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TOWSON, MD. – Freshman placekicker Russ Abrams’ 22-yard field goal in overtime lifted Colgate to a 30-27 come-from-behind win over Towson at Minnegan Stadium. 

Colgate (3-1 overall, 2-0 Patriot League) won its third straight contest, and snapped Towson’s eight-game home field winning streak.  Towson is 3-2 overall and 2-2 in the Patriot League.

Colgate trailed the Tigers 27-19 entering the fourth quarter after Towson scored on its first possession of the second half.  The Red Raiders used their third blocked punt of the game – all by senior cornerback Brandon Tinson – to gain possession on the 50-yard line witb 7:17 remaining.  Five plays later, quarterback Tom McCune connected with flanker Joe Parker on a 32-yard touchdown pass.  The Red Raiders then tied the score on McCune’s two-point conversion run over the left side with 4:51 left.

Colgate had a chance to win in regulation after moving to the Towson 30 with 11 seconds remaining.  After three consecutive timeouts by Towson, Abrams attempted a 47-yarder, but the ball hit the crossbar forcing overtime.

Colgate won the extra session coin flip and elected to go on defense.  Towson quickly moved to the nine-yard line but on third-and-goal from the three-yard line freshman strong safety Sean McCune intercepted a pass in the back of the end zone to stop the Tigers.

The Red Raiders rushed five straight times behind Randall Joseph to the Towson five-yard line before Abrams kicked his winning field goal.

The victory left Colgate in first place in the Patriot League standings and was its 18 win in the last 20 Patriot League games including seven straight.

Colgate used its first blocked punt by Tinson to scored on its first possession of the game.  Taking over on the Towson 38-yard line, the Red Raiders marched to the one-yard line where McCune scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak.  Abrams booted the extra point.

Towson used a fumble recovery on the Colgate 29-yard line to tie the score later in the first quarter.  On the second play, quarterback Kris Blake fired a pass to the goal line which was deflected by cornerback Max Wynn, but the ball ricochet to the back of the end zone where Joe Cunningham hauled it in for a touchdown.

Colgate re-captured the lead early in the second quarter on Abrams’ 21-yard field goal – the first of his collegiate career.  The field goal was set up by Colgate’s longest pass play of the season a 54-yarder from McCune to Jason Mattes.  Mattes finished with seven catches for a career-high 157 yards.

The Red Raiders used their second blocked punt to up their lead to 17-7.  After taking over on the Towson 15-yard line, McCune scored on a one-yard run with 10:07 left in the half.

The Tigers came right back with an 11-play, 83-yard drive capped by Noah Read’s six-yard run to trail 17-14.  Taking advantage of another Colgate turnover with an interception in the end zone, Towson went 80 yards to score on Blake’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Read with 22 seconds remaining for a 20-17 lead.  However, Colgate’s Maurice Robertson blocked the PAT and Ahmad Russell scooped up the loose pigskin to score a two-point defensive extra point to leave the Red Raiders trailing 20-19 at halftime.

That play would later turn out to be the key play in the contest.  Instead of trailing by four points, the Red Raiders found themselves behind by one at the half.

In the third quarter, Towson grabbed an eight-point lead when Read scored on a two-yard run with 6:51 remaining capping a 68-yard drive in 13 plays. Then Colgate rallied for the victory.

RED RAIDER NOTEBOOK -- McCune connected on 15-of-34 passes for 246 yards and one TD ... Randall Joseph was Colgate's leading rusher with 21 carries for 85 yards. He moved into 12th place on the Patriot League's all-time rushing chart with 2,466 yards ... Tinson's three punt blocks tied the NCAA Division I-AA record held by Ben Duhon of McNeese State ...