PressBox: College Sports Archive: September / October 2011

College Sports Archive: September / October 2011

Stanford Leaps Boise State In BCS
Stanford's 56-48 triple overtime win over USC gave the Cardinal its first win over a ranked team – and it also helped Andrew Luck and Company leap Boise State for the No. 4 spot in the BCS Rankings.

Terps Lose Fourth Straight Game
In just the latest setback during Randy Edsall's tumultuous first season as Maryland's head coach, the Terrapins fell to what had been a struggling Boston College team, 28-17, Saturday afternoon at Byrd Stadium.

Towson Loses Early Lead, Falls To Delaware
Anything can happen during a rivalry game. The No. 13 Towson Tigers (6-2, 4-1 CAA) gave up their share of the conference lead Saturday, falling to the No. 21 Delaware Blue Hens (5-4, 3-3 CAA), 35-30.

Local College Football Roundup
Follow all the local college football action as Maryland faces Boston COllege, Navy takes on Notre Dame and Towson matches up against Delaware, plus Morgan State, Johns Hopkins and Stevenson.

Notre Dame Is Must-Win For Navy
Coach Ken Niumatalolo's Navy football team needs some luck. What better place to find it than at the home of the Fighting Irish: Notre Dame.

Towon Enters Delaware Game With Highest Ranking Ever
Weathering through the meat of their Colonial Athletic Association schedule, the No. 13 Towson Tigers host their archnemesis Saturday, the No. 21 Delaware Blue Hens.

Blue Jays Can Clinch Share Of Conference Title
If the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays defeat Ursinus at home Saturday, they will clinch at least a share of the Centennial title, as well as the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.

Morgan Seeking Third Straight Win At Delaware State
Saturday's Morgan State-Delaware State matchup features two teams coming off bye weeks, but heading in opposite directions.

Stevenson, FDU-Florham Battle For First Conference Win
After two home games, Stevenson football is leaving the confines of Mustang Stadium to play at FDU-Florham Oct. 29.

Terps Lacking Consistency At QB
Just days after C.J. Brown appeared entrenched as Maryland's quarterback for the foreseeable future, the Terrapins' suddenly never-ending quarterback carousel continues.

Questions Abound With NFL Draft Still Months Away
With the NFL Draft still months away, Matt Zenitz looks at the top quarterbacks beyond Andrew Luck and a few local products who could hear their names called in April.

Towson's Enders, West Earn Weekly Honors
After leading Towson to a 38-27 win over William & Mary, sophomore quarterback Grant Enders (Old Mill H.S./Millersville, Md.) and freshman tailback Terrance West (Northwestern H.S./Baltimore, Md.) have been honored as winners of two of the Colonial Athletic Association's weekly awards.

BCS: Alabama, LSU On Collision Course
Two weeks before SEC rivals LSU and Alabama are set to face-off on the field, the Tigers and Crimson Tide sit atop the BCS and AP polls.

This Week In Local College Football
John Hopkins defeated Gettysburg College, 83-21 (yes, 83-21), to win their 12th straight game and cement their place atop the Centennial Conference standings.

Brown Looks To Build On Strong Start
In his first career start, C.J. Brown rushed for 162 yards -- a Maryland school record among quarterbacks -- threw for another 177 yards and tallied four touchdowns -- three passing and one rushing. Can he lead the Terps to a win at Florida State?

Towson Travels To Face William And Mary
After last weekend's win against Old Dominion, the No. 15 Towson Tigers share the lead in the Colonial Athletic Association, hold their highest NCAA FCS ranking ever and travel to face No. 14 William and Mary this weekend.

Can Navy Right Its Sinking Ship?
Mired in a four-game losing streak -- their worst since 2002 -- the Midshipmen have a chance to get back on track at home Saturday against East Carolina.

Hopkins Faces Tough Test Traveling To Gettsyburg
It will be a battle of the top two Centennial Conference teams Saturday when John Hopkins takes its 11-game winning streak to Gettysburg College.

Stevenson Seeks To Snap Losing Skid
Still looking for their first conference win, the Stevenson Mustangs wrap up a two-game homestand when they host Lycoming Oct. 22.

Hopkins' Tomlin Earns Weekly Honor
For the second time this season, Johns Hopkins senior quarterback Hewitt Tomlin has been named the Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

Pickett Gives Terps Speed Option
Although slightly undersized -- 5-foot-10, 175 pounds -- freshman running back Justus Pickett has consistently showcased an ability to be a big-play weapon in the Terrapins' backfield.

LSU Tops First BCS Poll
The first BCS poll of the season is out, and SEC West rivals LSU and Alabama sit at No. 1 and 2, respectively.

Terps Fall Short Against Clemson
The Terrapins led 35-17 early during the third quarter, but were outscored, 39-10, during the game's final 25 minutes to fall to No. 8 Clemson, 56-45.

Navy Seeks Higher Gear After Standard Slow Start
Mediocre starts have become commonplace in Annapolis, but October is when the Midshipmen truly round into form.

Blue Jays Flying High Behind Veteran Lineup
Johns Hopkins, which has won or shared the Centennial Conference football title for six of the last nine years, was expected to be among the contenders for an NCAA Division III playoff berth, and the Blue Jays are living up to expectations.

ACC Additions Could Mean Recruiting Boom For Terps
By swiping Syracuse and Pittsburgh from conference neighbors to the north, the ACC leaped feet first into the super-conference era.

Towson's Ambrose Stirs Rare Winning Formula
Towson coach Rob Ambrose is leading the Tigers through a season of converting apathetics and cynics into believe.

This Week In Local College Football
Follow all the action in local college football as Navy faces Rutgers and Maryland hosts Clemson, plus Towson, Johns Hopkins, Morgan State and Stevenson.

Struggling Midshipmen Face Rutgers
If Navy wants to turn around its season, the time is now. Unfortunately for the 2-3 Midshipmen, they are facing a Rutgers team that is 4-1 (2-0 in the Big East).

O'Brien's Starting Spot In Jeopardy
Just days after pulling struggling starter Danny O'Brien in favor of backup C.J. Brown during Saturday's loss to Georgia Tech, Maryland coach Randy Edsall declined to name his starting quarterback for this weekend's matchup with No. 8 Clemson.

Towson Tigers Make First Out-of-state Trip
Coming off a nail-biting win against No. 14 Richmond, the No. 17 Tigers (4-1, 2-0 Colonial Athletic Association) will visit No. 18 Old Dominion (5-1, 2-1 CAA) Saturday.

Bears Visiting Eagles For First Time In 30 Years
Morgan State kicks off a three game road trip this weekend when the Bears travel to face new conference member North Carolina Central.

Hopkins Hunting For 11th Straight Win
The undefeated Blue Jays kick off this weekend in local college football with a Friday-night home game against Dickinson.

Stevenson Mustangs Saddle Up For Tough Ride
Stevenson football faces a tough challenge after last week's bye when it welcomes Widener to Mustang Stadium on Saturday.

MSU QB Seth Higgins Honored As Rookie Of The Week
True freshman quarterback Seth Higgins of Morgan State University was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week.

Terps' Joe Vellano Garners ACC POW Honors
Maryland's Joe Vellano was honored by the Atlantic Coast Conference for his play in Saturday's 21-16 loss at No. 13 Georgia Tech. The junior racked up a career-high 20 tackles in the game, including 14 solo stops and a tackle for loss.

AP Top 10 Stays The Same
The Associated Press saw no change in its top 10 this week -- but it is a shocking poll for another reason. For the first time since 1982, there is not a team from Florida in the AP top 25.

Towson Beats Richmond, 31-28
No. 25 Towson (4-1, 2-0 CAA) topped Richmond (3-3, 0-3 CAA), 31-28, as the Tigers remain undefeated at home and perfect against Colonial Athletic Association opponents.

This Week In Local College Football
Catch up on the results from this weekend's local college football matchups, including the Terps' 21-6 loss to No. 13 Georgia Tech.

Terrapins Entering Tough Stretch
Maryland may have snapped a two-game losing streak with its win against Towson on Saturday, but coach Randy Edsall said his Terrapins still had a long way to go.

Navy To Face Tough Golden Eagles Defense
Looking to avoid their first three-game skid since 2002, the Midshipmen will host Southern Mississippi Saturday.

Battle Of Ranked Teams As Towson Hosts Richmond
For the first time in 2011, two ranked teams -- No. 25 Towson and No. 14 Richmond -- will meet at Johnny Unitas Stadium in CAA action.

Morgan Hosts Savannah State For Bears' Homecoming
After a disappointing loss at home last week, Morgan State gets a chance to put on a better show for its fans during its homecoming game against Savannah State.

JHU Up To No. 16 In Division III Poll
Fresh off a 34-0 victory at Juniata, the Johns Hopkins football team jumped four spots to No. 16 in this week's American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Poll.

NFL Draft Report: Baylor's Griffin Tormenting Defenses
Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin continues to establish himself as both a legitimate Heisman contender as well as a player that could warrant a first-round pick come April.

Terps Top Towson Tigers, 28-3
Randy Edsall's Maryland Terrapins came on strong in the second half, scoring 21 unanswered to defeat the Towson Tigers, 28-3, in the teams' first-ever meeting.

SEC Sits 1-2 In AP Top 25
Last week, LSU leaped Oklahoma to claim to top spot in the Associated Press Top 25. This week, Alabama thumped Florida, 28-10, to give the SEC the top two spots.

This Week In College Football
Follow all the local college football action, including the first-ever meeting between Maryland and Towson, Navy vs. Air Force, plus Morgan State, Johns Hopkins and Stevenson.

Prospects On The Rise In September
It may only be September, but it's never too early to begin looking ahead to April's NFL draft. Matt Zenitz hightlights three players who have improved their draft stock through the early part of the college football season.

Can Tigers Top Terps In First Game?
After a devastating home loss to Temple, Maryland (1-2, 1-0 ACC) looks to rebound against Towson (3-0, 1-0 CAA) in the Tigers' first visit to College Park.

Navy-Air Force Will Be Decided On The Ground
On Saturday, Navy will begin its quest to reclaim the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy as the Midshipmen take on the U.S. Air Force Academy in Annapolis.

Bears Look To Extend Win Streak
Coming off a 14-9 win against Howard last weekend in the New York Urban League Classic, the Morgan State Bears return to Baltimore with two straight wins and a conference showdown with the North Carolina A&T Aggies at Hughes Stadium this Saturday.

Johns Hopkins Looking To Go 5-0
The undefeated Johns Hopkins football team, currently ranked No. 20, is heading to Huntingdon, Pa., to face Centennial Conference opponent Juniata at 1 p.m. Saturday.
• This Week In College Football | Stevenson Faces Unbeaten Delaware Valley

Maryland Madness Set For Oct. 14
The annual celebration of Maryland Madness, which tips off the new season of basketball at Comcast Center, is scheduled for 9:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 14.

Unbeaten Tigers Ranked 23rd in NCAA FCS
After opening the season with three convincing victories, the unbeaten Towson University football team broke into the Top 25 of The Sports Network/Fathead.com NCAA FCS College Football Weekly Poll.

Temple Owls Trounce Terps, 38-7
The Terps lost to the Temple Owls, 38-7, in College Park as Maryland fell to 1-2 on the season. Temple running back Bernard Pierce scored five touchdowns as the Owls racked up 285 rushing yards.

Towson Downs Colgate To Remain Unbeaten
Towson continued its undefeated season opening run with a 42-10 win over the Colgate Raiders. The Tigers (3-0, 1-0 CAA) celebrated homecoming in front of the largest student crowd in Johnny Unitas Stadium history.

LSU Grabs Top Spot From Oklahoma
Oklahoma topped Missouri, 38-28, Saturday, but still fell from the top spot in the Associated Press Top 25 thanks to LSU's decisive, 47-21, win against West Virginia.

This Week In College Football
Keep up with all the local college football action, including Maryland-Temple, Stevenson's hunt for a second win, plus Morgan State, Johns Hopkins and Towson.

Temple Poses Tough Test For Terps
When Maryland hosts Temple Saturday, the game will be a matchup between two teams looking to bounce back following near upsets last weekend -- as well as a matchup between two first-year coaches.

Study Ranks Navy 12th Among D-I Schools
The Naval Academy is ranked 12th among NCAA Division I universities in the ninth-annual NCSA Collegiate Power Rankings, which assess the academic and athletics standards of all NCAA athletic programs across the country.

Undefeated Hopkins Returns Home To Host Muhlenberg
The No. 23-ranked Blue Jays (3-0, 2-0 Centennial Conference) return home after a 41-0 win at Moravian last week to take on conference rival Muhlenberg.
• Stevenson Chasing Second Win | Morgan, Howard Battle On Big Stage

A New College Sports Landscape
PressBox's Baltimore Sports Blog offers one more prediction (wish list?) for how a possible NCAA realignment might go, and where Maryland could end up.

NCAA Realignment: Irish Fiddle As Alliances Burn
Jim Henneman thinks the collection of presidents of the NCAA's so-called "major" universities are acting an awful lot like owners of various professional sports teams.

Terps Fall Short Against WVU
Despite a valiant attempt at a late comeback, Maryland fell to No. 18 West Virginia, 37-31, in front of a disappointed sell-out crowd at Byrd Stadium Saturday.
• Photo Gallery | Stan "The Fan:" Terps Learn It's About Who Is In Uniform

Navy's Sights Set On Stunning SC
Navy has not beaten a top-15 team since 1984, and the Midshipmen are hoping this weekend can bring them a similar upset. Navy topped No. 11 South Carolina 27 years ago, 38-21.

Terps Host Mountaineers In Border Battle
Twelve days after a 32-24 season-opening victory against Miami, the Maryland football team will host No. 18 West Virginia.

Navy's Santiago Suffers Big Setback
Aaron Santiago scored three times in Navy's first two games, but the senior slotback suffered a major setback during the team's 40-14 win against Western Kentucky, breaking two bones in his arm toward the end of the second quarter.

Comcast Floor To be Named In Honor Of Gary Williams
The floor of the basketball court at Comcast Center will be named in honor of former head men's basketball coach Gary Williams. The dedication will take place in a formal ceremony on Dec. 9, 2011.

Hot Offense, Vivid Colors Help Terps Woo Top Prospects
Not only did the dawn of the Randy Edsall era begin with a victory against a nationally known Miami squad -- albeit a sullied one -- in front of a packed Byrd Stadium on primetime television, but the game generated a buzz extending far beyond the debate about uniform color combinations.

Rebuilding Project Ends Towson's Long Drought
After posting a 2-9 record in 2009 and going 1-10 in 2010, Towson has started the 2011 season with back-to-back victories.

College Notebook: Moyer Moves In At McDaniel
Paul Moyer has done a solid job as an athletic director at three previous NCAA Division III stops, but his toughest task may lie ahead of him at McDaniel College.
• Q&A: Stevenson University President Kevin Manning

Stevenson Football Gets First Win In Double OT
Quarterback C.J. Hopson and wide receiver Jeromie Miller connected for a game-winning 19-yard touchdown in double overtime to lift Stevenson to the first win in program history, a dramatic 46-43 triumph against visiting Christopher Newport in the first-ever game at Mustang Stadium.

Towson Stuns 20th-Ranked Villanova
Towson opened up conference play Saturday night with a stunning 31-10 upset victory over the Villanova Wildcats.

Three Terps Named ACC Players of the Week
Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien, defensive lineman Joe Vellano and defensive back Cameron Chism have been named ACC Players of the Week.

Mehrtens, Ebihara Join Maryland Athletic Department
As part of the University of Maryland's strategic reorganization of its senior staff, Kelly Mehrtens and Lori Ebihara will join the university's athletic department on Oct. 1.

Navy Prepares To Face WKU
Following their season-opening win against Delaware last Saturday, the Navy Midshipmen hit the road this week to face Western Kentucky University (7 p.m., Saturday, ESPN3.com), the first of two straight games away from Annapolis.

Tigers Eye Upset Against Villanova
Coming off a 42-3 win against the Morgan State Bears, the Towson Tigers are looking for their first win against Villanova (1-0) since 2006.

Stevenson Hosts Christopher Newport In Stadium Debut
The first-ever football game at Stevenson's new Mustang Stadium will be against Christopher Newport at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Edsall Gets Win As Terps Top Miami
Fueled by quarterback Danny O'Brien, and some late heroics from its defense, Maryland edged Miami for a dramatic 32-24 victory Monday night, securing a victory during Randy Edsall's first game as the Terrapins' head coach.
• Photo Gallery: Maryland 32, Miami 24

Top 25 Recap: Week 1
Kevin Heitz takes a quick look at how the top 25 teams fared during their first games of the season.

Towson QB Enders Earns Conference Honors
Towson QB Grant Enders has been named the Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Week following his three-touchdown performance against Morgan State.

Stevenson Falls In First Game
The Stevenson football team took the field for the first time in school history on Saturday night and looked impressive at times despite falling, 49-21, to Shenandoah.

Edsall Era Begins At Maryland
The Randy Edsall era of Maryland football begins with a Monday night matchup against a Miami team that will have eight of its players on the sidelines serving NCAA-imposed suspensions.

Towson Tops Morgan State In Season Opener
Towson opened its 2011 football season with a dominating, 42-3, win over crosstown rival Morgan State.

Date With Delaware Kicks Off Navy's Season
Navy opens its 2011 football campaign against Football Championship Subdivision power Delaware.

Towson Hosts Morgan State In Season Opener
Towson kicks off its 2011 football season Sept. 3 at 7 p.m., as head coach Rob Ambrose and the Tigers face their cross-town rivals, the Morgan State Bears, coached by Donald Hill-Eley.