Hamilton, NY — Junior tailback Jamaal Branch carried a career-high 36 times for 176 yards and one touchdown to lead ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ (4-0 overall, 2-0 Patriot League) to a 26-7 Patriot League win over Towson at Andy Kerr Stadium.
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ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ extended the second longest win streak in Division I-AA to 10 straight games as the Raiders opened their season with four straight wins for the first time since 1983. It is only the fourth time in school history that ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ has won 10 straight games with the last time coming in 1977.
Branch becomes the 23rd player in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a career. He is currently 22nd with 1,153 yards.
ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ had 338 yards of total offense ‘ 224 rushing and 114 passing at wind swept Andy Kerr Stadium. Towson managed 157 yards of offense ‘ 20 rushing and 137 passing.
Over the last eight seasons, the Raiders have held the opposition to under 100 yards rushing 37 times, and are 35-2 when doing so.
Towson opened the scoring with 9:54 remaining in the first half when Mikal Lundy scored on a 28-yard touchdown run to cap an eight-play, 59-yard drive. ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ tied the contest with 8:47 left in the first half when on the first play from scrimmage, junior wide receiver Luke Graham grabbed a 51-yard touchdown pass from Chris Brown.
After a scoreless third quarter, ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ took a 14-0 lead two minutes into the fourth quarter when Brown capped an 80-yard drive with a one-yard bootleg run around the left corner.
On the ensuing possession by Towson, the Tigers were forced to take a safety when the fourth down snap sailed over punter Steve Bulcavage’s head. Bulcavage recovered the fumble and threw the ball over the back line of the end zone giving ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ a 16-7 advantage.
ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ closed out the scoring on a 32-yard field goal by Lane Schwarzberg and Branch’s 11-yard TD run with 58 seconds left.
GAME NOTES: Brown completed seven-of-22 passes for 114 yards and one TD ‘ Graham extended his pass catching streak to 18 straight games, while J.B. Gerald stretched his streak to 16 straight games ‘ Strong safety Sean McCune had his fifth career interception, while free safety Ainsworth Minott had his third career interception ‘ ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ’s leading tackler was McCune with seven, while Rob Hannah had a pair of sacks and a fumble recovery … senior tailback Nate Thomas moved into a tie for 17th place in career rushing with 1,349 yards.