TOWSON, Md. – Using three quarterbacks and coming back from down 11, the Towson University football team sent its seniors off on a high note, using a 12-yard Christopher Watkins rushing touchdown in the final minute to win vs. Rhode Island (URI) 31-30.
 
Down 17-6 late in the second quarter, Towson (5-6, 4-4 CAA) outscored URI (6-5, 4-4 CAA) 25-13 the rest of the way, capped by a 66-yard offensive drive finished by Watkins's score in the final minute.  Towson's defense held on the final drive as the clock ran out before URI could score.
 
With the victory on Senior Day, Towson earns a .500 record in Coastal Athletic Association play.
 
Key Stats:

• Towson twice took the lead in the game, having a first quarter lead off a off a strip sack by Jesus Gibbs which was returned 70 yards by Tylen Wallace for a touchdown.  Towson retook the lead on the final drive of the game.
• URI had the advantage in total offense with 513 yards to Towson's 350, but Towson forced two turnovers while not having any itself.
• Towson used three quarterbacks, led by starter Nathan Kent, who was 11-for-17 with 188 yards and a touchdown.  Sean Brown took over in the fourth quarter, going 4-for-10 for 3 yards and adding two rushes for 19 yards.  Scott Smith III entered for one play, being at quarterback for the game-winning touchdown.  The top receiving target was Carter Runyon, who had three catches for 103 yards and a touchdown.
• On the ground, Chris Watkins earned 77 yards on eight rushes for two touchdowns, adding five catches for 59 yards.
• Jamal Gay led the defense with 12 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, also having an interception on the URI 1.  Jesus Gibbs notched a pair of sacks and a forced fumble, having five tackles overall, while Tylen Wallace had three tackles and the 70-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
• For URI, Kasim Hill was 23-for-36 for 359 yards, a touchdown and an interception, having a pair of 130+ yard receivers: Kahtero Summers made seven catches for 163 yards while Marquis Buchanan had nine receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown.  Ja'Den McKenzie rushed 31 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns.  On defense, Evan Stewart tallied up 10 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.

How it Happened

• URI received first and methodically came down the field after a roughing the passer penalty, using Ja'Den McKenzie on short rushes to get down to the Towson 9.  URI was backed up by a false start and a quarterback hand-off fumble.  On 3^rd an 17, Jesus Gibbs forced a fumble on a sack on Kasim Hill.  Tylen Wallace scooped up the ball and ran 70 yards the other way for a Towson touchdown.  A blocked extra point kept the score at 6-0 Towson with 8:02 left in the first.
• URI tried to respond quickly, using a 36-yard pass to Kahtero Summers to get back into the red zone.  On second and eight, Jamal Gay intercepted a pass at the URI 1 to end the drive.  Following a three-and-out for Towson, a McKenzie 26-yard rush for URI start another drive down field and visit to the red zone, where Towson allowed just one yard in three plays to force a field goal attempt.  Ty Groff missed his 35-yard field goal attempt in the closing minute of the quarter.
• Towson was backed up on a sack and tackle for loss and had to punt.  Despite Jurnee Dunbar sacking Hill on first down, URI was in the end zone three plays later, capped by a 42-yard receiving touchdown by Marquis Buchanan to send URI up 7-6 with 12:11 left in the first half.
• Towson again went three-and-out, and a punt was blocked by Tommy Smith to give URI the ball at the Towson 15.  Three McKenzie rushes later and URI was in the end zone for a 14-6 visitors' lead.
• Following another Towson three-and-out, URI would convert a third-and-long on a 34-yard pass to John Erby to reach the Towson 35.  Towson held on defense from there, where Groff hit the 47-yard field goal to make the score 17-6 URI with 3:50 left in the second.
• Towson fired up the hurry-up offense and came downfield 75 yards in just four plays, capped by Chris Watkins breaking away for 43 yards on the touchdown to pull Towson within five with 2:36 left in the second.
• URI put a final drive together and got to the Towson 20, where a forced incompletion led to a field goal attempt.  Groff hit the 37-yarder to make it 20-12 URI, the eventual halftime score.
• Towson wasted no time into the third, beginning with a 64-yard pass down the middle to Carter Runyon.  Devin Matthews followed with a 10-yard rushing touchdown up the middle for a score just 36 seconds into the half.  A two-point conversion attempt failed to make the score 20-18 URI.
• URI responded with a quick touchdown of its own, getting a 52-yard reception to reach the Towson 1. McKenzie burst up the middle for the touchdown and a 27-18 URI lead with 11:35 to go in the third.
• Runyon again began the drive in a big way off a 27-yard catch to get into URI territory.  At fourth and 11 on the URI39, Nathan Kent found Watkins, who barreled his way forward with a dive to reach the URI28 and convert.  After a Watkins rush, a Matthews rush and a couple of incompletions, Kent found Runyon in the end zone for the 12-yard touchdown to get Towson within two at 27-25 with 6:19 left in the third.
• URI took a long drive with rushes from McKenzie and Gabe Sloat, then an Ernie Smith sack stopped the drive just before Towson territory and forced a punt.  Towson's next drive into the fourth quarter saw Daniel Thompson IV convert a third and 16 with exactly 16 yards on a catch, then Watkins earning 15 yards on a catch, but Towson would have to punt and put URI on the 14-yard line. 
• Towson held after a 33-yard catch by Summers, as a URI punt pinned Towson on the five-yard line.  A three-and-out and short punt gave URI the ball on the Towson 40, where a first conversion set up a third and two.  Dion Crews-Harris and Gay stopped McKenzie for a two-yard loss.  Groff knocked down the 40-yard field goal to push the URI lead to 30-25 with 6:02 left.
• Each side exchanged a three-and-out as Sean Brown lined up at shotgun with 3:23 left at the Towson 34.  Towson came down the field on a Watkins rush an a couple of completions to Zay Perkins and Watkins to get to the URI 31.  With time ticking down, Towson faced fourth and three on the URI24.  Brown scrambled up the middle and gained 12 yards.  Two plays later, Brown got injured on a pass breakup, sending Scott Smith III to quarterback.  He handed off to Watkins for the 12-yard score.  Despite the two-point conversion failing, Towson led 31-30 with 41 seconds left.
• URI attempted a final push, converting a fourth and four on a 29-yard pass to Buchanan to reach the Towson 30, but time ran out before URI could get off a snap.  Towson won 31-30.

Inside the Numbers

• Towson earns a .500 record in CAA play this season.  The Tigers have been .500 or better in league play four of the last five fall seasons.
• This is the second time since 2016 that Towson has defeated Rhode Island on a last minute score.  On Nov. 19, 2016, a 55-yard field goal by Aidan O'Neill on the final play of the game gave Towson a 32-31 victory in Kingston.
• Tylen Wallace earns Towson's first fumble return for a touchdown since Troy Vincent Jr. returned a fumble off a kickoff return 14 yards for a score at Villanova on Sept. 15, 2018.
• Chris Watkins has at least one rushing touchdown of at least 34 yards in his last three games.
• With a rushing touchdown, Devin Matthews is tied for seventh all-time in Towson history with 23 career rushing touchdowns.
• Towson has twice faced a team which has had a running back carry the ball 30+ times.  Monmouth's Jaden Shirden rushed the ball 33 times vs. Towson on Sept. 9, 2023.
• In today's pregame, Towson honored 12 members of its senior class, playing their final game with the Tigers today.

- TowsonTigers.com –