TOWSON, Md. - For the second year in a row, a road game against a Big Ten Conference opponent in the season opener highlights Towson University's 11-game football schedule, it has been announced by Director of Athletics Mike Hermann.
The Tigers, who will be facing an NCAA FBS opponent for the third straight year, will open their 2010 schedule with a visit to Bloomington, Indiana on Thursday, September 2 to face the Hoosiers. Towson opened the 2009 season at Northwestern University and played Navy in the 2008 opener.
The Tigers' eight-game Colonial Athletic Association schedule features five different teams which have won NCAA FCS national championships since 1998.
With the Colonial Athletic Association now a ten-team league, each CAA school will play eight league games. Because Northeastern and Hofstra discontinued their football programs, the CAA eliminated divisional play for the 2010 season. Each CAA school will play all but one CAA opponent. The Tigers will not play William & Mary in 2010.
Indiana is one of three non-conference opponents on the Tigers' schedule. Towson will also host Coastal Carolina and visit Columbia University.
After opening the 2010 season at Indiana, Coach Rob Ambrose and the Tigers will open their home schedule against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, September 11 at Johnny Unitas® Stadium.
On September 18, the Tigers will open their CAA schedule by visiting Villanova, the defending NCAA FCS national champion. The Wildcats defeated Montana to win the national title last month.
The Tigers, who played the sixth toughest schedule in NCAA FCS last season, conclude their non-conference action on September 25 when they visit Columbia, a member of the Ivy League.
Towson resumes its CAA schedule on October 2 when the Tigers host Massachusetts, the 1998 national champion. The Tigers also host James Madison, the 2004 national champion, on October 9. The Tigers' home game against JMU will be part of Family Weekend.
After a bye week, the Tigers visit Richmond, the 2008 national champion, on October 23. On October 30, the Tigers host Rhode Island in their annual Homecoming Game.
After a visit to Delaware, the 2003 national champion, on November 6, the Tigers host Maine in their home finale on November 13. The Tigers close out their schedule on November 20 at the University of New Hampshire. UNH has made six straight appearances in the NCAA FCS Playoffs, the longest streak in the nation.
TIGER TALES: Towson will be starting its seventh season of play in the CAA ... For the first time since joining the CAA in 2004, Towson will not be facing James Madison in the season finale ... The teams will be meeting for the 23rd time when they match up on October 9 ... The 23rd meeting makes the Towson-JMU game the Tigers' most-frequently played series ... The Tigers will be facing Coastal Carolina for the third time in a series that is tied at one win each ... When Towson visits Columbia, it will be the fourth meeting between the Tigers and the Lions, a series that Columbia leads by a 2-1 margin.
Sept. 2 - at Indiana University
Sept. 11 - COASTAL CAROLINA
Sept. 18 - at Villanova *
Sept. 25 - at Columbia
Oct. 2 - MASSACHUSETTS *
Oct. 9 - JAMES MADISON * (Family Weekend)
Oct. 23 - at Richmond *
Oct. 30 - RHODE ISLAND * (Homecoming)
Nov. 6 - at Delaware *
Nov. 13 - MAINE *
Nov. 20 - at New Hampshire *
* Colonial Athletic Association games
