TOWSON, Md. - For the second week in a row, the nationally-ranked Tigers will face another nationally-ranked Colonial Athletic Association opponent when the No. 17 Tigers (4-1, 2-0) visit No. 18 Old Dominion University (5-1, 2-1) at Foreman Field. Kickoff for ODU's Homecoming Game is set for 3:30 p.m.
The game will be broadcast back to the Baltimore area on WNST-Radio (1570 AM) with Spiro Morekas, Ron Meehan and Dayne Buttafuoco calling the action.
The Tigers are coming off a dramatic 31-28 victory over No. 14 Richmond last week. It was the Tigers' second win over a nationally-ranked team this season. In September, the Tigers trimmed No. 20 Villanova, 31-20.
In the win over Richmond, sophomore D.J. Soven kicked a 27-yard field goal on the final play of the game. Freshman Terrance West led the Tigers offensively as he ran for a career high 128 yards on 21 carries and scored all four Tiger touchdowns. With his four touchdowns, West became only the seventh player in school history to score four touchdowns in a game.
For the fourth time this season, the Tigers ran for more than 200 yards in a game. The Tigers, who are ranked second in the CAA while averaging 227.60 rushing yards per game, ran for 241 yards on 40 attempts against the Spiders.
Balance has been the trademark of the Tigers' running game this season. Although the Tigers are second in the CAA in team rushing, they have only one individual ranked among the top ten rushing leaders in the CAA. Averaging 60.4 yards per game, West is ranked eighth in the CAA. He has also scored nine touchdowns this season and leads the CAA.
Junior tailback Dominique Booker is the Tigers' second-leading rusher with 241 yards on 46 carries. He is averaging 5.2 yards per carry and has scored two touchdowns. Sophomore tailback Sterlin Phifer, who sat out the Richmond game, will be celebrating his own Homecoming this week since he grew up in the Tidewater area. Sophomore quarterback Grant Enders has also run the ball well. He has rushed for 154 yards on 25 carries and scored two touchdowns. He is averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Enders is also ranked fourth in NCAA FCS with a 166.21 pass efficiency rating. He has completed 59 of 79 passes for 712 yards and five touchdowns. He is completing 74.7 per cent of his passes.
The Tiger defense, which ranks among the NCAA FCS leaders by allowing 17.2 points per game, will be tested by an explosive Old Dominion offense which is scoring 37.0 points per game. The Monarchs have scored 28 touchdowns to lead the CAA and they are averaging 408.8 yards per contest.
"This is another tough Colonial Athletic Association game for us," says Coach Rob Ambrose. "It's the same type of team we've played, just different colors. Every week in the CAA is a battle. It doesn't matter who we are playing. Playing down there is a challenge. There are a few venues in the CAA that are difference makers and this one is a huge difference maker. It is amazing what they have done."
The Tigers' game at Old Dominion is their first trip outside the state of Maryland this season. In their first five games, the Tigers have played at home four times and played at the University of Maryland in College Park, a 47-mile trip.
The Tigers have seven Virginia natives on their roster and many of them play prominent roles.
Three of the Tigers' tailbacks are from Virginia. In addition to Phifer, junior Tremayne Dameron is a Virginia native. Booker played at Hermitage H.S.
One of the Tiger co-captains, junior linebacker Danzel White of Manassas, Va. is second on the team with 38 tackles. Sophomore Anthony Davis of Midlothian, Va. has started four of five games at left guard this season and he has played very well.
A pair of red-shirt freshmen, tight end Daniel Vaughan of Chesapeake, Va. and linebacker Derek Wright of Suffolk, Va., round out the Tigers' contingent of Virginians on the roster.
Junior safety Jordan Dangerfield leads the Tiger defense with 47 tackles in five games. He ranks eighth in the CAA and is second among CAA defensive backs. Dangerfield also has one interception and a fumble recovery. He is also tied for the CAA with two forced fumbles.
Junior defensive end Frank Beltre is also having a very good season for the Tigers. Beltre leads all CAA defensive linemen with 6.6 tackles per game. Beltre has made 33 tackles in five games and ranks fifth in the CAA with six tackles for lost yardage.
The Tigers will be facing Old Dominion for the first time ever. Old Dominion is a third-year football program that is playing its first season in the CAA.
After the Tigers' visit to Old Dominion, they will play a second consecutive game in the Tidewater area when they visit William & Mary on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 3:30 p.m.
TIGER TALES: Towson and Old Dominion are two of eight CAA teams that are ranked in the Top 25 this week ... Last week, the CAA became the first FCS conference to have eight teams ranked in the same week ... In addition to No. 18 Old Dominion and No. 17 Towson, New Hampshire is ranked sixth and Delaware is ninth ... No. 12 Maine, No. 13 James Madison, No. 16 William & Mary, and No. 20 Richmond are also ranked among the NCAA FCS Top 25.
Towson and Old Dominion rank among the top teams in the CAA in turnover margin ... While Maine leads the CAA with a plus-seven turnover ratio, Old Dominion is second with a plus-four ... Towson and Delaware are tied for third with plus-three turnover ratios.
Old Dominion has generated 15 turnovers in six games while turning the ball over 12 times ... The Tigers, who played a turnover-free game against Richmond, have generated ten turnovers ... Towson has only turned the ball over seven times and four of those turnovers came in the same game, a 28-3 loss at Maryland.
With a 2-0 CAA record, the Tigers are part of a three-way tie for first place in the conference ... Maine (4-1, 2-0) and New Hampshire (4-1, 2-0) are also tied for first place ... ODU (5-1, 2-1), Delaware (4-2, 2-1) and James Madison (4-2, 2-1) are all tied for fourth place, one-half game back.
This is the first time that the Tigers have started a CAA season with a 2-0 record ... The Tigers joined the league in 2004.
