NORFOLK, Va. - The Towson University football team saw a strong defense and a true freshman quarterback lead the Tigers to a 27-7 victory at Norfolk State, the program's first season opener victory since 2022.
 
With Towson (1-0) up 13-7 and facing a third and long with 11:06 to play and Norfolk State (0-1) having scored on the previous drive, Andrew Indorf found Zay Perkins for the 36-yard touchdown catch, effectively sealing the game for the Tigers.
 
Key Stats:

• The Towson defense held Norfolk State to just 39 yards rushing and kept the Spartans to 3-for-13 on third down conversions.
• Towson outgained Norfolk State 323-278 on offense.  Towson freshman quarterback Andrew Indorf threw 14-for-26 for 187 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.  His top target was John Dunmore, who had five receptions, 62 yards and a score, adding 18 yards on punt returns.
• On the ground, Kemarrion Battles rushed 16 times for 79 yards.
• The defense was led in tackles by Rodney Roane Jr. with seven, including a sack.  CJ McClendon finished with six tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss.
• For Norfolk State, Otto Kuhns was 19-for-27 for 219 yards, finding DreSean Kendrick 11 times for 125 yards.  David Ojiegbe tallied up five tackles and 2.5 sacks.

How it Happened

• Towson deferred and forced a three-and-out on Norfolk State.  Faced with a couple of third downs, freshman Andrew Indorf dropped a pass down to John Dunmore for 26 yards, then three plays later on a third and eight, Indorf found a wide open Jaceon Doss in the end zone for a 33-yard score and a 7-0 Towson lead with 10:37 left in the first.
• In their own red zone, Norfolk State was bottled up by Towson, including CJ McClendon sacking the quarterback for a five-yard loss to force a punt, allowing Towson to start on the NSU 47.  Towson went to Al Wooten II for three straight runs and a first, continuing to convert downs on runs with a burst of speed from Kemarrion Battles.  Towson was held up inside the 10, but Caden Williams knocked down the 24-yard field goal for a 10-0 Towson lead, 2:45 in the first.
• Another three-and-out forced by the Tiger defense and Towson got back to offense going into the second quarter.  Indorf marched Towson down, converting a first down on a scramble, but was stopped.  Williams knocked down a 50-yard field goal to make it 13-0 Towson, 10:41 in the 2^nd.
• Norfolk State got its best drive on the following push, getting into Towson territory on a couple of DreSean Kendrick catches to combine for 34 yards.  Facing fourth and two, Towson stopped the chance as X'Zavion Evans's rush was stopped for no gain and a turnover on downs.
• Towson was forced to a three-and-out after Indorf was sacked for the first appearance of Bryce LaFollette.  The Spartans came down the field and attempted a field goal, where Alfred Thomas blocked it and Towson remained up 13-0 at half.
• Into the third, Towson converted a fourth down after inducing an offsides by the Spartans and got into Norfolk territory but had to punt.  LaFollette kicked the ball to the 1, where it was downed to force Norfolk State to start there.  The Spartans got out with a pass interference and a pass across the middle, going to a hurry-up no-huddle.  Shamar Graham stopped a botched halfback fake pass, then Towson had a sack to stop the drive on the NSU 40.
• Again Towson was stifled, and again a big punt from LaFollette pinned NSU inside its red zone.  This led to Towson forcing a three and out and the Spartans punting.  But Towson was back on the defensive after a fumble on a rush, with the home team recovering on the Towson 43.
• Into the fourth quarter, Jaylen Laudermilk ran a sweep into the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown.  Towson led 13-7 with 14:17 left to play.
• Towson looked to regroup as Indorf got a drop-off pass to Bryce Butler then a burst of speed from Battles for 18 yards brought Towson into Norfolk territory.  Battles went again up the middle, dodging tackles for a first down to the Norfolk 26.  A holding penalty backed up Towson.  Facing third and long on the 36 and an early snap, Indorf found Zay Perkins in the corner of the end zone for a 36-yard score and a 20-7 Towson advantage with 11:06 left.
• After an exchange of possessions, Norfolk tried more tricks, including a fake pass and drop off run, which McClendon sniffed out and tackled the carrier for a six-yard loss.  Rodney Roane Jr. finished the chance with a sack and forced a Spartan punt from its own 4.
• Starting from the NSU33, Battles took the carries and ran for yards and for clock.  On another third down, Indorf hit John Dunmore in the end zone for the 15-yard score and a 27-7 Towson lead, 3:15 left.
• Norfolk State tried one final drive to get another score, getting to the one-yard line for first and goal.  The Spartans tried to run in four times, and four times the Tigers stifled them.  Towson took the victory 27-7. 

Inside the Numbers

• Towson starts a freshman quarterback in the season opener for the first time since redshirt freshman Sean Schaefer started the first game of 2005.
• Caden Williams earns the first 50-yard field goal for Towson since Aidan O'Neill hit a 50-yarder on Oct. 27, 2018 at Delaware.
• This is the first season opener victory for Towson under head coach Pete Shinnick, also being the first time Towson has opened against an FCS program under Shinnick. 
• Eight different Tigers made receptions tonight.
• It is the second straight year Towson has defeated Norfolk State in Virginia.  The Tigers beat the Spartans 28-23 last season.

Next Game

• Towson will get ready for The Battle for Greater Baltimore on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Morgan State at 7 p.m.