Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Towson University Athletics

Scoreboard

Now Loading: Football
Daniel Thompson IV
ENP Photography
21
Winner Norfolk St. NSU 2-2 , 0-0
14
Towson TOW 1-3 , 0-1
Winner
Norfolk St. NSU
2-2 , 0-0
21
Final
14
Towson TOW
1-3 , 0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
NSU Norfolk St. 7 0 14 0 21
TOW Towson 0 7 0 7 14

Game Recap: Football | | David Vatz and Dan O'Connell

Towson Football Drops Rain Soaked Game against Norfolk State

TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University football team faced a dominant rushing attack at Johnny Unitas® Stadium, falling to Norfolk State 21-14 on Saturday afternoon.
 
Towson (1-3) nearly came back from down two touchdowns vs. Norfolk State (2-2), but two third quarter touchdowns for the Spartans gave the visitors the win.  Towson had a chance on its final drive, but a pass to the end zone from the NSU 17 was broken up as time expired.
 
Key Stats:
  • Norfolk State ran for 350 yards on 54 carries, throwing just two passes in the second half in the victory.  Towson had 140 yards on their own on the ground.
  • The Tigers had the advantage in the passing game, having 201 yards in the air to Norfolk State's 93.
  • The Spartans had a 36:54 time of possession, including 20:30 in the second half, compared to 23:06 for Towson.
  • Nathan Kent was 21-for-36 on passing with 201 yards and an interception, adding 42 rushing yards and a score on the ground.  His primary target was Carter Runyon, who made six catches for 62 yards.  D'Ago Hunter had nine carries for 57 yards, adding 93 yards on four kickoff returns and 17 yards on punt returns.
  • Each Mason Woods and Makye Smith had eight tackles and a sack, with the former adding a forced fumble.
  • Josh Cupitt averaged 50.3 yards per punt on six punts to total 302 yards, placing two inside the 20.
  • For Norfolk State, eight different Spartans had multiple carries, led by Kevon King with 97 yards on 11 rushes.  Quarterback Otto Kuhns was 5-for-14 with 38 yards, a score and an interception, adding 70 rushing yards and a score on the ground.  Defensively, Terron Mallory led his team with seven tackles and an interception.
How it Happened
  • Towson looked to take advantage of an early 30-yard kickoff return by D'Ago Hunter as Nathan Kent found Carter Runyon twice for a combined 23 yards as Towson got to the 32, setting up fourth down and two yards.  Norfolk State stopped the runner just shy of the 30 to forced a turnover on downs.  A trick play saw wide receiver Aaron Moore throw 55 yards down to Jayden Homuth to get inside the red zone.  Two plays later, Owen Kuhns found Moore in the corner of the end zone for the 10-yard score and a 7-0 Norfolk lead with 11:34 left in the first.
  • Towson went three and out as Norfolk methodically drove down into Towson territory.  At third and eight from the Towson 44, Xavier Terry picked off a pass at the Towson 25 to prevent a Spartan scoring chance.
  • Nathan Kent led the charge down field, finding Lukkas Londono for 19 yards then sprinting for nine more to breaking into Norfolk's side of the field.  Faced with fourth and two, a dart across the middle for Zay Perkins for nine yards got a first down, but a fumble lost by Tyrell Greene got the ball back to Norfolk on its own 2. 
  • A Mason Woods sack fumble on Kuhns doomed Norfolk's drive, eventually forcing a punt.  Kent found Daniel Thompson IV for 27 yards as Towson then went to the ground game.  Hunter broke for 12 yards, then Kent finished the drive with a 14-yard run and a touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 with 12:15 to go in the first half.
  • Norfolk's next drive was extended by a penalty, but a punt eventually came, but Towson then went three-and-out.  X'Zavion Evans and Kevon King combined for 52 yards on four rushes to get the visitors down to the Towson 9.  On third down, Makye Smith sacked Kuhns to force a field goal attempt.  A botched snap forced the holder to run, where Jamal Gay took down the ball-carrier to force a turnover on downs.
  • A 19-yard catch by Runyon was not enough to spark the drive further as Norfolk State took over after a touchback.  The Spartans converted a third and 18 on an Evans 21-yard rush, but Towson stopped a Norfolk drive as the two sides went into the locker room tied at 7-7.
  • With the rain coming down, Norfolk went to the ground game.  Four players into its drive on third and short, Kuhns broke down the sideline for 67 yards and a touchdown, giving the visitors a 14-7 lead with 12:46 to go in the third.
  • Towson went three-and-out as Norfolk again scored exclusively off its rushing attack.  On the seventh play of the drive, King burst for 42 yards to get to the Towson 16, then Jaylen White went the rest of the way for a 21-7 visitors' lead with 7:16 to left in the quarter.
  • Another Towson three-and-out led Norfolk to get back possession and again come down the field with short rushes.  At midfield, Dion Crew-Harris and Brockman Wallace stacked up the ball-carrier twice to stop the drive.  Into the fourth quarter, Towson took over at its own 15 and had three straight pass completions to go 37 yards, but an interception at the Norfolk 38 returned possession to the Spartans.
  • Towson's defense held firm and did not allow a first down, taking back over on its own 27.  A Hunter 13-yard burst helped spark the drive as Kent made short completions to get Towson to the other half of the field, but a Miguel Rijo sack stopped Towson's momentum.  Josh Cupitt punted to the Norfolk 15.
  • Again Towson's defense came through, then a shanked punt of four yards gave Towson a big opportunity.  After a Kent four-yard rush, Devin Matthews hit the hole for 10 yards and a touchdown.  Towson trailed 21-14 with 5:02 to play.
  • Norfolk drove down to the Towson 25 to try to run down clock, with Towson forcing an incompletion for a turnover on downs.  With 2:15 to go, Kent's short passes got Towson in good position, including an eight-yard completion to Brady McElhaney into Norfolk territory.  With the clock winding down, a 16-yard rush by Kent and an 11-yard rush by Hunter set Towson up to the Norfolk 18.  Towson had one last chance on the Norfolk 17, but the pass was broken up as time expired.  Towson fell 21-14.
Inside the Numbers
  • Eight different Tigers had completions on the day, with six having multiple receptions.
  • Josh Cupitt had four punts of 50+ yards, including a 60-yard punt.  He has the first 60-yard punt since Riley Williams had a 60-yard punt on Oct. 1, 2022 at Delaware.
Next Game
  • Towson returns to Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play on Saturday, Sept. 30, challenging No. 11/12 New Hampshire on the road at 3 p.m.
- TowsonTigers.com – 
Print Friendly Version