This year marks the 50^th anniversary of Towson University's appearance in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, an event that proved also to be an awakening that helped put the Tigers on the college football map nationally, regionally and most importantly, locally.

In 1976 America was celebrating its 200^th birthday as a nation. Meanwhile, a fledgling Towson football team was kicking off its eighth season of intercollegiate competition with high hopes buoyed by a veteran lineup, a talented defense and an All-American quarterback to direct an offense that was affectionately tagged, "Air Albert." Two years prior in 1974 the Tigers had played to an undefeated, 10-0 record. But the NCAA overlooked Towson when it picked the eight teams to compete in its Division III tournament, citing its strength of schedule compared to other schools. Determined to fix that, the Tigers beefed up their schedule to prove themselves worthy of more consideration. The plan worked, allowing Towson an opportunity to play for a national championship. 

THE PLAYERS
Nowadays Tiger football players hail from all over the country, and even out of it, but in the program's early years their squads were almost exclusively homegrown. In 1976 coach Phil Albert took his entire team of 49 players to the Stagg Bowl. Forty-four called the Free State of Maryland home. Of that number 32 attended high school less than a 45-minute drive from the Towson campus. Nine of the starters were out of two local schools. Nearby Calvert Hall, arguably the most popular feeder school contributing to Tiger Football over the years, sent linebacker Paul Nelson, offensive guard Ernie Paskoff, defensive tackle Donnie Redman, linebacker Don Welsh and safety Paul White. Kenwood High School, 12.1 miles from 8000 York Road, was represented by wide receiver Bill McDonald, offensive tackle Dean Prudhoe, safety John Rosson and nose guard Joe Waggoner.
The five out-of-state players were one each from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. Tailback Mike Maloney out of Rye, N.Y. had the longest drive home for the holidays of any Towson player that year.

By stark contrast, the 2026 edition of Tiger football lists 102 players residing from 17 states and Washington, D.C. Maryland still tops the list with 45 native sons followed by Pennsylvania 10, Florida and New Jersey 7, New York 3, Texas and Georgia 2, Washington, D.C. 2, and one each from North Carolina, Indiana, West Virginia, Alabama, Missouri, Delaware, New Hampshire, Michigan and Ohio.

The biggest player on the '76 team was 6-3, 245 lb. defensive tackle, Eldridge Haley who would be honored as ABC's Stagg Bowl Defensive Player of the Game. Towson's starting offensive line (right tackle Dean Prudhoe, right guard Pat Moore, center Jim Holdridge, left guard Mark Averi and right tackle Greg Hendren) averaged 221 pounds. Conversely, the 2026 edition tips the scales at an average of 302 pounds.

Two players, quarterback Dan Dullea and tight end Skip Chase, became Towson's first football All-Americans. Both were named to Kodak's First Team. Chase was also selected second team AP College Division All-American. Several undrafted players had free agent tryouts. Even though the program was still in its infancy in the mid-seventies, the NFL was taking notice. The Baltimore Colts penned Chase to a free agent contract, making him the first Tiger to sign anything with a NFL franchise. Chase went to camp with the Colts and LA Rams before spending one year with Winnipeg in the Canadian Football League. Safety Paul White had a try with the New England Patriots. Later, kicker Randy Bielski would spend time with the Baltimore Colts.

Since 1976 former players such as Sean Landeta, Stan Eisenhooth, David Meggett, Tony Vinson, Jermon Bushrod, Terrance West, Tye Smith and Carter Runyon have followed the trail blazed by the Stagg Bowl crew. Despite all the differences they share a common bond.

 They're all Tigers.

THE 1976 REGULAR SEASON
After the first four games the Tigers were a disappointing 2-2. However, even in defeat they displayed a toughness that would continue to serve them well as the season progressed.

The Tigers blitzed UMES 30-0 in the opener, limiting the Hawks to 39 yards on the ground while coming away with three interceptions. Towson then dropped a cliff hanger to James Madison 28-26 in a mistake riddled contest that saw the Tigers give up a safety, an interception returned for a touchdown and a late lost fumble on the Dukes' 10-yard line that killed a game-winning drive.

Towson amassed 531 yards of total offense in the third outing enroute to a surprise 49-15 rout of nemesis Randolph-Macon, earning the Tigers' just their second victory over the Yellow Jackets in the eight-game series. A steady rain made for miserable playing conditions in the fourth game as Guilford College eked out a 7-6 win over the Tigers. Guilford completed one pass in the game, a 50-yard bomb that went for a third period touchdown. That would be the last TD Towson would yield for the next 19 quarters.

The defense held Frostburg to 47 yards of total offense in yet another rain-soaked affair with the Tigers prevailing 12-0 that initiated the eight-game winning streak that would take them to the Stagg Bowl.

Glassboro State boasted the number one passing attack in NCAA Division III but the Tigers weren't impressed, holding the Profs to six completions in 31 attempts while intercepting the visitors twice in a 21-3 victory. Bowie State suffered a similar fate in the next outing as the Tigers' defense frustrated the Bulldogs, who went 16 of 47 passing, in a 30-0 affair.

Salisbury State was averaging 290 yards per game rushing but once again, the Tigers weren't impressed, holding the Sea Gulls to 158 yards in a 21-3 Towson victory. The win was the Tigers' fourth over a Maryland state college opponent. Salisbury's field goal was the only score Towson gave up against those four opponents as the Tigers beat the Free State group by a combined score of 93-3.

Ninth-ranked Hampden-Sydney snapped the Tigers' string of quarters without allowing a touchdown but it wasn't enough as Towson scored first and was never headed in a 26-7 victory. The win over a ranked opponent vaulted the Tigers into the national rankings for the first time ever as they were mentioned among the also-rans.

Encouraged by the national attention, Towson ran over Cheyney State, piling up a then single game program record 304 rushing yards in a convincing 32-14 victory over a Division II opponent. Towson's defense ended the regular season by allowing only 77 points. That achievement included holding opponents to just 27 second half points. The selection committee was impressed with the Cheyney State victory in addition to the six-game stretch winning streak, awarding the 8-2 Tigers a spot in the eight-team race that would determine the 1976 Division III national champion.

THE POSTSEASON
Towson traveled to Greenvale, N.Y. where the Tigers faced a formidable quarterfinal opponent in C.W. Post. The Pioneers, winners of the prestigious Lambert Cup, boasted an 8-2 record that included wins over Northeastern, Hofstra, Bucknell and AIC. They were led by linebacker John Mohring who would go on to an All-Pro NFL career with the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns. Trailing 10-7 in the fourth quarter, safety Randy Bielski recovered a Pioneer fumble on the Post 23. Four plays later tailback Mike Maloney (Rye, N.Y) put the Tigers on top 14-10 on a one-yard plunge with 4:01 left in the game.  A Paul White interception with 10 seconds remaining left the Pioneers short, sealing the victory for the Tigers who were off to the semifinals.

Selected as the ECAC Team of the Year, St. Lawrence University brought a 9-1 record to Burdick Field. Averaging 30.2 points per game, the Saints only defeat was a 3-2 loss to Alfred College. The semifinal proved to be a shootout. Nine of the touchdowns were scored through the air. The Tigers jumped out to a 17-0 lead and were never headed, holding off the Saints for a 38-36 victory to punch their ticket to the Stagg Bowl.

The title game was played in Phenix City, Ala. It represented the farthest the Tigers had ever traveled for a road game. In those early times it was no frills football. The entire team would pack into one charter bus. On the overnights the players slept four to a room. The NCAA came to the rescue on the Stagg Bowl trip. The Tigers flew to Phenix City, marking the first flight for many players, and they stayed just two to a room.

While they worked hard to earn their two playoff wins, the Tigers' Stagg Bowl opponent, St. John's University of Collegeville, Minn., bullied its way into the game. The Johnnies thumped Augusta 46-7 and then dominated Buena Vista, crushing the Iowa bunch 61-0 to outscore those two semifinalists 107-7. When asked by a reporter if he would predict a score for the upcoming title game, Tiger head coach Phil Albert replied, "I don't predict scores but I can guarantee you one thing, it won't be 61 zip."

Going up against the top scoring offense in Division III (42.5 ppg) and the total offense leader (451.8 ypg), the underdog Tigers faced a formidable challenge. For the first three quarters St. John's lived up to its tough reputation and assumed a 28-0 lead, scoring three rushing touchdowns and one through the air. As if to say they'd had enough, the Tigers mounted a rally, scoring four times in the final 13 minutes of the game, including three passing TD's and one rushing to knot the score at 28-28 with 34 seconds remaining. After the ensuing kickoff, the Johnnies completed a 58-yard pass to set up a walk-off 19-yard field goal for the 31-28 victory and the national championship.

The Stagg Bowl was carried regionally on ABC-TV, marking Towson's first-ever televised appearance.  Former Michigan State head coach Duffy Daugherty, the broadcast's analyst, said postgame, "That was one of the most exciting and dramatic college football games I've ever seen."

Although the '76 Tigers came up short of a national championship, their success provided the foundation for the program's growth, creating a buzz that helped launch Tiger Football to higher levels. Two years after the Stagg Bowl the Tigers left Burdick Field for their new stadium, a 5,000-seat facility with lights. In 1979 Towson moved to Division II, making the playoffs three times in eight years. In 1987 the program transitioned to I-AA, known today as the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Tigers have earned three trips to the FCS playoffs thus far. In 2013 Towson made its second appearance in a national title game, bowing to North Dakota State. Towson maintains the distinction of being the only NCAA football program to have participated in all three (NCAA III, II, FCS) post-season playoffs. And the Tigers now call the 11,198-seat Johnny Unitas Stadium their home.