Late-Half Surges Lift Towson in Battle for Greater Baltimore

By: D’Mari Dreher-Smith, Sports Editor

The Towson Tigers and the Morgan State Bears clashed for the twenty-ninth time since 1979 in this year’s Battle for Greater Baltimore.

These two teams, the closest FCS teams in the Baltimore area, fought head-to-head until the Tigers came out on top, 27-22.

Towson came out swinging in the first quarter, quarterback Andrew Indorf clicking early with three straight completions on the opening drive. Yet just as quickly as the rhythm started, the Tigers’ offense stalled, forced to punt and hand Morgan their first possession. But the defense would set the tone for this Bear-Tiger clash.

“We couldn’t do anything offensively until our last drive,” said head coach Pete Shinnick. “They were moving well, but our defense just stepped up.”

Morgan’s first drive started and stalled, with an immediate fumble scooped by Towson’s Alfred Thomas. Throughout the first quarter, neither team could get the ball moving, trading uneventful possessions until the last five minutes of the quarter.

Moving down the field, the Bears were able to pick up three, sealing a four-minute drive with a 38-yard field goal. But the Tigers wasted no time striking back—Lukkas Londono sparking the crowd with a 96-yard kickoff return, delivering the game’s first touchdown, 7-3.

Quarter two kicked off in similar defensive fashion, with an explosive interception and touchdown from Myles Brodie, 14-3.

But Morgan would adjust. Still not able to find their offense, they locked in their defense, forcing an Indorf incomplete pass and Towson’s first sack of the game. The next drives would turn the game into penalties and punts, until Morgan took control of the field, recording another sack and two touchdowns, 14-16.

“I thought they came out and did a great job of confusing our freshman quarterback and putting him in some unique situations,” said Shinnick. “But we got our stops when we needed them.”

The Tigers would seal the half, grabbing a rushing touchdown from Kemarrion Battles, 21-16.

Coming into the third quarter, Morgan State relied on their game plan so far, running the ball. Recording an eight-minute drive, Morgan was unable to make anything happen, the drive plagued by penalties, incomplete passes, and a missed field goal.

The Tigers’ offense struggled as well, unable to move the ball. But once again, the Tigers’ saving grace was their defense—sacking Bears QB Kobe Muasau in the final minutes of the game. The third quarter was a scoring drought for both teams.

The final quarter opened in dramatic fashion: a rush from Muasau, only for the ball to pop out in a play that went to review. Ultimately, it was ruled a fumble—Tigers’ ball. But that momentum would drop, the offense choking.

The Bears would get the ball back and monopolize their time. Relying heavily on their run, two back-to-back rushes would allow the Bears to snatch the lead with only 4:22 left in the fourth quarter, 21-22.

With under five minutes left, the energy in Hughes Memorial Stadium was electric. The Tigers charged toward the end zone behind a series of strong runs from Battles, but their push unraveled, derailed by costly mistakes, including an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and a missed connection through the air.

After three timeouts in the final minute of the game, the Tigers were still down one point in the final 36 seconds of this year’s clash on Cold Spring Lane.

With the clock winding down, Indorf fired a dart to John Dunmore in the corner of the end zone, a clutch last-minute strike that sealed the game and sent Towson’s student section into a frenzy, 27–22.

“I knew it was coming to me,” said Dunmore. “That was an 80-20 ball, I don’t consider those 50-50. It was mine, nobody else could catch it. Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.”

Towson Tigers football will be on the road against the University of Maryland Terrapins this Saturday, Sept. 13. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m.