Towson Football to play Delaware and Villanova every season under new CAA football scheduling format
By: Jake Shindel, Sports Editor
Under the CAA’s new football scheduling format, Towson Football will play Delaware and Villanova every year, while rotating through the other teams in an eight-year cycle.
The move comes as the CAA grows as a conference, with an FCS-leading 15 teams suiting up in 2023. The CAA created five groups of three teams, with Towson being in a group with Delaware and Villanova.
Each CAA team will have eight conference games per season, four at home and four on the road. Two games each season are reserved for games against their permanent, which will alternate home and away games each season.
The other six games will be scheduled each season to ensure that each team plays everyone else outside of their pod at least once at home and once on the road in an eight-year rotation, according to Rob Washburn, the CAA’s Associate Commissioner of Communications.
Towson and Delaware, two rival schools, are now set to face off each year, alternating which team is at home.
“We are excited to have them on the schedule for the next eight years, we have great respect for their program and the history of our rivalry,” first-year Head Coach Pete Shinnick told The Towerlight. “Looking forward to the next eight years.”
The decision to create permanent partners is in response to two CAA newcomers, North Carolina A&T and Campbell, joining the conference as two of the southern-most teams in the conference. The CAA cited reduced costs and limited air travel as reasons for the new format.
In a statement provided to The Towerlight, CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio said that keeping the already-existing rivalries was a priority in making the new format, while also saying that the format will create new geographical rivalries.
“While the permanent opponents have a geographical component, historical rivalries were considered when selecting the permanent opponents. Across the Conference, there are many storied rivalries; in the new configuration of CAA Football, those are protected, and new rivalries will be created. “
Towson opens the 2023 season on the road at Maryland on Saturday, Sept. 2. The last time the two teams played was in 2017, when Towson lost 63-17. The Tigers begin conference play the following week when they host Monmouth, a team they beat on the road 52-48 last season.
