A season-opening trip to Northwestern University highlights the revised version of Towson University’s 2009 football schedule, it has been announced by Director of Athletics Mike Hermann.

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The Tigers, who were originally slated to open the season at Morgan State, will play their season opener at Northwestern on Saturday, September 5. The game at Northwestern will mark the debut of Rob Ambrose as the Tigers’ new head football coach. It will also mark their second game against a team that competes at the NCAA FBS level. Towson opened the 2008 season at Navy and dropped a 41-13 decision to the Mids, who posted an 8-5 record and won their sixth straight Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy.

Ranked 23rd in the nation, Northwestern posted a 9-4 record last season. The Wildcats dropped a 30-23 overtime decision to 21st-ranked Missouri in the Alamo Bowl on December 29.

After the season opener at Northwestern, the Tigers return to action on Saturday, September 19 when they make their home debut against Coast Carolina University at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium. The Tigers’ game against Coastal is the first game of an attractive five-game home schedule, a slate that includes three CAA teams that went to the NCAA FCS playoffs in 2008.

On September 26, the Tigers will visit Morgan State to face the Bears at Hughes Stadium. It will be the 22nd meeting between the two local rivals. Towson owns a 16-5 series lead.

“College football is a small cooperative community,” said Hermann. “For a variety of reasons, we agreed to adjust our schedule to assist a number of other institutions with scheduling issues. We value the 2009 games with Northwestern, Coastal Carolina and Morgan State and are pleased that the details could be worked out to keep all three games on our schedule. Opening the season on the road against a Top 25 team from the Big Ten Conference is a great honor and an exciting challenge for our football program, and I’m sure it will become a focal point for our team during its preseason preparation.”

In addition to their tough non-conference schedule, the Tigers will play eight conference games in the traditionally tough Colonial Athletic Association. The CAA is widely recognized as the toughest NCAA FCS conference in the nation.

On October 3, the Tigers open CAA action when they host the University of New Hampshire, a team that reached the NCAA FCS quarter-finals in 2008. The Tigers’ game against UNH will be part of Family Weekend.

On October 17, the Tigers host perennial national power Delaware in their annual Homecoming Game. The Tigers will also host defending national champion Richmond on October 31. The Spiders won their first NCAA FCS championship earlier this month with a 24-7 win over Montana.

In their final home game of the season, the Tigers face Villanova, an NCAA FCS quarter-finalist this past season.

Towson also visits Rhode Island on October 10, Northeastern on October 24, William & Mary on November 7 and James Madison in the season finale on November 21.

By Towson University Sports Information