Towson Looks for First Win in Tough CAA Road Test Against Monmouth

By Brian Hradsky

The Towson Tigers have reached the point where simply playing better is not enough. They need a win.

Towson travels to West Long Branch, New Jersey, on Saturday for a Coastal Athletic Association matchup against the Monmouth Hawks at Kessler Stadium. Towson enters the game 0-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play, while Monmouth is 3-2 overall, 2-0 in the CAA and receiving votes in both major FCS polls.

The records make Monmouth the team entering with considerably more momentum, but Towson has shown enough offensively over the past two weeks to make this matchup interesting. The Tigers scored 26 points against Morgan State and 28 against Delaware State after averaging just 14 points through their first three games.

Saturday gives Towson another opportunity to turn improved offensive production into something that has eluded the Tigers all season: a complete four-quarter victory.

Towson Still Searching for No. 1

An 0-5 record does not tell the entire story of Towson’s season, but it does illustrate how costly the Tigers’ problems have become.

Towson opened with a narrow 21-18 loss against Maine before losing 42-15 at Navy and 45-9 at South Carolina. The Tigers returned home and fell 41-26 against Morgan State before suffering another frustrating 33-28 defeat at Delaware State.

The Delaware State loss might have been the most difficult.

Towson trailed 27-14 at halftime but fought back. The Tigers eventually took a 28-27 fourth-quarter lead on Xavier Pugh’s four-yard touchdown run before Delaware State answered with a six-yard quarterback scramble with only 42 seconds remaining.

Towson finished with a 369-298 advantage in total offense, but a minus-three turnover margin proved costly.

That has become one of the central themes surrounding the Tigers. There are stretches where Towson looks capable of competing with quality opponents, but mistakes, defensive breakdowns and turnovers have repeatedly erased the good work.

Andrew Indorf Gives Towson a Chance

If Towson is going to turn its season around, quarterback Andrew Indorf will likely be at the center of it.

Indorf has completed 102 of 144 passes for 1,263 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions through five games. His 70.8% completion rate is particularly impressive considering how frequently Towson has relied on its passing attack.

The Tigers are averaging 254.6 passing yards per game, and Indorf has already produced five completions of at least 47 yards. Towson’s passing attack has become increasingly dangerous because the Tigers are no longer relying exclusively on short completions to move down the field.

Indorf threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns against Delaware State, marking his second consecutive three-touchdown passing performance.

There was one significant problem.

He also threw two interceptions.

Against a Monmouth team that has demonstrated an ability to win close games, Towson cannot afford to repeatedly give away possessions.

Aaron Enterline Has Become Towson’s Biggest Weapon

Few Towson players have made a bigger impact this season than Penn State transfer Aaron Enterline.

Enterline has 28 receptions for 419 yards and seven touchdowns. Even more impressively, he has caught at least one touchdown in each of Towson’s first five games.

His big-play ability was on full display against Delaware State.

Indorf connected with Enterline for a 75-yard touchdown, Towson’s longest touchdown pass since an 84-yard score against Maryland during the 2025 season. Enterline finished the game with five catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

Monmouth knows where Towson wants to go with the football.

That does not necessarily mean the Hawks can stop it.

If Enterline forces Monmouth to devote additional attention to him, receivers Cleveland Charlton, Jarvis Jones and Jacob Zollar could find favorable matchups elsewhere. Charlton has 198 receiving yards and two touchdowns despite appearing in only four games.

Towson needs those weapons involved early.

The Running Game Must Give Indorf Help

This is arguably Towson’s biggest offensive problem.

The Tigers are averaging only 71 rushing yards per game and 2.3 yards per attempt. They have scored just one traditional rushing touchdown through five games.

That lack of balance puts enormous pressure on Indorf.

Opposing defenses can attack Towson knowing the Tigers are far more dangerous through the air than on the ground. That becomes especially problematic on third down, where Towson is converting only 33.3% of its opportunities.

There were encouraging signs against Delaware State.

Kemarrion Battles carried 18 times for 94 yards, giving Towson some of its best rushing production of the season. If Battles can approach that level again Saturday, the entire offense becomes more difficult to defend.

Towson does not necessarily need 200 rushing yards. The Tigers simply need enough production to make Monmouth respect the run.

Monmouth Brings a Balanced Offense

Monmouth presents a very different challenge.

Quarterback Frankie Weaver has completed 120 of 183 passes for 1,218 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He is averaging 243.6 passing yards per game, ranking third in the CAA entering the matchup.

Weaver is also coming off his best performance of the season.

He completed 33 of 42 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns without an interception or sack as Monmouth defeated Dartmouth 31-28.

Towson therefore cannot concentrate exclusively on stopping Monmouth’s running game.

The Hawks can attack through the air, and Weaver has demonstrated that he can efficiently distribute the football when given time.

Monmouth Can Run It Too

Elijah Jennings and Kenny Smith Jr. give Monmouth a balanced backfield.

Jennings has rushed 74 times for 349 yards and two touchdowns, while Smith has 81 carries for 333 yards and three scores. Both backs have also caught a touchdown pass.

That balance creates a potentially dangerous matchup against Towson’s biggest defensive weakness.

Opponents are averaging 253.8 rushing yards per game against the Tigers and 6.1 yards per carry. Towson has already surrendered 15 rushing touchdowns.

Those numbers have to improve.

If Jennings and Smith consistently produce five or six yards on first down, Weaver will spend the afternoon operating in favorable situations. Towson’s defense would then have very few obvious passing downs where it could aggressively attack the quarterback.

Stopping the run has to be priority No. 1.

Third Down Could Decide the Game

The contrast here is significant.

Monmouth has converted 39 of 75 third-down attempts, an excellent 52% success rate. Towson has converted just 20 of 60, or 33.3%.

That difference can completely change a football game.

If Monmouth repeatedly extends drives while Towson goes three-and-out, the Tigers’ defense will eventually wear down. That is especially concerning considering Towson’s problems defending the run.

Indorf and the offense need manageable third downs.

Third-and-3 gives Towson options. Third-and-9 allows Monmouth to attack the quarterback and focus almost entirely on stopping the pass.

Early-down execution will be critical.

Towson Must Protect Indorf

Another major statistical concern involves pass protection.

Towson has surrendered 19 sacks through five games while recording only six defensively. Monmouth has generated 12 sacks while allowing only two.

That is a major matchup advantage for the Hawks.

Towson cannot allow Monmouth to consistently create pressure with four rushers. If that happens, the Hawks can keep additional defenders in coverage and make life significantly more difficult for Enterline and the rest of Towson’s receivers.

Indorf has been productive despite the pressure he has faced.

Giving him a cleaner pocket could unlock an offense that has already shown it can generate explosive plays.

Towson Has History on Its Side at Monmouth

There is one unusual trend working heavily in Towson’s favor.

The Tigers lead the all-time series against Monmouth 9-3 and are 6-0 all-time at Kessler Stadium. The road team has won each of the past four meetings between the programs.

Towson won 26-14 at Monmouth in 2024 and survived a wild 52-48 game there in 2022.

Monmouth won last season’s matchup 42-31 at Towson. The Tigers tied that game early in the fourth quarter before the Hawks pulled away. Indorf completed 21 of 28 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns in that contest.

Past results will not determine Saturday’s outcome, but Towson certainly should not be intimidated by the trip to West Long Branch.

The Tigers have never lost there.

Five Keys for Towson

Stop the run. Nothing else matters defensively if Towson continues allowing more than six yards per rushing attempt. The Tigers need to force Weaver to consistently beat them on obvious passing downs.

Protect the football. Towson had a minus-three turnover margin against Delaware State despite outgaining the Hornets. Another performance like that will make winning at Monmouth extremely difficult.

Keep Indorf upright. Monmouth has 12 sacks while Towson has surrendered 19. The Tigers’ offensive line faces one of its biggest assignments of the afternoon.

Get Enterline involved early. Seven touchdowns in five games makes Enterline Towson’s premier scoring threat. Finding him early could force Monmouth to alter its defensive approach.

Finish the fourth quarter. Towson took the lead against Delaware State with 2:43 remaining and still lost. At some point, the Tigers have to turn a competitive fourth quarter into a victory.

Monmouth Has Plenty at Stake

This is also an important game for the Hawks.

Monmouth is 2-0 in CAA play and could move to 3-0 in the conference with a victory. The Hawks are also receiving votes in the Stats Perform and AFCA FCS Top 25 polls after beating Dartmouth.

Saturday is also Monmouth’s Homecoming game.

The Hawks have won three consecutive Homecoming games and seven of their past eight.

That creates a difficult environment for an 0-5 Towson team trying to find confidence.

But it also gives the Tigers an opportunity.

There would be no better way for Towson to change the direction of its season than beating a conference opponent on the road during Homecoming.

Game Information

Matchup: Towson Tigers (0-5, 0-1 CAA) at Monmouth Hawks (3-2, 2-0 CAA)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Kevin Callahan Field at Kessler Stadium, West Long Branch, New Jersey
TV: Monumental Sports Network
Streaming: FloCollege
Radio: TowsonTigers.com
All-Time Series: Towson leads 9-3.

MSB Take

Towson’s 0-5 record is impossible to ignore, but the Tigers have shown offensive progress over the past two games. Indorf is completing more than 70% of his passes, Enterline has become one of the most productive receiving threats on the roster, and Battles provided some desperately needed production on the ground against Delaware State.

The problem is that Towson continues to make winning unnecessarily difficult. The Tigers have struggled against the run, allowed too many sacks and committed costly turnovers. Against a Monmouth team converting 52% of its third downs and capable of attacking through both Weaver and its two-headed running game, those mistakes could quickly become decisive.

There is also reason for Towson to believe this is an opportunity. The Tigers are 6-0 all-time at Kessler Stadium, and their passing offense gives them the ability to generate points quickly. If Towson protects Indorf, gets another productive game from Enterline and dramatically improves its run defense, the Tigers have a path to making this a four-quarter game.

Eventually, however, playing close has to become winning.

Saturday would be an excellent time for Towson to make that transition.