TOWSON, Md. - Here are ten things that every fan should know before they watch the Tigers' Colonial Athletic Association opener against Villanova.
#1 - Top-Ranked: Villanova was the number one-ranked team in NCAA FCS when the Wildcats hosted the Tigers last season in the CAA opener. Prior to the game, the Wildcats celebrated their 2009 national championship. The Tigers have played the number one-ranked team in NCAA FCS three years in a row, facing #1 James Madison in 2008, #1 Richmond in 2009 and top-ranked Villanova last season.
#2 - Sterlin Phifer: Sophomore Sterlin Phifer, who wears number two for the Tigers had a very impressive debut for the Tigers last week as the Boston College transfer rushed for 59 yards on 13 carries with one touchdown.
#3 - 3rd Down: On 3rd down against Morgan State, the Tigers were a remarkable 12-for-16 last week.
#4 - 4 Straight Wins: Villanova has won the last four meetings between the teams after losing two of the first three games to the Tigers. Although the Wildcats have posted one-sided wins the last two years, the streak started with a 14-12 victory in 2007 and a 34-31 nail-biter in 2008.
#5 - 5 Nationally-Ranked Teams: Villanova is one of five nationally-ranked NCAA FCS teams that the Tigers will face this season.
#6 - 6 Red Zone Touchdowns: In their win over Morgan State, the Tigers were 6-for-6 inside the Red Zone as they scored 6 touchdowns on 6 drives that averaged 74 yards.
#7 - 7 Tackles By DiSanzo: In the season-opening victory over Morgan State, newcomer Alexander DiSanzo made a team high seven tackles. A transfer from Boston College, DiSanzo was the only defensive player making his first start for the Tigers last week.
#8 - 8th Meeting Between Schools: The Tigers and Villanova will be meeting for the eighth time this evening. The series started in 2004 when Towson joined the Atlantic-10 Football Conference, which became CAA Football in 2007.
#9 - 9 All-CAA Players Lost: Villanova lost 9 All-Colonial Athletic Association selections to graduation at the end of last season, a year in which the Wildcats reached the NCAA FCS semi-finals.
#10 - 10 Rushing Attempts: In their win over Morgan State, the Tigers displayed a balanced running game as three Tigers had at least ten rushing attempts. Dominique Booker ran for 60 yards on 11 carries and had a career long 32-yard run. In his first game as a Tiger, Sterlin Phifer had 13 carries for 59 yards and scored a touchdown. Another newcomer, Trea Jones, carried the ball 10 times for 28 yards.
