Delaware State University Hornets (0-2; 0-0 MEAC)
vs. Towson Tigers (0-2; 0-0 CAA)
Sat., Sep. 13, 2014 – 2 p.m.
Alumni Stadium | Dover, Del.
Hall-of-Fame Day
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THE GAME
Delaware State welcomes 2013 FCS national runner-up Towson University to Alumni Stadium for the Hornets' 2014 home opener in a battle of teams seeking their first win of the season. DSU (0-2 overall; 0-0 MEAC) is coming off a 27-9 loss to Delaware last Sunday. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, but postponed for a day due to severe thunderstorms. The Hornets were only down 7-3 after a 26-yard field goal by Mitchell Ward with 11:29 left in the second quarter. Delaware answered by scoring 20 unanswered points, beginning with a touchdown on the ensuing possession. The Hens led 27-3 before DSU's Malcolm Williams closed out the scoring on a 14-yard touchdown run with 5:16 left to play. Williams led the Hornets with 100 yards rushing on 18 carries, his third career 100-yard game. He also caught four passes for 41 yards. Hornet wide receiver Milton Williams III had four receptions for 90 yards, highlighted by spectacular 38-and-41 yard catches. Williams III has 10 catches for 211 yards and a touchdown in the Hornets' two games. DSU quarterback Gilbert Rivera, a junior college transfer (E. Los Angeles CC) who joined the team at the start of summer camp, has taken every snap for the Hornets so far this season. Rivera has connected on 29-of-52 passes (55.8%) for 329 yards and a touchdown. He has thrown two interceptions. Delaware State freshman linebacker Malik Harris was named MEAC Rookie-of-the-Week after recording six tackles, five solo, including two behind the line-of-scrimmage in the Delaware contest.
Towson (0-0; 0-0 CAA) fell to 0-2 for the first time since 1991 after a 54-0 setback to FBS West Virginia last Saturday, the first time that the Tigers have been shutout since 2010. Towson managed just 122 total yards, while allowing 606 to the Mountaineers in the contest. The Tigers opened the 2014 season with a 31-27 home loss to Central Connecticut on August 30. Darius Victor leads the Tigers with 132 yards rushing on 27 carries (4.9 ypc). Quarterback Conner Frazier has completed 21-of-43 passes (48.8%) for 185 yards and a touchdown. Frazier has been effective as a runner, rushing for 77 yards and two touchdowns on 21 attempts. Towson was ranked seventh in the 2014 preseason FCS Coaches poll and 13th in the SportsNetwork poll of Top 25 FCS teams. The Tigers were 13-3 overall and advanced to the FCS national championship game before falling to North Dakota State.
THE HEAD COACHES
Delaware State | Kermit Blount (Winston-Salem State, 80): Blount is in his fourth season as head coach of the Hornets. He has a 14-21 overall (11-13 MEAC) at DSU. Now in his 21st year as a collegiate head coach, he has a career record of 105-107-3 (.488). Prior to accepting the DSU post, he was 91-87-3 in 17 years as head coach at Winston-Salem State University. Blount led WSSU to two CIAA championships and three league title game appearances. He was named CIAA Coach-of-the-Year in 1999 & 2000. Blount is 0-1 vs. Towson, falling to the Tigers in 2013.
Towson | Rob Ambrose I Towson, '93): The former Towson star player is in his sixth season as head coach of the Tigers. He has a 32-33 overall record, highlighted by a 13-3 mark and national FCS championship game appearance in 2013. His Tigers captured the Colonial Athletic Association championship in 2011 and the co-championship in 2012. His 2011 squad also competed in the NCAA Playoffs. That season, he was honored as the CAA Coach-of-the-Year. Ambrose also served as an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut for seven years.
THE SERIES (Towson leads 10-6)
The Hornets and Tigers are meeting for the second year in a row. Towson won last season's contest 49-7 in Towson, Md. The Tigers scored five touchdowns in their first seven possessions and were never seriously threatened. Towson All-America running back Terrance West rushed for five touchdowns, while Delaware State receiver Milton Williams III had nine catches for 105 yards and the Hornets' lone touchdown in the contest. Delaware State and Towson met 15 times between 1980 and 1994. Including the 2013 contest, Towson has won the last three meetings between the teams to open up a 10-6 series lead. Delaware State won three straight from 1990 to 92. The Hornets are 4-3 all-time vs. Towson at Alumni Stadium, including a 27-13 victory the last time they hosted the Tigers in Dover in 1992.
