pinned the Bison in on the Bucknell 2 on the 40-yard punt.
• Rushawn Baker broke out with an 11-yard run, then three plays later, a 38-yard pass to Coleman Bennett down the sideline got Bucknell across midfield.  The running attack got Bucknell up to the 28 for a field goal attempt.  Another big play from Javier forced a wide kick to keep the game scoreless.
• Towson sprinted down the field, beginning with an 11-yard Sam Reynolds jet sweep catch, a Matthews five-yard run, a pass interference penalty on Bucknell then a nine-yard catch from James.  After Matthews converted the first down, a high-arc pass to Perkins for 26 yards set up first and goal from the five.  Matthews barreled ahead and scored on second effort for the touchdown, giving Towson a 7-0 lead with 2:07 remaining in the third.
• Just before the end of the third quarter, Baker got room and ran 69 yards down the sideline to get Bucknell to the 1-yard line.  Into the fourth quarter on second down, a pass to Christian Spugnardi for the score tied the game 7-7 with 14:21 left in the fourth.
• Towson went back to the running game on the hurry-up as Matthews powered up the middle for a pair of first downs.  The Tigers changed up the runners and kept pushing forward, with Pigrome scrambling and Chris Watkins bursting forward.  Towson got to the Bucknell 20 but was stopped at on a pass break-up.  The field goal attempt was blocked by Bucknell to keep the score tied.
• Bucknell's running game got going as the Bison got back into Towson's side of the field.  On second and eight, a botched fumble pushed the home team back six yards as Towson held on a following incompletion.  The Tigers took over on their own 10.
• An 11-yard throw to Brady McElhaney begin the next drive as Towson attempted a final push.  Pigrome got a conversion on a 3^rd and 4, but on a later 3^rd and 6, a sack ended the drive.  Towson punted as Bucknell took over at its own 34 with 2:04 left in regulation.
• The Towson defensive front stood strong on an important drive, forcing a three-and-out.  Towson got the ball back and had a 10-yard completion to Perkins but did not go further.  The teams went to overtime tied at 7-7.
• Towson started on offense in OT and went to Matthews early for eight yards.  A false start penalty backed up the Tigers and led to a fourth and eight.  Pigrome threw a laser to Perkins for 15 yards and the conversion.  Matthews rushed for five yards and three yards for the touchdown, making it 14-7 Towson.
• Baker had three strong rushes to get the home team to the Towson 4 for first down and goal.  Towson held on two plays, but on third down, a pass to corner resulted in a touchdown.  But, the extra point attempt went wide right as Towson got the 14-13 victory.

Inside the Numbers

• For the second straight season, Towson shuts out its road opponent in the first half.  Towson began the 2021 campaign with a 31-0 victory at Morgan State.
• This is the first overtime game for Towson since Sept. 21, 2019, a 52-45 home defeat vs. Villanova.
• Towson has won its last five season openers, including the last four all on the road.
• Devin Matthews has 10 rushing touchdowns in 12 career games.

Next Game:

• Towson is set for the Battle for Greater Baltimore on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at Johnny Unitas® Stadium.
• In addition to single game and group tickets, 2022 football season tickets are also on sale.  For more information, interested parties may contact the Towson Athletics ticket office by visiting www.towsontigers.com, calling 1-855-TU-TIGER or emailing dkogok@towson.edu.

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